7.07.26 – NASEM: Flight Crewmember Radiation Exposure Requires FAA Action

National Academies Report Confirms: Flight Crewmember Radiation Exposure Requires FAA Action

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

A new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) confirms what APFA Flight Attendants have long known: radiation exposure is an occupational hazard that deserves stronger oversight and protection.

Flight crewmembers receive some of the highest occupational radiation exposures of any workers in the United States. While radiation exposure on a single flight is generally low, the report concludes that cumulative exposure over the course of a career may increase the risk of cancer and other adverse health effects and should be monitored and managed accordingly.

APFA’s continued advocacy on this issue helped lead Congress to direct the FAA, through the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, to sponsor this independent study. As part of the National Academies’ review, APFA Health Chair Hayley Brewer and Government Affairs Representative Lori Vitto Glattly participated on a stakeholder panel, where they shared Flight Attendants’ experiences with occupational radiation exposure and emphasized the need for better education and protections. NASEM then convened a committee of experts to evaluate the scientific evidence on the health effects of in-flight radiation exposure, assess radiation dose models, and identify strategies to improve monitoring, communication, and mitigation.

The FAA has recognized radiation exposure as an occupational risk for flight crews since 1990. Still, unlike in other radiation-exposed professions, there are currently no regulatory requirements for US airlines to monitor, track, or manage flight crew radiation exposure. Other countries, such as Germany, the UK, South Korea, and Canada, have already implemented radiation monitoring and management programs for flight crew without negative impacts on the industry.

The National Academies found that current scientific knowledge, operational tools, and computational models are sufficient to begin improving radiation safety immediately.

Among its key recommendations, the report calls on the FAA to require U.S. commercial airlines to implement radiation safety programs aligned with best practices for occupational radiation protection. The report recommends that these radiation safety programs include improved monitoring, education, and communication so that Flight Attendants can make informed decisions about their health and exposure. The study also recommended that the FAA work with agencies such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to establish a centralized dose-tracking system for flight crew.

APFA has long fought for policies that put Flight Attendant health and safety first. We welcome this report and its recommendations, which represent an important step toward recognizing radiation as the workplace safety issue it is. Better tracking, stronger standards, and greater transparency will empower Flight Attendants with information about their exposure while providing regulators and researchers with the data needed to strengthen protections in the future. APFA will continue to work with the FAA, Congress, and industry stakeholders to ensure Flight Attendants receive the same occupational health protections afforded to other workers exposed to radiation on the job.

Read the full report here: “Assessing Radiation Exposure, Health Outcomes, and Mitigation Strategies for Flight Crewmembers”

In Solidarity,

Hayley Brewer
APFA National Health Department Chair
[email protected]

Rachel MacLeod
Allie Malis
Lori Vitto-Glattly
APFA Government Affairs Representatives
[email protected]