March 23rd, 2009 by Administrator

Night shifts have always been an area of concern for the HSE officers due to evidence indicating that they have detrimental effects on employees’ health. Some of the foremost symptoms of health problems due to night shifts are sleep disorders, low energy levels, digestive problems and a greater risk of accidents at work. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a United Nations body has also passed a ruling that night shifts could be one of the causes of development of breast cancer.

After the ruling was announced, the Danish Government has decided to pay remuneration to women who had developed breast cancer and were working for long spells on night shifts. Forty such women have won the compensation so far, and more are yet to be awarded. This will raise some concern among the 20% of the workforce in the UK that works in night shifts.

Contact the experts at Workplace Law Training to find out all the information about their accredited iosh course which can assist companies in training staff to be aware of the proper health and safety procedures for all kinds of workplace situations.

In an interview with the BBC, Dr. John Osmond, HSE Chief Medical Officer said that they were concerned about the problem and that a research project has already commenced to gain further understanding into it. The research, to be carried out by a very eminent epidemiologist, will focus on analysing the association of cancer with late working hours. The report will be complete by 2011 and will also include study on other risks involved with working in the night shift.

Share with your buddies These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.