That's great new, but it falls WAY short of the staff that "we" need to get rid of the toxic environment that "we" work in. "We" as a union need to fill those work cards out on every bus, everytime "WE" turn them in. There are categories that need to be checked off on, such as "burning smell, sulfur/rotten eggs, moldy/musty, solvent and other". I took some time to find out some of the illness associated with those smells (listed below) and why it is important for "us" to recognize this as "our" major need for "our" full benefits restored.
Sulfur/rotten eggs -
The EPA's proposal would begin taking effect in mid-2006 for diesel fuel, although all of its emissions provisions for new diesel engines would not be in place until the year 2010. The proposed rules would require a 90% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions, a key factor in smog. They would cut soot, or diesel particles, by 95%. The EPA's plan also would chop sulfur levels in diesel fuel by 97%.
Cleaner fuel and emissions will mean healthier air and lungs for Americans; Browner noted that smog and soot are linked with 15,000 deaths and 400,000 asthma attacks each year. Soot also may contribute to lung cancer. Earlier this week, an annual report from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) listed it for the first time as a substance "reasonably anticipated" to causecancer.
moldy/musty -
Common Allergens for Allergic Asthma
Allergens, which are small enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs, include: Windblown pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds Mold spores and mold fragments, Animal dander (from hair, skin, or feathers) and saliva, Dust mite feces, Cockroach feces.
You may also have allergic reactions if you are scratched with an allergen (causing itchy, red skin), get some in your eyes (causing itchy, red eyes), or eat it, which in rare cases can cause life-threatening anaphylactic shock (including a severe asthma attack). When pollen counts are high, stay inside as much as possible. Keep the windows closed. Don't use an evaporative cooler (called a swamp cooler in the Southwestern U.S.). If it's hot, use an air conditioner with a clean air filter. Don't use an old air conditioner if it smells musty or moldy.
Solvents -
Indoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution can affect you at home, work, or even places you visit. It is a common source of respiratory diseases, including asthma, allergies, and lung cancer. It can be worse in winter, when windows are shut tight and less fresh air can circulate.
Other - (the one that I commonly smell, DUST LIKE SMELL)
Nasal polyps are common, noncancerous, teardrop-shaped growths that form in the nose or sinuses, usually around the area where the sinuses open into the nasal cavity. Mature nasal polyps look like seedless, peeled grapes.
Often associated with allergies or asthma, nasal polyps may cause no symptoms, especially if they're small, and require no treatment. But larger nasal polyps can block normal drainage from the sinuses. When too much mucus accumulates in the sinuses, it can become infected, which accounts for the thick, discolored drainage in the nose and down the throat that affects many people with nasal polyps.
Symptoms of nasal polyps include:
- nasal obstruction
- nasal congestion
- sneezing
- postnasal drip
- runny nose
- facial pain
- reduced ability to smell (hyposmia)
- loss of smell (anosmia)
- loss of taste
- itching around the eyes
- chronic infections
Although nasal polyps are associated with allergic rhinitis, asthma, aspirin allergy, sinus infections, acute and chronic infections, a foreign body in the nose, and cystic fibrosis, many times the cause is unknown. Sometimes, the formation of nasal polyps precedes the development of asthma or sinusitis.
Some researchers theorize that symptoms of allergies -- including runny nose, sneezing, and itching -- predispose people to develop nasal polyps. Other researchers theorize that sinus infections -- which cause tissue swelling and diminished drainage -- lead to the formation of nasal polyps. But the allergic connection is controversial. Some research suggests that nasal polyps may develop in nearly one-third of patients with asthma but only in about 2% of patients who have seasonal allergies with no diagnosis of asthma.
Lastly, to "our" equipment (bus/train), as I have said on a number of occasions, "our" maintenance "brothers and sisters" do the best "they" can under the pressuer that management puts on "them", to get the equipment out, into service each day. All of the hard work "they" put in, may not have anything to do with the HVAC or ducts (unless it is broken). In some of the information that I had read the consinsis stated that the HVAC systems need to be reconditioned after 3yrs, yet I suspect they have not been serviced at all, unless they need to be fixed, while "our" maintenance "brothers and sisters" keep replacing the filters as scheduled. Since "we" are using equipment that has been around since the 1990's, that have the unusual odor issues may not have had their HVAC systems cleaned at all (below is info that I found).
Maintenance & Support
Regular, scheduled maintenance, both visual and operational, is recommended no matter the type of A/C system. Stephens says the dustier the environment, the more frequently filters should be checked to see if they need to be replaced. Giacona adds that the trend toward rooftop systems result in a cleaner operating environment than the rear and underside systems, which extends the life of the system and reduces maintenance.
Maintenance procedures may include changing filters, checking pressures, checking compressor belt tension, making sure fans and motors are working properly, and cleaning out the condenser, according to Rauber.
Trans/Air Manufacturing
8 Warning Signs Which Indicate Trouble
Train your drivers to recognize warning signs of an impending climate control
disaster. The following conditions require the immediate attention of a qualified
service professional:
Vibration or noise from engine compartment indicates a compressor or mount problem
Vibration or noise from evaporator indicates a blower or motor problem
Oil around refrigeration hose connection indicates a refrigerant leak
Condensate is not draining due to plugged or kinked drain lines
Noticeable decrease in performance is usually attributable to freon leaks or motor failures
Warning lights / indicators reflective of high or low pressure system shutdown
Reduced airflow is indicative of clogged filters / coil or failed blower / motor
Caused by failing belts, hoses too close to heat source, electrical problems
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