Exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation in flight

Area of Science:

• Aviation Medicine
• Occupational Health
• Radiology

Background:

• Anecdotal evidence suggests airline pilots may have a higher risk of skin cancer.
• Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a primary etiological factor in skin cancer development.
• The flight deck environment's UVR exposure levels for pilots are not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure experienced by airline pilots during flight.
• To assess whether flight deck UVR levels could explain the anecdotal reports of increased skin cancer risk in pilots.

Main Methods:

• Ultraviolet-sensitive film badges were used to measure UVR exposure.
• Badges were worn by flight crew on the epaulette nearest the aircraft window.
• Measurements were taken during 18 flights on Boeing 737 and 767 aircraft in 1989.

Main Results:

• UVR exposure for all measured flights was found to be negligible.
• Several hours of flight exposure were equivalent to only 1-2 minutes of outdoor exposure.
• The measured UVR levels do not support the hypothesis of significant flight deck exposure.

Conclusions:

• The study refutes the hypothesis that significant UVR exposure on the flight deck contributes to an increased skin cancer risk for airline pilots.
• The negligible UVR exposure suggests other factors may be responsible for the anecdotal observations of higher skin cancer rates.
• Further research into other potential occupational health risks for airline pilots is warranted.