CUPE and the Airline Division of CUPE (ADCUPE) is partnering with the Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE) to bring the membership access to the Global Cabin Air Reporting System (GCARS).
By clicking the button above, you will be redirected to the GCARS platform where you can provide your feedback.
FAQ:
What is the GCAQE?
The GCAQE is a not-for-profit based out of London, UK, formed out of many member unions, including the ADCUPE. ADCUPE pays dues to the GCAQE, which are pooled with those of other major unions. In return, it obtains services for its members including but not limited to research, tools and advocacy.
What is GCARS?
Developed by the GCAQE, GCARS is an e-form that follows the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines for notifying about contaminated air events (also known as fume events, dirty sock smell events, etc….) on aircraft. It does not replace established reporting processes at your air carrier (see below).
Why use GCARS?
Many CUPE members have experienced fume events at work, but employers often don’t share this information with the Union.
By submitting the GCARS e-form for suspected fume events, you can help provide a more accurate picture to the Union of the number and types of occurrences. This will enable us to track patterns according to airline and aircraft type. This data will also help us lobby the federal government for better safety standards, training, and protections for flight crews. Consistent use of GCARS strengthens our case for stronger safety regulations and accountability.
Who will see the information that I submit?
Your information will be sent to the GCAQE and retained in a database of all e-forms received globally. As per the GCARS privacy policy, your responses are confidential and will only be shared internally on a need-to-know basis. The GCAQE privacy policy can be consulted at the bottom of the reporting page: https://gcars.app/
A copy will be provided to the CUPE National Health and Safety Branch. The Union will use this information for advocacy and support in accordance with its existing privacy and document retention policies.
Do I still need to report to my employer?
YES
You should continue to report to your employer, per established Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) at your air carrier.
TO BE CLEAR, GCARS:
1. DOES NOT replace established reporting process at your air carrier
2. DOES NOT advise your union local
3. DOES NOT advise your health and safety committee
4. DOES NOT fulfill any workers compensation or other insurance requirements.
Will the union contact me about the information that I submit?
NO
Please note that you should not expect a reply to any submissions made through GCARS.
Is the form available in French?
No. As with many initiatives run by external international organizations, some services may not be available in French. The GCAQE, is London, UK, based.
How to respond to a suspected fume event
CUPE recommends the following steps if you think you have experienced a fume event:
- Send an email to air@cupe.ca to receive the most up-to-date documents and guide to obtaining post fume-event care.
- Report any incident to your company, as outlined in your flight attendant manual describing it exactly as it was reported to the pilots above, and fill out your company’s injury declaration report, if available.
- Report the incident to your local health and safety committee member. The Union can only work on this issue if it knows the fume events are happening.
- Members who have experienced a fume event should go to their primary care physician as soon as they can. Make sure you tell the doctor about how the exposure happened, what you know and how you feel. Remember to avoid industry-specific language (for example, say “exposure to potentially toxic vapors” rather than “fume event”).
- Report the incident to our GCARS database at https://cupe.ca/fume-events-airquality-reporting (remember that this is for data collection purposes only, there will be no response to reports filed with GCARS)
- The Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE) has recently released a quick-reference document of a REVISED medical protocol which can be downloaded and printed here: https://caqprotocol.online/downloads/GCAQE-Fume-Event-Procedure.pdf. (Unfortunately, at this time it is only available in English.)
- We encourage that members start at page 14 (the ‘grey’ section) to record their symptoms and basic information as soon as possible after the incident as your symptoms will change over time.
- It is also important to record other relevant information that can be found at page 9 of the guide, and there is a useful letter for your physician on page 12 of the guide.
- There is also a full REVISED medical protocol including a full 156-page document and companion peer-reviewed academic article which can be consulted HERE: https://www.gcaqe.org/health
- Provide the documentation you receive from the email on fume events to your physician. Don’t assume that they already know. Most doctors have no training in occupational exposures.
- Complete a worker’s compensation form for the provincial compensation board under which you are based (such as WSIB, CSST , CNESST, Worksafe). Remember that the long-term effects of fume event exposure are still not completely understood. Even if you are not experiencing significant symptoms now, CUPE recommends reporting to protect against future losses. Remember that by reporting a workplace illness or accident to the worker’s compensation board, you aren’t committing to actually taking time off on workers compensation. You are contributing to a permanent record of your work-related health events with the government, which may benefit you down the line.
- Safety data sheets can be obtained from your employer to determine which contaminants were potentially present.
CUPE maintains that airline operators, manufacturers and Transport Canada must take much more concerted action in eliminating toxic fumes to protect the health of passengers and crew members.