B737-800
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Other / Unknown; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Human Factors; Aircraft
When stowing my oxygen mask after my Captain's lav break; I noticed that the oxygen mask compartment had two M&Ms; two nuts; and a scrap of paper in it. This is not a one-off. On a previous flight I found a dozen goldfish crackers; and on another I found a hand-full of potato chips. This is a problem; because pure oxygen lives there. Several mishaps have resulted from combustibles in the presence of pure oxygen (Apollo 1; USS Independence; even a naval aviator who had his flight helmet blown off his head and resulting in 2nd & 3rd degree burns when oxygen from his mask hit his petroleum-based hair gel. In tactical jets we are taught not to even use lip balm.) A fire could easily start in the mask compartment if there were paper or oily food items present in conjunction with an oxygen leak. The likelihood of a leak is small; but the consequences are serious; especially when the first step in case of a fire in the cockpit is to don the mask!It seems one or more pilots (or perhaps mechanics) on this equipment place bags of snack food next to an open oxygen mask compartment--maybe I keep crossing paths with a particular pig; who then allows it to fall into the compartment and then stow the mask without cleaning up their mess.I suggest a fleet communication reminding people that; while leaving a filthy cockpit is always uncool; leaving combustible debris or food items in the oxygen mask compartment poses an actual fire hazard. Captains should correct First Officers who place their food in a location where it might fall into the oxygen mask compartment.
B737-800 First Officer reported finding garbage and food debris left in the cockpit oxygen mask holder; causing a potential fire hazard.