Radiation |
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Radiation122050.htm |
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Click here for basic information on cosmic and solar radiation 2018 update:
Researchers at the Harvard
School of Public Health found that U.S. Flight Attendants have a higher
prevalence of every cancer they studied, especially breast cancer,
melanoma, and non-melanoma skin cancer. More details posted below. Collectively, airline crews are classified as the highest-exposed radiation
workers in the US.
The two main sources of radiation are “cosmic” (from other stars) and “solar”
(from our sun). Exposure to these forms of radiation is not much of an issue on
the surface of the earth because the atmosphere serves as a protective layer.
But inflight, you have less of that protective layer above you, so your
exposure to the radiation is higher. In Europe, airlines must monitor crews’ radiation
doses and ensure protections for female crews who choose to report their
pregnancy. But in the US, there are no rules to protect crews from
over-exposure. For that reason, it is important to educate yourself on inflight
radiation basics, especially as they relate to pregnancy. To that end, check
out this page and also AFA’s reproductive health webpage. One key message is if you are pregnant,
check for solar
storms before you fly. Also, we recommend that all crewmembers check
out the second edition of “The Invisible Passenger: Radiation Risks for Those Who Fly.”
It’s very readable and packed with information - essential reading for crews!
AFA members receive a 20% discount – just enter AMPAFA in the “discount” box
right before you click “send order.” A future app may enable crews and passengers to monitor their
inflight radiation dose in real time, based on
detailed data collected during 258 high-latitude flights… Concern
raised over backscatter (X-ray) security scanners: When you walk through a backscatter security scanner, it feels like you
are walking between two tall freezers, not to be confused with a millimeter
wave unit in which you stand in a glass booth and are not exposed to X-rays.
There are conflicting reports over whether you should be concerned about the
radiation dose delivered by the backscatter security scanners being installed
at a growing number of airports, especially if you are pregnant, trying to get
pregnant, over 65 or traveling with children. The Cancer risk for flight attendants: Researchers at
the Harvard School of
Public Health found that U.S. Flight Attendants have a higher prevalence of
every cancer they studied, especially breast cancer, melanoma, and
non-melanoma skin cancer. Flight attendants are a healthy worker group with
smoking and obesity rates far below the national average, so their cancer rates
should be lower, not higher. The researchers could not define why the cancer
rates are higher but they identified workplace cancer risks for flight
attendants that are consistent with those higher rates. Neither the FAA nor
OSHA have properly addressed workplace health risks for flight attendants,
which include radiation, fatigue, and chemical exposures. Link to full text of
study above. Also, see AFA-CWA
President statement online. Historically,
cancer research has 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 webpage to 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
2016 Information on
benefits that may be available during pregnancy (Also, visit our reproductive
health webpage.) 2010 Cosmic
and solar radiation: facts for flight attendants Updated information bulletin on the potential
health risks associated with exposure and the regulatory situation in the US
and beyond. Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, 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 June 2006 FAA denies AFA
request for basic radiation protections May 2006 AFA asks the FAA
for basic regulations to inform and protect crewmembers 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 Apr 2006: Transport Canada
updates its recommended radiation protections for crewmembers: Issued
as Commercial & Business Aviation
Advisory Circular No. 0183R (first published in 2001) 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 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 Dec 2003 What has the AFA
done to learn more about the potential risks? Association of
Flight Attendants,
Oct 2000 FAA acknowledges that the mother’s belly does not shield her baby
from galactic radiation Document published by the US Department of
Transportation, Office of Aviation Medicine, DOT/FAA/AM-00/33 Nov 2000 Cancer incidence in California flight attendants Report
issued by the CA Department of Health Services (CADHS) Health Investigation
Branch & CADHS Occupational Health Branch.
Also published as: Reynolds P, Cone J, Layefsky
M, et al. "Cancer incidence in California flight attendants" Cancer
Causes and Control, 13: 317-324 (2002). See also June 2001 Summary of CA
Department of Health Service report on cancer among AFA members
Association of Flight Attendants, More information
2009 The Invisible Passenger: Radiation Risks for People Who Fly, 2nd
Edition
(AFA-recommended book) Author Robert J Barish PhD. See discount
information at top of this page. 2006 Advisory Circular
120-61A Replaces AC 120.61 and 120.52 that were published in 1994 and
1990, respectively 1998 Summary of article on exposure to in-flight radiation during
pregnancy Author DS Geeze 13 May 1996 Legislative protections for European crewmembers
Article 42 of Directive 96/29/EURATOM. Adopted by the Council of the European
Union on 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. Space weather alerts and
displays Hosted by
the Space Weather Science news and information about the
sun-earth environment. Hosted by the National Aeronautical
& Space Administration |
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