AFA-CWA: Flight Attendants' Dangerous Work Needs OSHA Protection

At an "OSHA Listens" forum, federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration staff got a clear message from AFA-CWA about the government's failure to provide basic OSHA coverage to flight attendants.

"It is time that these basic protections, which are extended to almost every other worker in the United States, be applied to flight attendants as well," AFA-CWA President Patricia Friend said.

Friend described the many risks flight attendants face, from turbulence to severe air pressure changes, unwieldy service carts, broken luggage bins, unruly passengers, communicable diseases, exposure to toxic chemicals and emergency evacuations.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, flight attendants and other aviation workers suffer more occupational injuries and illnesses than workers in nearly all other fields. In 2008, aviation employees suffered 9.6 workplace injuries and illnesses per 100 workers, compared to 4.4 per 100 for coal miners and 6.9 per 100 for framing contractors, two fields with well documented risks.

"Our goal is to work with the Federal Aviation Administration and OSHA to ensure that once and for all, strong and comprehensive regulations are enacted to protect the workplace safety and health of flight attendants," Friend said.