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    Published by The Labour Department 9/2008-1-OHB118

    Uploaded by

    Septika Wahyu
    This document provides guidance for employers and employees on shift work arrangements. It aims to draw attention to the importance of shift arrangements that minimize health impacts on employees while meeting operational needs. The guidance recommends that employers consider factors like rotation patterns, length of shifts and breaks, facilities, and training when setting shift schedules. It also suggests that employees prioritize sleep, lifestyle, and transportation to protect their health under shift work. By optimizing shift arrangements, both parties can benefit through reduced accidents and improved productivity and quality of service.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Published by The Labour Department 9/2008-1-OHB118

    Uploaded by

    Septika Wahyu
    81 views16 pages
    This document provides guidance for employers and employees on shift work arrangements. It aims to draw attention to the importance of shift arrangements that minimize health impacts on employees while meeting operational needs. The guidance recommends that employers consider factors like rotation patterns, length of shifts and breaks, facilities, and training when setting shift schedules. It also suggests that employees prioritize sleep, lifestyle, and transportation to protect their health under shift work. By optimizing shift arrangements, both parties can benefit through reduced accidents and improved productivity and quality of service.

    Original Description:

    Guide on shift work

    Original Title

    ShiftWork

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    © © All Rights Reserved

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    This document provides guidance for employers and employees on shift work arrangements. It aims to draw attention to the importance of shift arrangements that minimize health impacts on employees while meeting operational needs. The guidance recommends that employers consider factors like rotation patterns, length of shifts and breaks, facilities, and training when setting shift schedules. It also suggests that employees prioritize sleep, lifestyle, and transportation to protect their health under shift work. By optimizing shift arrangements, both parties can benefit through reduced accidents and improved productivity and quality of service.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    81 views16 pages

    Published by The Labour Department 9/2008-1-OHB118

    Uploaded by

    Septika Wahyu
    This document provides guidance for employers and employees on shift work arrangements. It aims to draw attention to the importance of shift arrangements that minimize health impacts on employees while meeting operational needs. The guidance recommends that employers consider factors like rotation patterns, length of shifts and breaks, facilities, and training when setting shift schedules. It also suggests that employees prioritize sleep, lifestyle, and transportation to protect their health under shift work. By optimizing shift arrangements, both parties can benefit through reduced accidents and improved productivity and quality of service.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 16

    Published by the Labour Department

    9/2008-1-OHB118

    This guide is prepared by the Occupational Safety and Health Branch,


    Labour Department
    This edition

    September 2008

    This guide is issued free of charge and can be obtained from the offices
    of the Occupational Safety and Health Branch of the Labour
    Department. It can also be downloaded from website of the Department
    at http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_9.htm. For enquiries
    about addresses and telephone numbers of the offices, please refer to
    Labour Departments website at http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/tele/osh.htm
    or call 2559 2297.

    This guide may be freely reproduced except for advertising,


    endorsement or commercial purposes. Please acknowledge the
    source as "Guide on Shift Work" published by the Labour Department.

    12

    CONTENTS
    Page

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    Introduction
    1. Shift work is common in many sectors. Essential and
    emergency services such as medical, transport, fire and rescue,
    law enforcement services and some public services have to
    be provided round-the-clock. In recent years, some service
    establishments such as convenience stores and fast food shops
    also provide 24-hour service and employees concerned
    therefore are required to work in shifts. Suitably arranged
    shift work is important to employees, employers and the selfemployed.
    2. This Guide aims to draw the attention of employers and
    employees to the importance of shift arrangements involving
    overnight shifts. Although it is not legally binding and hence
    compliance is not mandatory, it strongly recommends
    employers and employees to make reference to the factors
    mentioned here in working out suitable shift-work
    arrangements that could both minimise the adverse health
    impact on the employees and meet the operational needs of
    the organisations.
    Suitable Sh
    ift-W
    Arrangemen ork
    ts

    meet the operational


    needs of the
    organisations

    minimise the adverse


    health impact on the
    employees

    3. According to the International Labour Organization, working


    in shifts is "a method of organisation of working time in which
    workers succeed one another at the workplace so that the
    establishment can operate longer than the hours of work of
    individual workers" at different daily and night hours. The
    shift system can be generally classified into a fixed shift system
    and a rotating one.

    Fixed / Rotating
    Shift System

    4. Fatigue may lead to accidents in the workplace, endangering


    not only the employees themselves, but also other people. By
    minimising possible health impact on the employees, good
    shift arrangements help reduce workplace accidents and
    enhance employees overall productivity and quality of service;
    and are thus beneficial to employees, employers as well as the
    clients they serve. Similarly, self-employed persons should
    also be aware of the importance of suitable shift-work
    arrangements.
    5. Some organisations have distinctly different requirements and
    constraints. Some factors described in this guide, therefore,
    may not be applicable or practicable. In the circumstances,
    the shift work should be so arranged taking into account all
    relevant factors.

    Health and Social Effects of Shift Work


    6. Many human physiological, psychological and behavioural
    indicators (such as body temperature, mood, endocrine function
    and alertness) change with the biological clock (circadian
    rhythm) which generally operates on a cycle of around 24
    hours. Some shift arrangements can disrupt the circadian
    rhythm, and may have adverse physiological, psychological
    and social impact on the employees, which could impair the
    employees performance as well as efficiency. For example,
    prolonged irregular shift work can affect the quality of sleep
    of the employees and may, in severe cases, cause health
    problems such as hypertension and gastrointestinal problems,
    or affect the social life of employees.

    Biological
    Clock

    Disruption

    Shift Work Arrangements


    7. In order to alleviate the possible effects of shift work on
    employees, there are some factors, elaborated in paragraphs
    8-10, that could be considered in making shift arrangements for
    protecting their occupational safety and health. Employers and
    employees should, where possible, take into account these factors
    in working out shift arrangements.

    b
    8. Optimising the arrangement for shift work can help reduce
    possible health effects on employees. There are a number of
    factors which employers may take into consideration -

    t=^~
    (a) the necessity of 24-hour operation: if overnight shifts are
    unavoidable due to operational needs, an appropriate level
    of staffing could minimise the number of overnight shifts
    required as far as possible while meeting the operational
    needs of the organisations;
    (b) the necessity of permanent night shifts: some employees
    may not be able to cope with permanent night shifts.
    Employers should consider requiring employees to share
    out the assigned overnight shift work through staff rotation;
    (c) the direction of rotation of shifts: medical opinions
    generally recommend a "Forward Rotating Shift" pattern,
    in the order of early shift, late shift and night shift, for
    employees working in rotating shifts, because the biological
    clock adjusts better when moving ahead than back;
    night shift

    early shift

    Forward
    Rotating Shift
    pattern

    late shift

    (d) the length of the rotation period (i.e. the number of days
    on any one shift before switching to the next shift): medical
    literature suggests that a fast rotating shift pattern (e.g.
    rotating the shifts every 2-3 days) could reduce disruption
    of the biological clock, while rotation of the shifts after a
    longer period (e.g. every 3-4 weeks) allows time for
    adaptation of the biological clock. Either shift patterns
    could be considered, taking into account the circumstances
    of the operations;
    (e) the time at which a morning shift starts: early morning
    shifts may be associated with shorter sleep and greater
    fatigue. It is advisable to avoid early morning starts as far
    as practicable and consider fitting the shift time in with
    the availability of transport, in particular for workplaces
    in remote locations and employees having to travel for long
    hours to work;

    (f) the length of a work shift: an extended shift has the


    advantage of fewer consecutive night shifts and longer
    blocks of time off. However, additional fatigue from longer
    work hours may have adverse health effects. The physical
    and mental load of the task should be taken into
    consideration when considering the length of a work shift.
    Unless justified by special circumstances such as important
    operational requirements or a preference generally shared
    by staff concerned, unduly extended shift (including
    overtime) should be avoided as far as practicable. If the

    work is continuous throughout a shift and is also


    demanding, monotonous, dangerous and safety-critical,
    employers should consider whether shortening each shift
    is necessary, or should consider introducing rest breaks
    in each shift to help employees cope with their work
    mentally and physically;
    z

    z
    z
    12

    11

    10

    3
    8

    4
    7

    Unduly extended shift

    (g) rest break arrangements: suitable rest breaks for


    employees allow them to relax and recuperate. This is
    particularly important for employees working in shifts.
    Apart from rest breaks within a shift, there should also
    be time for rest between shifts. For arrangements of
    rest breaks, please refer to the Guide on Rest Breaks
    published by the Committee of Occupational Safety and
    Health of the Labour Advisory Board. This is available
    in the Labour Departments Occupational Safety and
    Health Branch offices or Labour Departments website at
    http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8d.htm;
    12
    2

    11

    1
    2

    10

    9
    4

    8
    7

    Suitable rest break

    (h) off-duty days in a shift schedule: regular off-duty days


    in a shift schedule enable employees to plan for social
    and domestic activities;

    S M T W T F S
    3
    10
    17
    24

    4
    11
    18
    25

    5
    12
    19
    26

    6
    13
    20
    27

    7
    14
    21
    28

    1
    8
    15
    22
    29

    2
    9
    16
    23
    30

    ======t=b
    (i) quality of the work environment: a safe and adequately
    lighted environment with suitable temperature,
    preferably adjustable, is conducive to the health and
    productivity of shift workers;
    (j) training on shift work for employees: suitable training
    could include an explanation of the possible health effects
    of shift work and tips on possible ways to prevent such
    effects, appropriate arrangements on social activities to
    minimise social isolation due to shift work, and stress
    recognition and management; and

    q~=

    (k) facilities provided for employees on shifts: providing


    similar facilities in different shifts offers a familiar
    environment, which could better enable employees to
    cope with the shift work.

    b
    9. To protect their own occupational safety and health, employees
    engaged in shift work can consider the following factors (a) the mode of transportation: using public transport rather
    than driving to and from work could avoid tiredness from
    driving before and after undertaking shift work;
    z

    (b) maintaining good quality sleep and a healthy lifestyle:


    (i)

    sleeping on a set schedule could help establish


    routine and make sleep during the day easier;

    (ii) a dark and quiet environment is conducive to sleep


    after finishing night-shift work and when going to
    bed early that night;
    (iii) relying on sleeping pills to aid sleep may cause
    drug dependence. It is healthier to use relaxation
    techniques to aid sleep;

    (iv) drinking coffee, tea or alcoholic


    beverages before sleep would
    adversely affect sleep quality;
    (v) heavy meals and/or fatty, spicy
    food before sleep should be
    avoided and time should be
    allowed for digestion, and
    abstinence from smoking and
    alcohol;
    (vi) regular exercise, balanced diet
    and adequate sleep help maintain
    health;
    (vii) making use of cigarette or coffee
    to keep you alert at work is a bad
    practice; and
    (c) making family and friends aware of your shift schedule:
    this will enable them to take into account your availability
    when planning family and social activities.
    10. Employees who are suffering from certain diseases, such as
    diabetes mellitus and gastric ulcer, requiring regular followup consultation and medication should inform their doctors
    about their shift work arrangements. This will enable the
    doctors to plan appropriate treatment for them. They can refer
    to the publications entitled "Work and Diabetes" and "Work
    and Common Gastrointestinal Diseases" published by the
    Labour Department for further information about how these
    common diseases and work affect each other.

    Dialogue between Employers and Employees


    11. No single pattern of overnight shift arrangements can suit the
    divergent needs of different organisations. A suitable shift
    arrangement is beneficial to employers, employees, and in
    some cases even members of the public. As far as possible,
    employers should involve employees in working out the most
    suitable shift arrangements that can meet the needs of
    organisational operation, ensure service quality and have regard
    to the safety and health of employees. For establishments with
    workplace communication mechanism (including safety
    committees), employers could make use of such mechanism
    to seek the views of employees on the shift arrangements. It
    is always a good practice for employers to inform their
    employees as early as possible of the need to work in shifts
    (e.g. before the employment and posting is effected) so that
    they can make necessary arrangements in their family and
    social commitments in advance.

    Em

    plo

    Shift Work
    Arrangement
    yee

    Em

    10

    y
    plo

    ers

    Enquiries
    12. For enquiries on this booklet or advice on occupational health
    and hygiene matters, please contact the Labour Department's
    Occupational Safety and Health Branch through:
    Telephone : 2852 4041
    Fax

    : 2581 2049

    E-mail

    : [email protected]

    13. Information on the services offered by the Labour Department


    and on major labour legislation can also be found on our
    Homepage at http://www.labour.gov.hk.

    Complaints
    14. If you have any complaints about unsafe workplaces and practices,
    please call the Labour Department's occupational safety and health
    complaint hotline at 2542 2172. All complaints will be treated in
    the strictest confidence.

    11

    Published by the Labour Department

    9/2008-1-OHB118

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