NIOSH suggests ways to cope with shift work
NIOSH suggests ways to cope with shift work
Ways to deal with the detrimental effects of shift work are suggested in a new publication from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Washington, DC.
About 15.5 million people in the United States work in shifts, according to NIOSH. The schedules can disrupt the body’s internal circadian rhythm and result in sleep loss, which can in turn make it difficult for the worker to concentrate. Shift workers can be more susceptible to accidents, digestive problems, heart problems, and stresses from interference with family and social life.
NIOSH suggests these administrative changes to diminish those effects on shift workers:
• As appropriate, employers might consider changes in shift work schedules, such as alternatives to permanent night shifts, avoiding quick shift changes, and adjusting shift length to the workload.
When changing employees’ work schedules, NIOSH urges employers to consider all aspects of the worker’s job and home life, not just the needs in the workplace.
• Other potentially useful steps include scheduling heavy or demanding work at times when workers are most alert or at peak performance, providing training or awareness programs for new shift workers and their families, and ensuring that health care and counseling services are available to employees who work nontraditional schedules.
• Employees should be educated about ways to cope with the stresses of shift work, such as paying attention to the need for good sleep, establishing a sleep routine that works best for the individual, and looking at the utility of exercise, diet, and relaxation techniques.
• Bright lights can be used to adjust the body’s circadian rhythm and change the times of an individual’s peak alertness, but NIOSH cautions this strategy takes expert planning and may not be practical for some shift workers. Melatonin also has received attention as a sleep aid, but NIOSH says the current research is insufficient to recommend melatonin as a regular aid for shift workers.
For more on helping workers cope with shift work, NIOSH provides free copies of Plain Language About Shift work, NIOSH Publication No. 97-145. Contact NIOSH at (800) 35-NIOSH. t
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