Shift work

The practical implications of this experiment are that when evaluating the effects of shift work due to circadian effects, the type of task being carried out by the worker must be taken into account. For example, skill-based tasks would be expected to exhibit the performance changes characteristic of low memory load tasks, whereas performance variations in knowledge-based tasks would be expected to follow the pattern of high memory load tasks. Performance on rule-based tasks may depend on the degree of frequency of use of the rules, which in turn may determine the memory load. If these results were confirmed by further process plant studies, it would have implications for when different types of operation (involving different levels of memory load) should be scheduled to reduce circadian rhythm effects and minimize errors. 

Quality of installation and the adherence to design specifications of the equipment should be evaluated to ensure that errors during shipping and installation were not made. Often overlooked at this phase are human factors considerations for the construction crew, such as selection of the contractor, training of the crew, lighting, shift work, procedures, and supervision. 

Colquhoun, W. P., Blake, M. ]., Edwards, R. S. (1969). Experimental Studies of Shift Work III Stabilized 12-hour Shift Systems. Ergonomics 12,865-882. 

Flanagan, J. C. (1954). The Critical Incident Technique. Psychology Bulletin 51,327-358. Folkard, S., Morrk, T. H., Lobban, M C. (1979). Towards a Predictive Test of Adjustment to Shift Work. Ergonomics 22,79-91. 

Monk, T. H., Embrey, D. E. (1981). A Field Study of Circadian Rhythms in Actual and Interpolated Task Performance. In A. Reinberg, N. Vieux, P. Andlauer (Eds.), Night and Shift Work Biological and Social Aspects. Oxford, UK Pergamon Press. 

Smith, M. J., Colligan, M. G., Tasto, D. L. (1982). Health and Safety Consequences of Shift Work in the Food Processing Industry. Ergonomics 25,133-144. 

Betriebs-zeit,/. working hours shift working season, campaign operating time (required for any process), -zustand, m. working or operating condition. 

Hours and the arrangements for shift working Administration and technical staff on day shift Difficulty is often experienced when workers are shared between departments. Some information will not be documented but since employees are generally paid for attendance hours these are meticulously recorded. 

The collection and tabulation of data will provide an opportunity to become familiar with the company and will generate a good understanding of the operation of the plant. Much of the data will be needed to establish the models needed to size the various areas of the plant. For instance, hours worked should be analyzed to identify shift work, direct and indirect effort, and the normal and overtime activity. Outside contractors may be employed, and this contribution will need to be determined, sometimes by visiting the contractor s facilities. When expansions are being planned, it may be necessary to discuss the contributions that outside contractors make to the factory and assess the increase which they can accommodate. 

In determining the area required for increased production the relationship between the output and the area may not be linear, and needs to be examined in some detail. When the output required exceeds the maximum output of a process line then increased shift working may be considered. Alternatively, a second process line may be needed. 

Issue next shift work order and schedules. 

In humans, poor sleep correlates with low plasma melatonin and can be improved by melatonin administration. This therapeutic approach has been tried especially in individuals whose sleep rhythms are disrupted by shift-work, blindness or jet-lag but its benefits are as yet unconfirmed and, in any case, the mechanisms by which it might reset sleep patterns are unclear. Of course, it must be remembered that other body... 

The most common CRDs include jet lag, shift-work sleep disruption, delayed sleep-phase disorder, and advanced sleep-phase disorder. Jet lag occurs when a person travels across time zones, and the external environmental time is mismatched with the internal circadian clock. Delayed and advanced sleep-phase disorders occur when bed and wake times are delayed or advanced (by 3 or more hours) compared with socially prescribed bed and wake times. 

Breathing-related sleep disorder Circadian rhythm sleep disorder Delayed sleep phase type Jet lag type Shift work type Unspecified type... 

Many antiviral agents, particularly some anti-HIV agents, have rather short plasma half-lives, which require frequent oral administration of the agent. Thirteen-week studies have been conducted with t.i.d. dosing of rats and monkeys, requiring around-the-clock shift work for technical staff of the laboratory. 

The many circadian oscillators in the periphery are likely to have important influences on organ function, and circadian organization at the systems-level almost certainly has significant effects on overall health. Exciting developments at the intersection between clocks and human health support this belief. For example, cancers grow faster in arrhythmic animals (Filipski et al 2002), acute cardiovascular disease has a significant rhythmic component (Guo Stein 2003), and most of us have experienced first-hand the effects of jet lag and/or shift work. 

Modafinil is a stimulant medication used to improve wakefulness in patients with narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (as adjunct to standard treatments for the underlying disorder), and shift work sleep disorder. Controlled and open trials provided data on the efficacy and safety of modafinil in patients with narcolepsy (Besset et al. 1996 Billiard et al. 1994 Broughton et al. 1997 Mitler et al. 2000 U.S. Modafinil in Narcolepsy Multicenter Study Group 1998, 2000). Modafinil has a long duration of action and low potential for dependence and may be a reasonable first choice in the treatment of mild to moderate narcolepsy (Silber 2001). There is also considerable interest in the potential use of modafinil in the treatment of ADHD, and studies are in progress. 

Individual sessions may be requested to fit in with family commitments, employment, shift-work, or because of other difficulties such as agoraphobia, or a disinclination to listen to... 

There are also some cases when a doctor s prescription is needed to obtain a stimulant in order to keep the person awake. Such cases include people with narcolepsy, who are extremely sleepy much of the day, and people who have jobs that require prolonged periods of wakefulness, such as soldiers in the military, long-haul truck drivers, and people who work night shifts or rotating shift-work schedules. 

Melatonin has been promoted as a treatment for conditions ranging from jet lag to cancer (1,3-5) and is sometimes used for sleep induction (1) and shift work (6). Because melatonin is present in small amounts in some foods, it is licensed as a nutritional supplement in the USA. 

Sleepiness in the elderly Slow eyelid closures of the kind experienced by drowsy drivers Simulated night shift work in laboratory... 

Martin SK, Eastman CI. Medium-intensity hght produces circadian rhythm adaptation to simulated night-shift work. Sleep 1998 21 154—165. 

Nicholson P, D Auria DAP. Shift work, health, the working time regulations and health assessments. Occup Med 1999 49 127-137. 

In this discussion, we will present a reanalysis of the CPSII data, to further explore the influence of comorbid risk factors on the mortality associated with sleep duration. The risks associated with insomnia, shift work, and sleeping pills will also be examined. 

Akerstedt T. Sleepiness as a consequence of shift work. Sleep 1988 ll(l) 17-34. 

Boggild H, Knutsson A. Shift work, risk factors and cardiovascular disease. Scand J Work Environ Health 1999 25(2) 85-99. 

Shift Work Committee. Opinion on night work and shift work. J Sci Labour 1979 55 1-36. 

Boggild H, Suadicani P, Hein HO, Gyntelberg F. Shift work, social class, and ischaemic heart disease in middle aged and elderly men a 22 year follow up in the Copenhagen male study. Occup Environ Med 1999 56(9) 640-645. 

In 1988, the total cost of work-related accidents of 47.1 billion was based on 10,600 deaths and 1,800,000 disabling injuries. Included in the estimate of work-related accidents attributable to sleepiness were (a) motor-vehicle accidents due to shift work and on-the-job motor vehicle accidents (35.0% of total work-related accidents), (b) falls during work caused by sleepiness or inattention (12.6%), and (c) water and transportation accidents (4.8%). Therefore, of all work-related accidents, about 52.5% might potentially be related to sleepiness and then, accounting for 5565 fatalities and 945,000 disabling injuries, resulted in a cost of 24.7 billion. 

The world has evolved significantly, and with it, the need for RTC Ops to meet societal demands. Our traditional views, concepts, terminology, and data on shift work and occupational requirements no longer fully reflect the dramatic changes that are now commonplace in our society. Examining the role and effects of sleep loss in occupational settings requires an evolved definition that more accurately reflects the RTC Ops that pervade the modem workforce. 

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