Alaska Airlines flight attendants fall ill from wearing 'toxic' uniforms
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Hundreds of Alaska Airlines flight attendants have fallen ill after wearing their uniforms.
The attendants have complained of itching, hair loss and other unpleasant reactions, which may have been caused by the outfits contaminated with a toxic chemical.
Seattle's King5 news reported that a letter to the airline president from the union, which represents 2,800 flight attendants, revealed that 280 employees were affected by the new company-issued uniforms.
One flight attendant said: 'I've never had a uniform like this. I broke out this week. I broke out on my back first, then on my legs.'
Union sources told King5 that the outfits, made by uniform maker TwinHill, may be contaminated with tributyl phosphate, a toxic solvent used in synthetic textile manufacturing.
An Alaska Airlines official said two alternate uniforms have been made available to its flight attendants who have suffered any outbreaks.
In a statement, vice president of Alaska Airlines inflight services Andy Schneider said that tests on the uniforms had been carried out but the source of the problem had not been discovered.
The statement read: 'The safety of Alaska Airlines employees is paramount, and we've been working closely with our people and the two unions that represent them to resolve this issue.'
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