OSHA to Cover Flight Attendants

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), working with OSHA, has proposed a new policy for addressing flight attendant workplace safety.

While the FAA’s aviation safety regulations take precedence, the agency is proposing that OSHA be able to enforce certain occupational safety and health standards currently not covered by FAA oversight. Under the proposal, says the FAA, flight attendants would, for the first time, be able to report workplace injury and illness complaints to OSHA for response and investigation.

Flight attendant workplace issues could include such things as exposure to noise and bloodborne pathogens, and access to information on hazardous chemicals. The FAA and OSHA will continue to work to identify any additional conditions where OSHA requirements could apply. They will also develop procedures to ensure that OSHA does not apply any requirements that could affect aviation safety.

Through the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, Congress required the FAA to develop a policy statement to outline circumstances in which OSHA requirements could apply to crewmembers while they are working on aircraft.

Access the policy