Is There a Correlation Between Irregular Shifts and Occupational Safety Hazards?

Irregular shifts increase safety risks by causing fatigue, sleep disturbances and reduced performance, but proactive management strategies can mitigate these hazards.

• By Mia Barnes
• Dec 19, 2024

The impact of working irregular shifts correlates with injuries and increased safety risks. Regardless of the job, following an unstructured employment schedule may cause more injuries and mishaps due to reduced alertness and mental clarity. Learn how irregular shifts contribute to worker fatigue and safety failures and how to mitigate the dangers of working unusual hours.

What Are Regular vs. Irregular Shifts?

Regular shifts are predetermined employment times that start and end at the same time each day. The most common form of a regular schedule is a 9-5 workday, where shifts start in the morning and end after 5 p.m.

Irregular shifts refer to work times extending beyond the usual 9-5 schedule, with longer periods of 12 hours or more, often in cyclical units. A shift might mean four days on, working 12 hours and resting 12 hours, with a four-day “weekend” between these cycles.

Managers should carefully consider the type of irregular scheduling that works for their industry and their workers' abilities. Some other choices include:

• Rotating patterns. The hours change according to the work. This scheduling is helpful during shutdown periods or emergencies, such as in healthcare institutions. However, the risk of burnout increases due to disruptions to sleep patterns, and it’s best to limit the use of this type of schedule.
• Split shifts. Assigning employees to work two periods in one day can accommodate normal sleep patterns and reduce fatigue.
• On-call notices: The healthcare industry often uses this shift for emergencies, but it can disrupt personal plans.

An unusual work schedule—where work starts or ends at alternating or unfixed times—can cause frequent serious mishaps, leading to more health implications and cases of injury on duty.

Hazards of Irregular Shifts

Managers and HR representatives should note several hazards associated with irregular work periods and take action to remedy these as soon as they present.

1. Increased fatigue. Mental and physical health may decline when a schedule requires prolonged concentration without frequent breaks. The mind becomes fatigued, and it’s challenging to focus on tasks. Routinely working long, irregular shifts can cause chronic sleep deprivation and make choosing unhealthy food options easier.
   
   
2. Regular sleep disturbances. Working the graveyard shift means a disrupted circadian rhythm that can affect your mood and performance. Late nights mean you have to rest during the day when it’s light and melatonin levels are not optimal. Sleep deprivation contributes to human error, and poor sleep contributes to cognitive decline at work.
   
   
3. Ineffective and irresponsible work. Mental strain, exhaustion, feeling disconnected or experiencing tunnel vision due to a lack of sleep contribute to losing agility and coordination. Fatigue results in slowing down reaction times, which can easily cause injuries while operating machinery, walking on elevated surfaces or driving.

Mitigating Irregular Shift Danger Management

Managers must take responsibility for managing their staff to avoid irresponsible labor practices. Instituting double safety protocols is a good way to do this. Schedule the most intense work at the start of shifts when alertness levels are optimal.

However, they can mitigate irregular employment dangers in several other ways. Your workshops and training should include these three essential aspects to ensure your workforce remains optimal and ready for the rigors of your industry.

1. Good sleep hygiene. Educate staff about creating healthy sleep hygiene rituals, such as darkening bedrooms, using sleep masks and using noise-canceling headsets to eliminate distractions. Create a workspace where staff feel comfortable and supported enough to inform management when they struggle with insomnia and need help.
   
   Company medical staff can help employees by monitoring sleep patterns with regular physical examinations and even prescribing melatonin to assist the natural circadian rhythm. Training people to get enough sunlight in the morning and afternoon to create melatonin is crucial to ensuring restful sleep.
   
   
2. Healthy nutrition and hydration. Encourage employees to eat regular meals at work, perhaps even providing meal packs that contain healthy food to help maintain mental and physical stamina. A good time to have a healthy snack is between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. or 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. when concentration tends to dip.
   
   
3. Regular exercise. Regular physical exercise is vital to help maintain a healthy and strong body, and offering gym memberships is an ideal way to encourage a healthy workforce. Contests and events promote regular exercise, which helps regulate stress and improve overall health.
   
   It’s essential to use early intervention to mitigate the risk of obesity and diabetes, especially if sleep disturbances are also present. Drafting a policy on maintaining health is a smart move to ensure employees remain responsible for themselves while reducing the risk of fatigue and poor physical performance, which can lead to safety hazards.

Managing Irregular Work Times

Shift worker fatigue can cause serious injuries and accidents. Avoid accidents by assigning alert, responsible and motivated staff to work the graveyard shift. Use training and regular assessment to ensure they’re an asset and not a liability when it comes to safety and maintain consistent shifts to provide stability.