The hazards increase with the amount of dry ice carried, its sublimation rate, and any aircraft ventilation deficiencies. High levels of CO2 gas can lead to unrecognized loss of cognition and present asphyxiation hazards to ground crew who handle the loading and unloading of cargo containers, for example. Risks associated with dry ice sublimation include the possibility of gaseous CO2 replacing oxygen in aircraft compartments and interfering with the ability of occupants to breathe. The recommendations come a week after the FAA issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) outlining the safety measures ground and flight crew should take when preparing to transport Covid-19 vaccines at temperatures of minus 70 deg C.Īs in the FAA alert, the EASA Concept Paper addresses special considerations centering on the sublimation rate of dry ice, or the rate at which the material transitions directly from a solid to a gas, at temperatures higher than minus 78 deg C under normal atmospheric pressure. New European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) guidance issued Thursday on the use of dry ice for preserving Covid vaccines illustrates the dangers of CO2 evaporation-or sublimation-during the handling and transport of the packages aboard aircraft.
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