NIOSH OHP Activities: Training Products for Workers on Shift Work and Long Work Hours

Details

• Personal Author:
  Caruso, Claire C.
• Description:
  The current article will describe another fatigue related project, the purpose of which is to develop a training program that informs workers and managers of the risks associated with shift work and long work hours. A second aim of the project is to introduce strategies to reduce these risks. About 15% of U.S, full time workers are on shift-work schedules (McMenamin, 2008) and an estimated 20% work long hours (Jacobs & Gerson, 2004). Shift work and long work hours are linked to a growing number of health and safety problems including injuries, worker errors, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders, mental disturbances, and adverse reproductive outcomes (Arnedt et al. 2005; Barger et al. 2005; Bøggild & Knutsson, 1999; Caruso et al. 2004; Dembe et al., 2005; Folkard & Lombardi, 2006; Frazier & Grainger, 2003; Hanna et al., 2005; Knutsson, 2003; Landrigan et al., 2004; Mozurkewich et al., 2000; Rogers et al., 2004; Rohr et al., 2003; Sood, 2003; Thomas & Raynar, 1997; Tuntiseranee et al., 1998). In 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization announced that shift work coupled with circadian disruption is a probable carcinogen. A recent review of the literature reports that long work hours are associated with musculoskeletal disorders, which are possibly due to increased physical demands (Caruso & Waters, in press). Fatigue- related worker mistakes and errors can also affect families and communities through work/family conflict, vehicular crashes, patient care errors, and industrial disasters. The scientific community has generated knowledge about these risks and strategies to reduce them, but this information has not been sufficiently disseminated to U.S. workers and their managers. To fill this need, NIOSH is developing work schedule risk prevention training products to educate four audiences in this regard - miners, nurses, retail workers, and truck drivers. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cardiovascular System Circadian Rhythm Digestive System Digestive System Diseases Mental Health Occupational Health Safety Shift Work Schedule Sleep Sleep Initiation And Maintenance Disorders Staff Development

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• Keywords:
  Cardiovascular-function Circadian-rhythms Gastrointestinal-system-disorders Psychological-effects Shift-work Shift-workers Sleep-deprivation Sleep-disorders Sociological-factors Stress Training

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• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Newsletter ; Lay Publication
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  16-17
• Volume:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20035526
• Citation:
  Newsl Soc Occup Health Psychol 2009 Jan; 5:16-17
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance ; Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Newsletter of the Society for Occupational Health Psychology
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b767826a517d1f04c2b66c708efacf8710dfdc5fa375bbdfafc74b58b9645123538d04876056516596e0cc86fc6359d2b0da2a5c17ed630a3265370c03821768
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/187356/cdc_187356_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.55 MB ]