Narrative:

During passenger and cargo loading, we found out from an agent that we had a chemical spill in the aft cargo compartment. Evidently, during loading, a drum of dialyphthalate broke open and at least 1 gallon of the chemical was spilled. Our maintenance personnel determined that it would not cause a problem with the aircraft since it was not caustic or acidic. However, during questioning of the supervisors involved by the captain and myself, we were surprised in the lack of accurate information that we were getting. No one knew what the chemical was at first, then they said it was harmless, determined by calling the local hospital. We were told it was anything from a class 2 fire hazard to an insecticide. Finally, the captain called washington, dc, and found out it was a class 2 health hazard. This meant it could be an irritant if breathed. The spill was cleaned up, we don't know what procedure was used to clean it up, and we proceeded on our way uneventfully. The problems I see in this situation are numerous. First, we don't know if the chemical was properly labeled. It was being shipped from britain. Secondly, the captain was not informed that we would have this chemical on board. According to our operations manual, only hazardous goods need to be annotated. This may not have been classified as hazardous, but it was an irritant. Finally, we don't know what type of cleanup procedures were followed or if they were proper. I also feel the FAA should mandate that the captain be informed of any chemicals or cargo that could have an effect on the flight if it were to come in contact with cabin air pressurized or unpressurized.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HAZARDOUS CARGO PROBLEM PROC ENCOUNTERED DURING FLUID SPILL IN CARGO BIN PRIOR TO DEP.

Narrative: DURING PAX AND CARGO LOADING, WE FOUND OUT FROM AN AGENT THAT WE HAD A CHEMICAL SPILL IN THE AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT. EVIDENTLY, DURING LOADING, A DRUM OF DIALYPHTHALATE BROKE OPEN AND AT LEAST 1 GALLON OF THE CHEMICAL WAS SPILLED. OUR MAINT PERSONNEL DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD NOT CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH THE ACFT SINCE IT WAS NOT CAUSTIC OR ACIDIC. HOWEVER, DURING QUESTIONING OF THE SUPVRS INVOLVED BY THE CAPT AND MYSELF, WE WERE SURPRISED IN THE LACK OF ACCURATE INFO THAT WE WERE GETTING. NO ONE KNEW WHAT THE CHEMICAL WAS AT FIRST, THEN THEY SAID IT WAS HARMLESS, DETERMINED BY CALLING THE LCL HOSPITAL. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS ANYTHING FROM A CLASS 2 FIRE HAZARD TO AN INSECTICIDE. FINALLY, THE CAPT CALLED WASHINGTON, DC, AND FOUND OUT IT WAS A CLASS 2 HEALTH HAZARD. THIS MEANT IT COULD BE AN IRRITANT IF BREATHED. THE SPILL WAS CLEANED UP, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT PROC WAS USED TO CLEAN IT UP, AND WE PROCEEDED ON OUR WAY UNEVENTFULLY. THE PROBLEMS I SEE IN THIS SITUATION ARE NUMEROUS. FIRST, WE DON'T KNOW IF THE CHEMICAL WAS PROPERLY LABELED. IT WAS BEING SHIPPED FROM BRITAIN. SECONDLY, THE CAPT WAS NOT INFORMED THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS CHEMICAL ON BOARD. ACCORDING TO OUR OPS MANUAL, ONLY HAZARDOUS GOODS NEED TO BE ANNOTATED. THIS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS HAZARDOUS, BUT IT WAS AN IRRITANT. FINALLY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF CLEANUP PROCS WERE FOLLOWED OR IF THEY WERE PROPER. I ALSO FEEL THE FAA SHOULD MANDATE THAT THE CAPT BE INFORMED OF ANY CHEMICALS OR CARGO THAT COULD HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE FLT IF IT WERE TO COME IN CONTACT WITH CABIN AIR PRESSURIZED OR UNPRESSURIZED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.