Flight attendants often travel across time zones, working when others normally
sleep, and are exposed to cosmic radiation from the sun and space. A
Us-American National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study
published earlier this year examined the risks of cosmic radiation, circadian
disruption (from working during normal sleep hours), and other work exposures
on pregnancy outcomes for flight attendants. To assess each woman's exposure to
cosmic radiation and circadian disruption, company records of over 2 million
flights were reviewed.

This study is the first to assign two estimated radiation doses to each
specific flight: one dose from ever-present galactic cosmic radiation, and one
dose from a solar particle event if one occurred during that flight. Analysis
of exposure to background cosmic and solar particle event radiation suggested
that exposure to 0.1mGy or more may be associated with increased risk of
miscarriage. Solar particle events were infrequent, but during one of the solar
particle events studied, radiation dose reached 0.45 mGy on a single flight.
These data suggest that if a pregnant flight attendant works on a flight that
travels through a solar particle event, she could be exposed to more radiation
than is recommended during pregnancy.

These data suggest that if a pregnant flight attendant works on a flight that
travels through a solar particle event, she could be exposed to more radiation
than is recommended during pregnancy.

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AplusA-online.de - Source: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)