Inadvertentinfo

Distributedby:AFS-200OPR:AFS-220InFOInformationforOperatorsU.
S.
DepartmentInFO13005ofTransportationDATE:4/22/13FederalAviationAdministrationFlightStandardsServiceWashington,DChttp://www.
faa.
gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/infoAnInFOcontainsvaluableinformationforoperatorsthatshouldhelpthemmeetcertainadministrative,regulatory,oroperationalrequirementswithrelativelylowurgencyorimpactonsafety.
Subject:AcceptanceofPassengerSuppliedMedicalOxygenOnboardAircraftPurpose:ThisInFOprovidesclarificationontheproperprocedurestoacceptpassenger-providedsupplementaloxygenforonboarduse.
Background:TheFederalAviationAdministration(FAA)OfficeofHazardousMaterialsSafetyhasbecomeawareofoperatorsthatareimproperlyacceptingmedicaloxygenprovidedbypassengersforonboarduse.
Oxygenisclassifiedasahazardousmaterial,representingariskasbothanon-flammablegasandasanoxidizer.
Inadvertentreleasecancauseorincreasetheriskofcombustiononboardaircraft.
CompliancewithregulationsunderTitle14oftheCodeofFederalRegulations(14CFR)andTitle49oftheCodeofFederalRegulations(49CFR)isthereforerequiredtomitigatetheserisks.
Note:Provisionsforthein-cabinstowageofmedical-useoxygenforpassengerstouseattheirdestinationareaddressedin49CFR175.
501(e).
Airambulancesandotherspecialoperationsmayalsobeoutsidethescopeofthisguidanceand,ifso,maybesubjecttootherregulatoryprovisions.
Discussion:ThisInFOaddressesthreetypesofsupplementaloxygenuseaddressedbyregulation.
CompressedOxygenAircarriersmayelecttoprovidecompressedoxygentopassengers.
Compliancewith14CFR,part121,§121.
574,part125,§125.
219,orpart135,§135.
91(asapplicable)isrequired.
Operatorselectingtoprovidetheirownoxygenmustadheretoprovisionsestablishedintheoperator'smaintenanceprogram.
Regulationsdonotallowpassengerstoprovidetheirowncompressedoxygenforuseonboardaircraft.
Non-compliancewith14CFRregulationsmayalsoresultinenforcementunderhazardousmaterialsregulationsunder49CFR.
PortableOxygenConcentratorsPortableoxygenconcentrators(POC)aremedicaldeviceunitsthat:(1)DonotcontainhazardousmaterialsasdeterminedbythePipelineandHazardousMaterialsSafetyAdministration;(2)areregulatedbytheFoodandDrugAdministration;and(3)assistauserofmedicaloxygenunderadoctor'scare.
Theseunitsseparateoxygenfromnitrogenandothergasescontainedinambientairanddispenseitinconcentratedformtotheuser.
AircarriersmayberequiredbyDOTtoaccepttheuseofapprovedPOCsDistributedby:AFS-200OPR:AFS-220inaccordancewith14CFRpart382§382.
133.
SFAR106isthecurrentregulatoryrequirementfortheuseofPOCsandInFO09006,dated5/1/09mayprovideusefulinformationtooperatorsinregardstocontinuedregulatorycompliance.
AlistofFAA-approvedPOCsmaybefoundat:http://www.
faa.
gov/about/initiatives/cabin_safety/portable_oxygen/LiquidOxygenWiththeexceptionofSupplementalTypeCertificated(STC)liquidoxygendeliverysystemsinstalledonboardhelicopterairambulances(HAA),forpatientuse,theFAAOfficeofHazardousMaterialsSafetyisunawareofanyotheroperator,domesticorforeign,whoprovidesliquidoxygenforpassengermedicaluseduringflight.
ThetransportationofliquidoxygenissubjecttoregulatoryrequirementsandmustbeapprovedbytheFAA.
U.
S.
hazardousmaterialsregulationsprohibitthetransportationofliquidoxygenonbothpassengerandcargoaircraft.
Impropertransportofliquidoxygencanpresentasignificantsafetyriskandoperatorscanbeliableforlargecivilpenalties.
RecommendedAction:Directorsofsafety,directorsofoperations,directorsofmaintenanceandtrainingmanagersshouldreviewoperationproceduresandtrainingprogramstoensurecompliancewithregulationsregardingcarriageanduseofsupplementaloxygenandPOCs.
Contact:QuestionsorcommentsregardingthisInFOshouldbedirectedtothePart121AirCarrierOperationsBranch,AFS-220at(202)267-8166.
FAAHazardousMaterialsBranchManagersarealsoabletoprovideassistanceonthisissue.
Theircontactinformationisavailableat:http://www.
faa.
gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/hazmat/contacts/