Narrative:

Flight from ZZZ to ZZZZ. The copilot said I might want to take a look at the #2 engine inlet guide vanes. I looked at #2 engine on airplane and the repair looked very poorly done. The lead mechanic said it was legal by the book requirements. While I was standing at the engine with the mechanic; a loader pointed out 2 pallets with 55 gal drums of 'lauryl trimethyl ammonium chloride.' the loader had his lead manager check out if these barrels were ok to carry. The lead manager said they were. I didn't feel good about taking them because on the barrels it said harmful if inhaled or if spilled on your skin. I then called the cargo support center (dangerous goods hotline) listed in the fom; and that person couldn't tell me what 'lauryl trimethyl ammonium chloride' was. It was not in his dictionary and he said he would not take it on a flight over the ocean. I then felt that if this expert would not take 4-8 barrels of this stuff; I best not either. I asked the loader lead to remove the 2 pallets and he said he would have to talk with his lead manager. The supervisor of the loaders arrived and tried to get me to take the chemicals. When I wouldn't; the loader supervisor had the flight duty manager call me in an attempt to coerce me in to taking the 2 pallets of chemicals. I explained the situation and the pallets were removed. The shipper's manifest listed this as a detergent; but I would like to know what this material is and the effects if spilled. The msds I have researched on the internet listed it as harmful to inhale; and a skin irritant. Why is this being loaded onto a passenger aircraft that could be overwater and 2 hours away from landing in case of emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INTL CAPT REFUSED HAZMAT MATERIAL 'LAURYL TRIMETHYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE' ON HIS FLT EVEN AS HE WAS BEING COERCED BY HIS MANAGERS.

Narrative: FLT FROM ZZZ TO ZZZZ. THE COPLT SAID I MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE #2 ENG INLET GUIDE VANES. I LOOKED AT #2 ENG ON AIRPLANE AND THE REPAIR LOOKED VERY POORLY DONE. THE LEAD MECH SAID IT WAS LEGAL BY THE BOOK REQUIREMENTS. WHILE I WAS STANDING AT THE ENG WITH THE MECH; A LOADER POINTED OUT 2 PALLETS WITH 55 GAL DRUMS OF 'LAURYL TRIMETHYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE.' THE LOADER HAD HIS LEAD MGR CHK OUT IF THESE BARRELS WERE OK TO CARRY. THE LEAD MGR SAID THEY WERE. I DIDN'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT TAKING THEM BECAUSE ON THE BARRELS IT SAID HARMFUL IF INHALED OR IF SPILLED ON YOUR SKIN. I THEN CALLED THE CARGO SUPPORT CTR (DANGEROUS GOODS HOTLINE) LISTED IN THE FOM; AND THAT PERSON COULDN'T TELL ME WHAT 'LAURYL TRIMETHYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE' WAS. IT WAS NOT IN HIS DICTIONARY AND HE SAID HE WOULD NOT TAKE IT ON A FLT OVER THE OCEAN. I THEN FELT THAT IF THIS EXPERT WOULD NOT TAKE 4-8 BARRELS OF THIS STUFF; I BEST NOT EITHER. I ASKED THE LOADER LEAD TO REMOVE THE 2 PALLETS AND HE SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO TALK WITH HIS LEAD MGR. THE SUPVR OF THE LOADERS ARRIVED AND TRIED TO GET ME TO TAKE THE CHEMICALS. WHEN I WOULDN'T; THE LOADER SUPVR HAD THE FLT DUTY MGR CALL ME IN AN ATTEMPT TO COERCE ME IN TO TAKING THE 2 PALLETS OF CHEMICALS. I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION AND THE PALLETS WERE REMOVED. THE SHIPPER'S MANIFEST LISTED THIS AS A DETERGENT; BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THIS MATERIAL IS AND THE EFFECTS IF SPILLED. THE MSDS I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET LISTED IT AS HARMFUL TO INHALE; AND A SKIN IRRITANT. WHY IS THIS BEING LOADED ONTO A PAX ACFT THAT COULD BE OVERWATER AND 2 HRS AWAY FROM LNDG IN CASE OF EMER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.