This past year, horrifying accidents and the government shutdown have put many of us on alert about travel risks. It’s made more people reflect on how important flight attendants are. Their primary job, after all, is keeping passengers safe. As the year comes to an end, let’s put a spotlight on some working conditions that affect their own safety.

Physical injuries

Despite gendered stereotypes about being a flight attendant, the job causes serious physical strain. Strain manifests in several parts of the body, most consistently in the shoulders and back. The job requires lifting your own luggage, working aircraft doors (many of which are old and have levers that require lots of muscle to push and pull), and maneuvering beverage carts that can weigh up to 300 pounds. Even stepping out of tall crew vans in heels can be a fall or concussion risk.