B757-200
Flight Attendant Current
Physiological - Other
Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Procedure; Aircraft; Human Factors
Two fume events occurred on board. One before boarding; which was reported to the flight deck. The second occurred after passengers where on board. The strong smell was mainly in the aft. The Flight Attendants (B&C) in the aft were most affected and the FAs forward of the aircraft experienced slight symptoms. As a result; the crew was taken to the hospital for treatment. All passengers were removed from aircraft.
All four FAs were on the aircraft doing their preflight checks. A strong odor came through the cabin; smelled like chemicals and dirty socks to me. We notified the First Officer (FO) because the captain was not on aircraft. FO felt it was jet fuel from an aircraft that just pushed off the gate. The odor went away. We began boarding. Just as boarding was complete. I and another FA were towards the back of the aircraft I was in the galley a horribly strong odor the same as the one we experienced earlier was very present in the back of the cabin but stronger than the first. I called the lead FA and he told the captain. Within minutes we both had headaches; nausea; and visible shakes. Mechanics came on the airplane looked around the galley. We told them our experience. They returned to the cockpit. The captain made an announcement that the passengers would have to deplane that this aircraft was going to the hangar due to a problem with the ventilation and air conditioning system on the aircraft. He told passengers that they were getting another plane. I had called the crew service center to tell them we just had what we believe is a fume incident on the aircraft and asked for a supervisor to please come to the airplane. Several supervisors came and assisted us in getting a ride to the hospital where we all had blood work done to test for carbon monoxide (they really didn't know what toxins to test for) and we were all put on IV fluids and oxygen. I was also given zophran for my nausea; since I was very sick to my stomach and had vomited on the airplane before I left the plane. I personally felt like I was in a fog; my memory was jarred and my motor skills were not sharp. I couldn't even get the [gown] on at the hospital; I needed assistance from a nurse. Several hours later we were all discharged from the hospital. The supervisor was waiting in the hospital waiting room and arranged a ride for all of us back to the airport. These FUME events need to be recognized as a problem that has been going on way too long and it is crazy that they are still happening. The passengers don't realize they could be exposed to hazardous toxins. We as FAs are aware of the problem. This is my first known fume event and the odor was something I have never smelled before. The symptoms were something I had never experienced on the airplane before. Airlines; including mine; need to take recognition that there is a problem with toxic fumes and helping the people that suffer from the exposure instead of the company turning their heads and ignoring their employees that something really is wrong and causing these toxic fumes. Trust me if [the CEO] or his family were involved in a fume event and got sick or disabled from the exposure maybe something finally would be done to stop them and quit ignoring and denying employees. When on the job and exposed to toxins and having to be removed from the job and out of work; and being told that this will not be an [issue] is a disgrace!
Four B757 flight attendants reported two fume events at the gate prior to push back. After the second event the flight attendants were taken to the hospital and the aircraft was taken out of service.