FAA beefs up safety policies, starts testing obese pilots for sleep disorder

Obstructive sleep apnea can have serious side effects, even during the day. Masks can be used to counter some of the symptoms. Photo by Rachel Tayse/Flickr

In a recent effort to bolster passenger safety, the Federal Aviation Administration will begin screening any U.S. pilots and air traffic controllers with a BMI of 40 or above for obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA for short, is the most common form of sleep apnea and overweight people are most likely to be diagnosed with the disorder. OSA can inhibit restorative sleep, cause daytime fatigue, cognitive impairment, heart attack and hypertension. The FAA is concerned that the disorder could impair pilots' ability to perform their job.

Bloomberg said that a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association, an airline pilot union that represents approximately 50,000 pilots at 32 U.S. and Canadian airlines, said they have no position on the proposal yet.

Pilots will be tested by board-certified sleep specialists, and those who are diagnosed with OSA will be required to get treatment before returning to work.

H/T Ariel Min