Effects of working permanent night shifts and two shifts on cognitive and psychomotor performance.
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to clarify whether cognitive and psychomotor performance, which are important for occupational and traffic safety, are impaired by working permanent night shifts (NSs) compared with early-late two shifts (TSs) and whether age and chronobiological type influences the relationship between shift and performance.


METHODS
The study included 44 male automobile workers, 20 working TSs and 24 working NSs. Chronobiological type was determined by questionnaire (D-MEQ). Each subject was tested at the beginning and end of the shift for alertness [by a visual analogue scale (VAS)]; feeling of well-being (Basler); concentration and accuracy (d2); reaction speed, orientation and reaction to stress (Vienna System).


RESULTS
TS workers were more frequently morning types whereas the NS workers were more frequently evening types. In the performance tests, the TS and NS workers did not differ at shift start or shift end. Over the course of the shift, concentration and accuracy improved in both groups, as did reaction to stress. Chronobiological type alone or in combination with shift type had no effect on performance.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate that-if chosen voluntarily-working NSs has no immediate negative effects on cognitive and psychomotor performance when compared with working TSs. There was no indication of an increased risk of accidents after working NSs. The unequal distribution of the circadian types in the shift groups may indicate selection.
Petru
Raluca
R
Institut und Poliklinik für Arbeits- and Umweltmedizin, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Ziemssenstrasse 1, 80336 Munich, Germany.
Wittmann
Marc
M
Nowak
Dennis
D
Birkholz
Bodo
B
Angerer
Peter
P
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005221:Fatigue; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012449:Safety; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*
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