While relatively few countries have changed their working time legislation in recent years, new working time patterns show some changes in approaches to night and shiftwork. Prominent trends include (i) the spread of irregular hours of work to different sectors, including services, often as a result of decoupling business hours from individual working hours; (ii) greater flexibility, often in return for shorter hours, in covering operating hours by different individuals; (iii) the appearance of complex combinations of different categories of working time arrangements, such as a combination of full-time semi-continuous shifts and part-time weekend shifts; and (iv) the adoption of a complex process for changes in schemes, incorporating group study and joint planning. Importantly, these trends reflect fundamental changes in the concept of night work (and that of nightworkers). The issues related to these recent trends were apparent in the two-year debate that led to new international labour standards, the Night Work Convention (No. 171) and Recommendation (No. 178), 1990, both of which apply to both sexes and to nearly all occupations. Also adopted was the Protocol of 1990 to the Night Work (Women) Convention (No. 89) of 1948, under which national laws or regulations may now permit night work of women in industry under strictly defined conditions. The new Convention and Recommendation define 'nightworker' to include workers performing a substantial amount of night work. They prescribe a variety of actions to improve the quality of working life of such workers, including measures related to working hours, rest periods, safety and health, transfer to day work, maternity protection, social services, and consultations. Strategies should be adopted that take into account the local situation, that are participatory, and that take due account of the diverse aspects of working life associated with the new concept of night work.

Circadian Rhythm↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Educational and intervention strategies for improving a shift system: an experience in a disabled persons' facility.

The improvement of an irregular three-shift system with anti-clockwise rotation of workers of a disabled persons' facility covering 42 h a week was a subject for management-labour debate. Workers were complaining of physical fatigue, high prevalence of low back pain, sleep shortages associated with short inter-shift intervals, and irregular holidays. With the co-operation of trade union members, an educational and intervention programme was designed to analyse, plan, and implement improved shift rotation schemes. The programme consisted of (a) a group study on the existing system and effects on health and working life; (b) joint planning of potential schemes; (c) communication and feedback (d) testing and evaluation; and (e) agreement on an improved system. The group study was undertaken by means of time study, questionnaire and physiological methods, and the results were jointly discussed. This led to the planning of alternative shift schemes incorporating more regular, clockwise rotation. It was agreed to stage a trial period with a view to shorter working hours. This experience indicated the importance of a stepwise intervention strategy with frequent dialogues and a participatory process focusing on the broad range of working life and health issues.

Circadian Rhythm↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Collaborative field research and training in occupational health and ergonomics.

Networking collaborative research and training in Asian developing countries includes three types of joint activities: field studies of workplace potentials for better safety and health, intensive action training for improvement of working conditions in small enterprises, and action-oriented workshops on low-cost improvements for managers, workers, and farmers. These activities were aimed at identifying workable strategies for making locally adjusted improvements in occupational health and ergonomics. Many improvements have resulted as direct outcomes. Most these improvements were multifaceted, low-cost, and practicable using local skills. Three common features of these interactive processes seem important in facilitating realistic improvements: 1) voluntary approaches building on local achievements; 2) the use of practical methods for identifying multiple improvements; and 3) participatory steps for achieving low-cost results first. The effective use of group work tools is crucial. Stepwise training packages have thus proven useful for promoting local problem-solving interventions based on voluntary initiatives.

Asia↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Low-cost risk reduction strategy for small workplaces: how can we spread good practices?

Recent advances in health risk reduction approaches are examined based on inter-country networking experiences. A noteworthy progress is the wider application of low-cost improvements to risk reduction particularly in small enterprises and agriculture in both industrially developing and developed countries. This is helped by the readiness of managers and workers to implement these improvements despite many constraints. Typical improvements include mobile racks, simple workstation changes, screening hazards, better welfare facilities and teamwork arrangements. In view of the complex circumstances of work-related health risks, it is important to know whether a low-cost strategy can advance risk reduction practices effectively and what support measures are necessary. It is confirmed that the strategy can overcome related constraints through its advantages. Main advantages lie in (a) the facilitation of improved practices in multiple technical areas, (b) the strengthening of realistic stepwise risk reduction, and (c) the enhanced multiplier effects through training of local trainers. Action-oriented risk assessment tools, such as action checklists and low-cost improvement guides, can encourage risk-reducing measures adjusted to each local situation. It is suggested to spread the low-cost risk reduction strategy for improving small workplaces in diversified settings with the support of these locally tailored tools.

Agriculture↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Shiftwork in developing countries: current issues and trends.

This chapter reviews a few studies on shiftwork in countries of Asia and South America. The developing countries need a different approach to managing shiftwork from those used in developed nations--one that concentrates more on the social consequences of shiftwork, particularly for the large proportion of female workers engaged in permanent nightwork.

Asia↗