[Shift work and accidents--relevance for the offshore industry].
BACKGROUND
Increased use of shift work depends on keeping productivity and safety at acceptable levels. Approximately 7000 workers in the Norwegian offshore industry are working night shifts.


METHODS
We have reviewed relevant literature on injuries in relation to shift work.


RESULTS
The literature is inconclusive. The reason for this is most likely that all the studies are either observational or retrospective; no controlled interventions were found. However, shift work generally and night shifts in particular seem to increase the risk of injury. When newer data are taken into account, these clearly indicate that shift work is associated with reduced safety and productivity.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that if and when shift work is needed, it should be organised with certain patterns and rest breaks in order to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries. Focused and well-planned research is strongly needed in this field. Very few studies have been conducted on shift work and health effects offshore.
Bjørkum
Alvhild Alette
AA
Institutt for akvakultur-, kjemi og bioingeniørfag, Avdeling for ingeniørutdanning, Høgskolen i Bergen, Nygårdsgaten 112, Postboks 7030, 5020 Bergen. alvhild.bjorkum@hib.no
Pallesen
Ståle
S
Holsten
Fred
F
Bjorvatn
Bjørn
B
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D004526:Efficiency; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D006801:Humans; D009659:North Sea; D016272:Occupational Health; D010578:Petroleum; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
D010578:Petroleum