About 90% of cases are traumatic, involving overexertion and being struck by objects
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Flight attendants are substantially more likely to be injured on the job than employees in other industries. Simple measures can be taken to dramatically reduce the rate of injuries in the aircraft cabin.
In a new survey of on-the-job injuries, the data indicate that flight attendants are about four times more likely to be injured during work than in all other industries. Compared to construction workers, flight attendants are about twice as likely to suffer an on-the-job injury that results in lost workdays. The findings were presented by Dinkar Mokadam, an occupational health and safety specialist with the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), here at the 20th International Cabin Safety Symposium hosted by the Southern California Safety Institute.
Significantly, injury rates among flight attendants are not dropping, as they are in other industries. Mokadam used worker data from 1994 and 1998, as the numbers are particularly reliable for these two years. "The employment numbers for flight attendants had the lowest standard error," he explained. The data show an injury rate among flight attendants of about eight per 100 workers in 1994 and about 7.8 per 100 workers in 1998. In other words, the trend is virtually flat. Indeed, when all employees in air transportation are considered, the injury rate increased slightly during this time frame. In contrast, the injury rate among construction workers has declined about 30 percent and has dropped by some 28 percent in other industries overall.
The three leading causes of traumatic injuries to flight attendants, in descending frequency of occurrence, are (1) strains and sprains, (2) bruises and contusions, and (3) effects of air pressure (damaged eardrums).
"For 1998, being struck by objects and overexertion in lifting results in the highest median number of lost workdays," Mokadam observed. Injuries to the head and trunk occur at a greater rate than injuries to the lower extremities. Although flight attendants suffered sprained or even broken ankles during turbulence, a fair number of injures to the upper body are caused by flying objects, such as pots and trays, Mokadam said.
A few comments about the quality of the data may help to put Mokadam’s findings in context. There may be better reporting discipline in the air transport industry, which would tend to push the injury rate up. On the other hand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) calculates injury rates on the basis of injury rates per workers logging some 2,000 hours per year on the job. "Flight attendants work closer to 1,000 hours per year, so the rates could be substantially higher," Mokadam suggested.
In-flight turbulence, overhead bin and serving cart injuries are in many respects design related. For example, strategically placed handholds in galleys, and better means of securing items, could help to reduce injuries among working flight attendants. Indeed, Mokadam suggested an avenue of further research – to look at no-frills carriers who are not using service carts and to determine if the flight attendants are less likely to be injured because of the carts’ absence.
In the meantime, simple work changes might yield dramatic results. According to symposium attendees, the injury rate could be reduced 30 percent by having flight attendants remain seated two minutes longer after takeoff and three minutes longer before touchdown. One airline reduced cabin service on the ground and reportedly cut injuries by 100 percent. >> Mokadam, e-mail [email protected] <<
