UK mortuary workers dealing with Air India crash bodies face deadly chemical levels
Mortuary workers exposed to ‘dangerously high’ formalin levels
- A coroner has warned that mortuary workers face a potential risk of death from hazardous embalming chemicals, following the discovery of "dangerously high" formalin levels.
- The warning from Senior Coroner Fiona Wilcox comes after bodies from the Air India crash, repatriated to Westminster Public Mortuary, were found to be saturated in high concentrations of formalin.
- Staff at the mortuary, where dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and cyanide were also recorded, had to use breathing apparatus due to the chemical hazard.
- Ms Wilcox has written to the Health Secretary and other authorities, urging immediate action to address the risks posed by formalin, which contains carcinogenic formaldehyde.
- The coroner highlighted an "under appreciation" of formalin dangers and a lack of routine environmental monitoring in mortuaries, potentially exposing staff to severe health risks.