SHIFT WORK HAZARDS

Course overview

SHIFT WORK ENABLES BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO MAINTAIN THE PACE OF WORK AND CONTINUOUSLY PROVIDE ACCESS TO GOODS AND SERVICES THROUGHOUT A 24-HOUR DAY. APPROXIMATELY 25% OF THE ADULT WORKFORCE LABORS DURING NON-TRADITIONAL HOURS, INCLUDING EVENINGS, NIGHTS, EARLY MORNINGS, AND WEEKENDS. SUCH WORK SCHEDULES DISRUPT THE BIOLOGICAL CIRCADIAN RHYTHM AND NATURAL SLEEP-WAKE CYCLES. THIS DISRUPTION MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCES. A GROWING BODY OF EVIDENCE SHOWS A CONNECTION BETWEEN SHIFT WORK AND NUMEROUS HAZARDOUS HEALTH OUTCOMES, INCLUDING BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. SHIFT WORK IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS, MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS, AND BURNOUT, POSING A SOCIAL RISK. OCCUPATIONS COMPRISED MOSTLY OF SHIFT WORKERS, SUCH AS THOSE IN HEALTHCARE, SHOULD BE COGNIZANT OF THESE HAZARDS AND TAKE STEPS TO MITIGATE RISK. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE HAZARDS OF SHIFT WORK AND DISCUSSES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM, ORGANIZATIONAL INTERVENTIONS, AND INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIORAL CHANGES AIMED AT REDUCING THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SHIFT WORK.