AIRCREW SAFETY & HEALTH

Cosmic Ionizing Radiation

What you need to know

Aircrew and passengers are exposed to cosmic ionizing radiation on every flight. Here you
can learn more about cosmic ionizing radiation, how you can be exposed, exposure levels,
and possible health effects.

What is cosmic ionizing radiation?

Cosmic ionizing radiationExternal (or cosmic radiation) is a form of ionizing radiation that

comes from outer space. A very small amount of this radiation reaches the earth. At flight
altitudes, passengers and crewmembers are exposed to higher levels of cosmic radiation.

Cosmic radiation exposures on aircraft include:

 galactic cosmic radiation, which is always present

 solar particle events, sometimes called “solar flares”

Are there any known health effects from cosmic ionizing radiation?

 The World Health Organization (WHO) International Agency for Research on

Cancer (IARC) says that ionizing radiation causes cancer in humans. Ionizing
radiation is also known to cause reproductive problems. We are looking more
specifically at whether cosmic ionizing radiation is linked
to cancer and reproductive problems.
 Most studies of radiation health effects have looked at groups with much higher
radiation doses from different kinds of radiation (atomic bomb survivors; patients
who received radiation therapy).

What is not known

We don’t know what causes most health problems that could be linked to radiation,
including some forms of cancer and reproductive health issues like miscarriage and birth
defects. If you are exposed to cosmic ionizing radiation and have these health problems,
we can’t tell if it was caused by your work conditions or something else.

 We don’t know what levels of cosmic radiation are safe for every person.
How much cosmic radiation are crewmembers exposed to?

 The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements reported that

aircrew have the largest average annual effective dose (3.07 mSv) of all US
radiation-exposed workers.  1 Other estimates of annual aircrew cosmic radiation
exposure range from 0.2 to 5 mSv per year.
 To estimate the galactic cosmic radiation dose (not solar particle event dose) for a
specific flight, visit the FAA CARI program External.

What do guidelines or regulations say about cosmic radiation exposure levels in aircrew?

There are no official dose limits for aircrew in the United States, but there are national and
international guidelines.

 The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) considers aircrew

to be exposed to cosmic radiation on their jobs. They recommend effective dose
limits of 20 mSvExternal /year averaged over 5 years (that is, a total of 100 mSv in
5 years) for radiation workers and 1 mSv/year for the public. For pregnant radiation
workers, the ICRP recommends a dose limit of 1 mSv throughout pregnancy. The
National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements has a 0.5 mSv
recommended monthly radiation limit during pregnancy.
 European Union member states require assessment of aircrew exposure when it is
likely to be more than 1 mSv /year, and adjustment of work schedules so that no
individual exceeds 6 mSv/year.
 We are finding that some crewmembers may have exposure to cosmic radiation
that is higher than what is recommended, and thus may be at greater risk for
possible health effects.

What can crewmembers do to reduce exposure to cosmic radiation?

Bidding for a flight schedule to reduce cosmic radiation exposures is complicated, because
reducing one exposure may increase another. Seniority, lifestyle, and personal issues also
affect the ability to make these choices. Here are some actions you can consider:

 Try to reduce your time working on very long flights, flights at high latitudes, or
flights which fly over the poles. These are flight conditions or locations that tend to
increase the amount of cosmic radiation the crewmembers are exposed to. You
can calculate your usual cosmic radiation exposures. The FAA’s CARI program
websiteExternal allows you to enter information to estimate your effective dose
from galactic cosmic radiation (not solar particle events) for a flight.
 If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, it is important to consider your work
exposures, including cosmic radiation. If you are pregnant and aware of an ongoing
solar particle event when you are scheduled to fly you may want to consider trip-
trading or other rescheduling actions if possible.
o For flight attendants, a NIOSH study found that exposure to 0.36 mSv or
more of cosmic radiation in the first trimester may be linked to increased
risk of miscarriage.
o Also, although flying through a solar particle event doesn’t happen often, a
NIOSH and NASA study found that a pregnant flight attendant who flies
 through a solar particle event can receive more radiation than is
recommended during pregnancy by national and international agencies.
 Regarding solar particle events:
o NIOSH has estimated that pilots fly through about 6 solar particle events in
an average 28-year career.
o Avoiding exposure to solar particle events is difficult because they often
happen with little warning. You can find out whether a solar particle event is
currently active through these sources:
 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Nowcast of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation System
(NAIRAS)External is being developed to report potentially harmful
flight radiation levels to flight crews and passengers.
 NAIRAS: current radiation dose rate forecastExternal.
 A space weather appExternal for the iPhone offers current
information on solar activity
 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Space Weather Prediction Center’s Aviation Community Dashboard
includes a forecast for solar particle eventsExternal.

 QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

 1. What exposures include cosmic radiation?
 2. What are the exposure ranges found in the aircrew?
 3. What is the program developed by the American Air Force to estimate the dose
of cosmic radiation?
 4. What are the doses recommended by ICRP for crew in general, pregnant
women and public in General? What does the European Union recommend?
 5. What is known about solar particles?
 6. What can crew members do to reduce their exposure to cosmic radiation?