Flight attendants often have a very stressful and physically demanding job because their employment takes them thousands of miles every week.
Like many jobs, flight attendants could suffer injuries that impact their performance. Here’s what can happen:
In-flight turbulence
One of the many hazards that flight attendants may face is turbulence. Turbulence, typically, happens often but doesn’t get so severe that it causes injuries. However, there are rare cases where turbulence may severely injure workers and passengers.
Flight attendants are especially prone to injuries caused by turbulence. They may not have the same seating or safety equipment that passengers have. As a result, flight attendants may be essentially thrown off their feet and suffer bruises, cuts and even more severe injuries.
Manual handling
One of the jobs of a flight attendant is to help passengers secure their carry-on luggage. Carry-on luggage is primarily stored above passengers in secure compartments. When a flight attendant helps a passenger place their luggage in the upper compartments, they are raising the risk of getting injured. Heavy or oddly shaped luggage could put strain on a worker’s back.
Slip and falls
Slip-and-fall accidents happen in nearly every job. Flight attendants could suffer from a slip and fall when walking down a tight aisle where they may have trouble spotting trip hazards. As mentioned above, turbulence can cause workers to tumble and injure themselves.
Shift work disorder
Flight attendants not only work in shifts but they often work through timezones. What this means is that workers may suffer medical disorders, such as shift work disorder. Shift work disorder is a medical condition that primarily affects people who work in shifts and can cause excessive sleepiness.
When flight attendants are injured, they may not be able to seek immediate care, which can worsen injuries. Flight attendants may need to be aware of their right to seek workers’ compensation to ensure their injuries are properly cared for.