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Example 6 - Rashes On Plane

The new planes delivered to Eastern Airlines in 1980 were found to cause a red rash on the flight attendants' arms, hands, and faces, but only during flights over water. Doctors and industrial hygienists could not identify any issues in the plane cabins. Using K.T. problem analysis, it was determined that the rash was likely caused by something contacting the attendants' arms and faces, as it only occurred during demonstrations of new life vests, which were made of different materials than before.

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Selvaraj Balasundram
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230 views

Example 6 - Rashes On Plane

The new planes delivered to Eastern Airlines in 1980 were found to cause a red rash on the flight attendants' arms, hands, and faces, but only during flights over water. Doctors and industrial hygienists could not identify any issues in the plane cabins. Using K.T. problem analysis, it was determined that the rash was likely caused by something contacting the attendants' arms and faces, as it only occurred during demonstrations of new life vests, which were made of different materials than before.

Uploaded by

Selvaraj Balasundram
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Example: A new model airplane was delivered to Eastern Airlines in 1980.

Immediately after the


planes were in operation, the flight attendants developed a red rash on their arms, hands, and
faces. It did not appear on any other part of the body and the rash occurred only on flights that
were over water. Fortunately, it usually disappeared in 24 hours and caused no additional
problems beyond that time. When the attendants flew other planes over the same routes, no ill
effects occurred. The rash did not occur on all the attendants of a particular flight. However, the
same number of attendants contacted the rash on each flight. In addition, a few of those who
contracted the rash felt ill, and the union threatened action because the attendants were upset,
worried, and believed some malicious force was behind it. Many doctors were called in, but all
were in a quandary. Industrial hygienists could not measure anything extraordinary in the cabins.
The K.T. problem analysis is given below:
What:
When:
Where:
Extent:

IS
Rash
New planes used
Flights over water

IS NOT
Other illness
Old planes used
Flights over land

Face, hands, arms


Only some attendants

Other parts of the body.


All attendants

DISTINCTION
External contact
Different material
Different crew
procedures.
Something contacting
face, hand, and arms.
Crew duties

The distinctions are: something contacting the arms and face could be causing the rash, the rash
occurs only on flights over water, and that the use of life vests are demonstrated on flights over
water, and the life vests on the new plane are made of new materials or of a different brand of
materials that usually three flight attendants demonstrated the use of the life vests. The new life
preservers have some material in or on them that was the cause of the rash.

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