Unfavorable Consequences of Six-hour Shiftwork.
This study compared the effects of an uncommon 4 x 6-hour shift system used by some French customs units with the situation of customs officers working on two other shift systems (3 x 8 hours and 2 x 12 hours) and a group of day workers. Data were collected by a questionnaire on shift schedules, working hours, sleep, health, and off-the-job activities, and by time-budgets over four days and actigraphic recordings over five days. The 4 x 6-hour-shift officers reported a high proportion of sleep difficulties and digestive disturbances. Their situation was very similar to that of 3 x 8-hour shift workers and contrasted markedly with that of 2 x 12-hour workers and day workers. Three factors were critical: the irregularity of eating habits imposed by four different shifts, the greater number of working days in the week, and the frequent assignment of two shifts on the same day.
Prunier
S
Laboratoire d'Ergonomie Physiologique et Cognitive de l'E.P.H.E., 41, rue Gay-Lussac, 75 005 Paris, France.
Gadbois
C
Foret
J