Click
here for
basic information on cosmic and solar radiation
Airline
crews are the highest exposed radiation workers in the US
(NCRP Rep. 160). Get educated with “The Invisible Passenger”
(revised edition). It is a comprehensive, readable, introduction to the hazards
of in-flight radiation. Click here to purchase.
AFA members are offered a 20% discount on the $19.95 cover price. To receive
the discount go to the order form and type “AMPAFA” in
the promotion box.
Cancer
risk for flight attendants: Read AFA's summary of
cancer research, last updated in January 2007. The majority of studies
found an increase in breast cancer risk for female flight attendants and
malignant melanoma for all flight attendants. Some studies note increased risk
of cancers of the prostate, brain, and bone. Read about the importance of
screening tests to detect any cancer early. For more information, see the Komen Breast Cancer Site, the American Cancer Society, and the
National Cancer Institute.
Pregnant
or planning to be? Visit our Reproductive Health webpageto assist you and your doctor in deciding when and
how much to fly, as well as what benefits may be available.
AFA activity and hot topics
2010Cosmic and
solar radiation: facts for flight attendantsUpdated information bulletin on the potential
health risks associated with exposure and the regulatory situation in the US and beyond. Association of
Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO
2008 Information on how
to identify solar particle events Check this website
before going to the airport. If the green line is above "10 to the
zero" on the left side of the graph, it is recommended that pregnant women
postpone travel. To help you interpret the graph that you see on your computer
screen, here is an example of a graph with no Solar Particle
Event (SPE)and here is one with a SPE of health
significance. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction
Center will also notify you of these solar events for free by email. This
is especially important information if you are pregnant. Register as a
user, then click on "aviation", "subscribe", "solar
radiation events", and then check the following five boxes: (1) WARNING:
proton event 10 MeV > 10 PFU expected; (2) ALERT:
proton event 10 MeV, exceeded 100 PFU; (3) ALERT:
proton event 10 MeV, exceeded 1,000 PFU; (4)
ALERT: proton event 10 MeV, exceeded
10,000 PFU; and (5) ALERT: proton event 10 MeV,
exceeded 100,000 PFU
May 2006 AFA submits
comments to the Space Environment Center, asking for assurances of
funding to continue the SEC monitoring and reporting system for solar particle
events. (SEC has since changed its name to the SpaceWeatherPredictionCenter)
Aug 2005 AFA asks FAA
Administrator to save CARI program Letter to Administrator Blakey that describes the importance of funding the CARI
program that is currently used world
wide to track an individual's dose of galactic radiation during commercial
airline flights. (The FAA responded on Sept 12, 2005, assuring AFA that the CARI program will not be
cut.)
2003 Published assessment of
the health risks associated with radiation exposure of
crewmembers, citing legislation passed in 2000 to compensate nuclear power
plant workers for negative health effects believed to be caused by their
radiation exposure which is about half of what the typical air crewmember gets.
(Thanks to APA for bringing this paper to our attention.)
19 May 1994. Advisory circular
(guidance material) AC No. 120-61 Recommends that the airlines provide
crewmembers with educational materials that describe the potential radiation
exposures and associated health risks (Has been widely ignored.) US Federal
Aviation Administration.
5 Mar 1990. Advisory circular (guidance material) AC No. 120-52
Recognizes crewmembers as being occupationally exposed to radiation and lists
estimated radiation exposure levels according to flight route, assuming normal
solar activity. US Federal Aviation Administration.
Print
CDPH_AFA Final Report to BCRP.pdf
Rad.htm