Title: Shift Work
1Shift Work the Aging Workforce
Gary A. Higbee EMBA CSP Higbee Associates,
Inc. Electrolab Training Systems Office
515-270-6623 Cell 586-604-3765 g.higbee_at_mchsi.co
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2Shift Work Topics
- Why shift work is increasing
- Symptoms of shift work
- Biological Clock
- Treatment methods
- Drugs
- Circadian Lighting Systems
- Workers Compensation Issues
3Why Shift Work is Increasing
- Customer demand services/products
- Cost of Capital
- Fewer workers
- Historically low unemployment rate
- Lower birth rates
4Shift Work Issues
- The data suggest rather strongly that night shift
operations often have - Lower productivity rates
- Higher risk of accidents
- Equipment damage
- Employee Injury
- Diminished product quality
- Lower quality of life
- Lower expectations
5Sleepy (Fatigued) Employee
- It isnt so much what an employee does wrong
when they are sleepy it is more a problem of what
they fail to do. - Errors or omission are more common
6Shift Work Injury Issues
- "Night and rotating shift workers are at
excessive risk for involvement in accidents and
serious injuries on the job." - (Paul D. Cleary,
PhD, "The Prevalence and Health Impact of
Shiftwork," American Journal of Public Health,
Vol. 76, No. 10 (October 1986), p. 1225.)
7Shift Work
- "Researchers who investigate the complex
mechanism of the body's biological clock
unanimously agree that rotating shifts create the
greatest health risks, because they cause the
most severe disturbances."
8Shift Work
- "Rotating shift workers, who not only work at
unconventional hours but who move from shift to
shift, clearly encounter the most difficulty in
adjusting their psycho-biological rhythms and
patterns to their work schedules. Shift work may
well pose a distinct health hazard for certain
rotating shift workers."
9Shift Work
- "Of all shift workers, rotators seem to fare the
worst. Our research, along with the findings of
others, identifies shift rotation (three shift)
as a scheduling system that imposes excessive
physical and psychological costs on shift
workers. In certain instances, decreased life
expectancy could be a reasonable expectation."
10Circadian Rhythm Biological Clock
- Scientists have discovered that this precisely
timed 24-hour repeating process (circadian
rhythm) is actually controlled by a tiny area of
the brain - Elevates body temperature
- Releases hormones
- Cognitive ability
11The Best Worst of Times
- Worst time is 3 to 6 AM
- Zombie Zone
- Nodding off
- Non-attentiveness
- Irresistible sleep
- Errors in judgment
- Best time is 4 to 6 PM
12Injury Trends in Shift Work
- The injury risk did not seem to be higher on the
night shift in terms of frequency, but more
severe accidents occurred on the night than on
day shifts. More injuries were observed at the
end of the shift, at the 2nd part of the shift
block, and in the summer. The accident rate was
lower on weekends, especially on Sundays.
13Circadian Lighting Systems
- Use of light therapy
- Varies the lighting
- Approximates intensity or morning or evening
sunlight - Adjusts the biological clock
- Moves sleep time to off hours
Its Not Nice To Fool Mother Nature
14Other Methods of Control
- Drug use
- Caffeine
- No doze
- No-Shift-Lag
15Workers Compensation Issues
- Labor Law - Shift Work Mal-Adaptation Syndrome
Not Considered a Work Injury - Claim for Workers'
Compensation Benefits Denied by the Pennsylvania
Supreme Court - Insomnia due to shift work is a workplace injury,
workers' compensation tribunal rules
16Workers Compensation Issues
- "The Worker's severe cognitive deficit meets the
definition of "disablement" under the Act. ... We
find that the cognitive deficit had its origins
in the Worker's periods of employment. His
symptoms arose when he worked rotating shifts,
and he was most symptomatic when he worked the
night shift. But for the assignment to work
outside his ... sleep-wake cycle, it appears on
the evidence that the Worker's symptoms would not
have manifested themselves."
17The Weeding Out Process
- We do not adjust well even over time
- Average one to two hours less sleep a night
- Loss is cumulative
- Many leave the job
- Quit, termination or move to days
- Those that stay simply find ways to cope
18(No Transcript)
19What Have we learned
- The issue is not going to go away
- There are negative impacts
- Treatment methods are limited
- Workers compensations cases are sure to increase
- Research will continue
- Safety Skills
20The Aging Workforce Topics
- Why an Aging Workforce?
- Health Safety and workers compensation Issues
- Bad news and good news
- What can we do?
21Aging Workforce Trends
- By 2005, 15 percent of the workforce will be age
55 and older, according to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. - It appears this estimate is too low
- Over 20 expected by AARP
- Lack of workers
- Desire to stay in the workforce
- Baby boomer effect
- Older Younger - Older
22Older Workers Intend to Work longer
- Like to work
- Older workers healthier than retirees
- Employer incentives
- Work adjustments
- Altered work assignments
- Technology advances
- Part-time work
- Phased in retirement
23BLS Report
- Older workers have fewer injuries but when an
injury occurs the severity of the injury and the
recovery time are significantly increased - Ergonomic type injuries expected to increase
- Workers compensation cost are expected to rise
24Older Workforce Issues
- An attitude and background survey, along with
accident and injury reports, were reviewed for
workers in a nuclear power facility with the goal
of determining the relationship between an aging
workforce and the rate of injuries. The study
subjects included 209 workers at a nuclear power
facility. Older workers experienced more days
injured than younger workers. This was not caused
by a greater number of injuries, but a longer
recovery time, once injured. Older workers
reported being less physically fit than younger
workers, but the older workers appeared to
compensate for their reduced physical capability
by being more aware of and sensitive to safety in
the workplace.
25Bad News
- No place to hide
- Absenteeism rates for both work related and non
work related injuries are higher - For work related injuries the average number of
days lost for all workers was 5 for older workers
the average number of days off was 10
26Good News
- Fewer injuries
- Self selection
- Technology is gaining
- Better healthcare better health
- Flexible hours
- Safety Skills Training (not just awareness) is
now available
27What Should We Do?
- Aggressive automation for modification or
elimination of high risk tasks - Automation combined with more aggressive
ergonomics programs targeted at productivity and
quality improvements along with improved safety - Wellness opportunities
- Flexible work schedules
28Risk Patterns
To Become