Shift Work

Question 1

What are some reasons to engage in shift work?

Answer 1

Process industry-
-By process nature/machines, the plants cant close at night (eg. molten metal)

Economic Pressures-
-Production machinery cannot be duplicated. Increase production by getting more time

Service Sector Demand-
-Eg hospitals, 24hr call enter

Question 2

What is the most common shift work arrangements?

Answer 2

Morning, afternoon, night
‘Day’/’Swing’/’Graveyard’
All 8 hrs long
Shifts are typically rotated every three weeks

Alternatively: 4 day work week, 10 hours per day.

Question 3

What is the bodies natural clock system?

Answer 3

Circadian Rhythm:
Various physiological parameters vary cyclically throughout the day (e.g body temperature, heart rate, breathing rates etc.)

Typically, body functions increase on awakening, peak mid-day, and decline steady to low point of the night

Question 4

What effect does a night shift have on the circadian rhythm?

Answer 4

The sine wave represented the rhythm begins to flatten out, the persons natural clock is thrown out of balance. After 1 week, the curve will flatten out. After 3 weeks, it will be reversed.

Question 5

What factors make it difficult to adjust?

Answer 5

Daylight

Social and Environmental factors

Question 6

What effects can changing a persons circadian rhythm have on the body?

Answer 6

Stomach and digestion problems, trouble sleeping, over long time can leave people more vulnerable to illness.

Question 7

What is the effect on productivity of working at night

Answer 7

Productivity is reduced. across the board. You cant get people to work the same way at night.

Simple skill and rule based work suffers less than cognitive tasks.

Question 8

Which specific types of tasks are not well suited for night work?

Answer 8

Visual inspection and monitoring (eg. security) alertness is down.

Question 9

What is an alternative to 3 week rotating shift work used in Scandinavia and Germany?

Answer 9

Fast forward rotating schedules.

• # of consecutive night shifts as few as possible
• Preferably only once consecutive night shift on a given schedule

-> Working only one night shift at a time ensures that workers remain locked into their normal daytime rhythm. Night shifts are followed by a day off to catch up on sleep and return to normal

Question 10

Which people are not so well suited to shift work?

Answer 10

-Those living alone
-People with digestive disorders
-People with inadequate sleeping facilities
-Over 50 yrs old
-Morning type individuals (larks)
-Those who work 2 jobs/ a
have heavy domestic duties
-Epileptics