Healthy working times
Shift planning has a major impact on occupational safety, well-being and resident and patient safety.
Healthy working hours solutions increase the overall occupational well-being and safety and have an impact on balancing work and personal life. Sufficient recovery is essential in work time management.
Based on research, a regular day job offers the healthiest working hours for humans, but this is not feasible in all sectors.
Working hours have a major impact on people’s ability to act in different situations. The risk of work accidents grows exponentially when working excessively long hours and when working at night or very early in the morning.
The Working Time Act defines certain boundary conditions for employers, according to which they should plan working hours to ensure sufficient recovery time for the employees.
The employer is in charge of planning the work. If the work is arranged as shift work, a shift list has to be planned.
The employees must be given the shift list at least one week before the planned shift list is scheduled to start. This will support an employee’s time management and increases the overall well-being.
Effects of shift work on well-being
Shift work also offers benefits to an employee, such as free time during weekdays and extra monetary compensation. The changes to sleep and circadian rhythm related to shift work can, however, have a detrimental effect on health and social life. Irregular work puts more stress on the body than a day job.
Shift workers are more often diagnosed with chronic tiredness, gastro-intestinal issues and sleeping problems.
The employer has a legislated duty to arrange a medical examination for employees working night shifts at the start of the employment relationship and then at regular intervals.
In certain situations, the employee must move from shift work to a day job, especially if it is suspected that night work could be a risk to the employee’s health. This can also be a temporary situation, for example during pregnancy. In such cases, the employee should get a medical evaluation from the occupational healthcare services’ doctor.
Reducing the harm of shift work
One factor supporting occupational well-being is the opportunity to influence one’s working hours. Working-time autonomy could facilitate this. It means that the work community plans the work shifts according to certain agreed guidelines.
Other methods for alleviating the harm of shift work:
- Shifts are planned as far in advance as possible
- Days off are consecutive, also during the weekends
- The period between shifts is at least 11 hours, preferably 12–16 hours
- Only a few consecutive night shifts
- Night shifts last less than 10 hours
- Clockwise rotating shift system in regular three-shift work
Your workplace’s occupational safety and health representative will support you in all matters related to occupational well-being!