How to schedule night shift work in order to reduce health and safety risks
OBJECTIVES: This discussion paper aims to provide scientifically based recommendations on night shift schedules, including consecutive shifts, shift intervals and duration of shifts, which may reduce health and safety risks. Short-term physiological effects in terms of circadian disruption, inadequa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: |
https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3920
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| _version_ | 1818921584163815424 |
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| author | Anne Helene Garde Luise Begtrup Bjørn Bjorvatn Jens Peter Bonde Johnni Hansen Åse Marie Hansen Mikko Härmä Marie Aarrebo Jensen Göran Kecklund Henrik A Kolstad Ann Dyreborg Larsen Jenny Anne Lie Claudia RC Moreno Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen Mikael Sallinen |
| author_facet | Anne Helene Garde Luise Begtrup Bjørn Bjorvatn Jens Peter Bonde Johnni Hansen Åse Marie Hansen Mikko Härmä Marie Aarrebo Jensen Göran Kecklund Henrik A Kolstad Ann Dyreborg Larsen Jenny Anne Lie Claudia RC Moreno Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen Mikael Sallinen |
| author_sort | Anne Helene Garde |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | OBJECTIVES: This discussion paper aims to provide scientifically based recommendations on night shift schedules, including consecutive shifts, shift intervals and duration of shifts, which may reduce health and safety risks. Short-term physiological effects in terms of circadian disruption, inadequate sleep duration and quality, and fatigue were considered as possible links between night shift work and selected health and safety risks, namely, cancer, cardio-metabolic disease, injuries, and pregnancy-related outcomes. METHOD: In early 2020, 15 experienced shift work researchers participated in a workshop where they identified relevant scientific literature within their main research area. RESULTS: Knowledge gaps and possible recommendations were discussed based on the current evidence. The consensus was that schedules which reduce circadian disruption may reduce cancer risk, particularly for breast cancer, and schedules that optimize sleep and reduce fatigue may reduce the occurrence of injuries. This is generally achieved with fewer consecutive night shifts, sufficient shift intervals, and shorter night shift duration. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the limited, existing literature, we recommend that in order to reduce the risk of injuries and possibly breast cancer, night shift schedules have: (i) ≤3 consecutive night shifts; (ii) shift intervals of ≥11 hours; and (iii) ≤9 hours shift duration. In special cases – eg, oil rigs and other isolated workplaces with better possibilities to adapt to daytime sleep – additional or other recommendations may apply. Finally, to reduce risk of miscarriage, pregnant women should not work more than one night shift in a week. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:39:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3901520c24348089009d821f623dc6a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0355-3140 1795-990X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:39:58Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3901520c24348089009d821f623dc6a2022-12-21T19:57:55ZengNordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health0355-31401795-990X2020-11-0146655756910.5271/sjweh.39203920How to schedule night shift work in order to reduce health and safety risksAnne Helene Garde0Luise BegtrupBjørn BjorvatnJens Peter BondeJohnni HansenÅse Marie HansenMikko HärmäMarie Aarrebo JensenGöran KecklundHenrik A KolstadAnn Dyreborg LarsenJenny Anne LieClaudia RC MorenoKirsten Nabe-NielsenMikael SallinenThe National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lerso Parkallé 105, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.OBJECTIVES: This discussion paper aims to provide scientifically based recommendations on night shift schedules, including consecutive shifts, shift intervals and duration of shifts, which may reduce health and safety risks. Short-term physiological effects in terms of circadian disruption, inadequate sleep duration and quality, and fatigue were considered as possible links between night shift work and selected health and safety risks, namely, cancer, cardio-metabolic disease, injuries, and pregnancy-related outcomes. METHOD: In early 2020, 15 experienced shift work researchers participated in a workshop where they identified relevant scientific literature within their main research area. RESULTS: Knowledge gaps and possible recommendations were discussed based on the current evidence. The consensus was that schedules which reduce circadian disruption may reduce cancer risk, particularly for breast cancer, and schedules that optimize sleep and reduce fatigue may reduce the occurrence of injuries. This is generally achieved with fewer consecutive night shifts, sufficient shift intervals, and shorter night shift duration. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the limited, existing literature, we recommend that in order to reduce the risk of injuries and possibly breast cancer, night shift schedules have: (i) ≤3 consecutive night shifts; (ii) shift intervals of ≥11 hours; and (iii) ≤9 hours shift duration. In special cases – eg, oil rigs and other isolated workplaces with better possibilities to adapt to daytime sleep – additional or other recommendations may apply. Finally, to reduce risk of miscarriage, pregnant women should not work more than one night shift in a week. https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3920 sleep durationshift work schedulenight shift workschedulepregnancycardio-metabolic diseasecancershift worksleepinessnight worksafetyshift workerinjurynight shiftrisksleep qualitycircadian disruptionhealth |
| spellingShingle | Anne Helene Garde Luise Begtrup Bjørn Bjorvatn Jens Peter Bonde Johnni Hansen Åse Marie Hansen Mikko Härmä Marie Aarrebo Jensen Göran Kecklund Henrik A Kolstad Ann Dyreborg Larsen Jenny Anne Lie Claudia RC Moreno Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen Mikael Sallinen How to schedule night shift work in order to reduce health and safety risks Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health sleep duration shift work schedule night shift work schedule pregnancy cardio-metabolic disease cancer shift work sleepiness night work safety shift worker injury night shift risk sleep quality circadian disruption health |
| title | How to schedule night shift work in order to reduce health and safety risks |
| title_full | How to schedule night shift work in order to reduce health and safety risks |
| title_fullStr | How to schedule night shift work in order to reduce health and safety risks |
| title_full_unstemmed | How to schedule night shift work in order to reduce health and safety risks |
| title_short | How to schedule night shift work in order to reduce health and safety risks |
| title_sort | how to schedule night shift work in order to reduce health and safety risks |
| topic | sleep duration shift work schedule night shift work schedule pregnancy cardio-metabolic disease cancer shift work sleepiness night work safety shift worker injury night shift risk sleep quality circadian disruption health |
| url |
https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3920
|
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