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Assessing the Health Effects of Rotating Shift Work Among Refinery Workers



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  • Personal Author:
  • Description:
    Objective: Refinery workers in operator and maintenance positions typically work extended, rotating shifts. This study aimed to characterize work schedules and prevalence of chronic diseases in the study population, and explore associations between work hours, fatigue, and health & quality of life outcomes. Methods: We assessed the health impacts of extended shifts, shift rotation, and overtime among refinery workers using a self-reported health questionnaire administered to members of the United Steelworkers (N=17,333). Reported work schedules, annual estimates of overtime worked, typical sleep schedules and an evaluation of sleep quality were used to estimate fatigue exposure. Self-reported diagnoses of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and gastro-intestinal illness were used to calculate disease prevalence within the workforce. Calculated disease prevalence rates were compared to day shift workers from the surveyed population, rotating shift workers in other industries, and the general public. Job stress and quality of life indicators were measured, and a depression assessment was performed. Results: A shift work exposure index will be calculated based on the exposure to alternate and rotating shift assignments (self-reported work schedules, annual overtime estimates, and work histories). Then an overall fatigue index will be calculated based on associations between hours worked, hours slept and sleep quality scores. These two exposure indices will be tested against individual health outcomes. Disease prevalence will be calculated based on self-reported assessment of current health symptoms and biometrics, and known medical diagnoses. Responses will be coded according to NHANES codebooks for CVD, diabetes, and blood pressure. Likert scales will be used to assess severity of job stress, depression, and quality of life factors, then scored to yield a positive or negative overall result. Conclusions: The mechanisms of chronic diseases associated with fatigue are poorly understood. The direct effect of shift work on blood pressure, BMI, CVD and metabolic disease is debated. Recent research indicates that metabolic disease could be the primary causal mechanism for hypertension, CVD, and diabetes among shift workers. Our study has accessed a large workforce with a significant exposure to work related fatigue. Our detailed assessment of their past and current exposure, recovery periods, and health and mental status will generate valuable insights. [Description provided by NIOSH]
  • Subjects:
  • Keywords:
  • Publisher:
    American Industrial Hygiene Association
  • Document Type:
    Text
  • Funding:
    Grant
  • Genre:
    Abstract or Summary
  • Place as Subject:
  • CIO:
    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
  • Topic:
    Workplace Safety & Health
  • Location:
    North America
  • Pages in Document:
    45
  • NIOSHTIC Number:
    nn:20055993
  • Citation:
    AIHce 2015: American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 30 - June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah. Falls Church, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2015 May; :45
  • Federal Fiscal Year:
    2015
  • Performing Organization:
    University of California Los Angeles
  • Peer Reviewed:
    False
  • Start Date:
    20050701
  • Source Full Name:
    AIHce 2015: American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 30 - June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • End Date:
    20270630
  • Collection(s):
  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha-512:57bc8a32daad973dff0912168e8f4ba5eae9a0d01a73c280880e8c78ec8c2d80c6ee38c5f3c43ab4dd637c144383df956ccf098415685c2257b379b2f07e3a19
  • Download URL:
  • File Type:
    Filetype[PDF - 672.21 KB ]
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