Working Nights

Improving Workplace Safety and Security

As if shift work’s threat of injury, increased rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes weren’t enough, as well as the potential for cancer hanging over your head, it turns out shift work can kill you much faster than any of those options. The good news is that taking care for your safety, simply paying attention, and getting enough sleep so drowsiness doesn’t hit you at the wrong time can hugely lower your risks on the job. In fact, the danger that causes the most shift worker fatalities is something that almost every person- day worker, night worker, shift worker, or unemployed- does every day. This danger is simply driving on the highway. Other dangers include working with machinery and robbery and homicide, especially for people coming home after a night shift. Read more to learn about surprising dangers and how to keep yourself safe.

Background Information of Fatal Work Injuries

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 5,702 workers fatal work injuries were reported in the US in 2005 (the most recent period data is available). The rate at which fatal work injuries occurred in 2005 was 4.0 per 100,000 workers.

Here are some of the key findings published by the BLS:

• Fatal work injuries among workers < 20 years of age were up about 18 percent from 2004 to 166 cases.
• Fatal work injuries involving women in 2005 were down 3 percent to 402; the lowest total ever recorded by the fatality census (the census has been conducted since 1992).
• Fatalities among agricultural workers were up 23 percent from 145 in 2004 to 178 in 2005.
• Fatal work injuries among Hispanic workers increased by 2 percent in 2005 to a record high, though the fatality rate for Hispanic workers was lower.
• Fatal falls were lower by 7 percent after reaching a high in 2004.
• While the number of fatal work injuries in private construction continued to be the most of any industry sector, the number of fatalities was 4 percent lower in 2005 than 2004.

Fatal highway incidents remained the most frequent type of fatal workplace event, accounting for 1,428 worker deaths; one in every four fatalities in 2005. The number of workers who were fatally injured after being struck by objects in 2005 remained at about the same level as in 2004 (604 fatal work injuries in 2005 as compared to 602 in 2004). A total of 564 workplace homicides was recorded in 2005 (up from 559 in 2004). There were 767 fatal falls recorded in 2005; a 7 percent decline from the series high recorded in 2004.

Private construction accounted for 1,186 fatal work injuries; about one in five of the fatalities reported. There were 881 deaths reported in transportation and warehousing. There were 32.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers in the agriculture industry and 25.6 fatalities per 100,000 workers in the mining industries. These were the industries with the most significant fatal injury rates as a percentage of total workers.

Background Information on Nonfatal Work Injuries and Illnesses

Nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses occurred at a rate of 4.6 per 100 equivalent full-time workers in 2005. There were 4.2 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses in private industry workplaces during 2005. This was relatively unchanged compared to 2004. Workplace illnesses accounted for fewer than 6 percent of the 4.2 million injury and illness cases in 2005, unchanged from 2004.

Goods-producing industries as a whole had an injury and illness incidence rate of 6.2 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers, while service-providing industries had a rate of 4.1 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers. Among goods-producing industry sectors, incidence rates during 2005 ranged from 3.6 cases per 100 full-time workers in mining to 6.3 cases per 100 full-time workers in construction and in manufacturing. Rates among service-providing industry sectors ranged up to 7.0 cases per 100 full-time workers in transportation and warehousing. Finance and insurance had the lowest rate at 1.0 cases per 100.

Other important findings from the BLS surveys include:

• More than 1 in 5 injury and illnesses cases reported in private industry, and nearly 2 in 5 illnesses, occurred in manufacturing in 2005, although this industry accounted for only about 13 percent of private sector employment.
• The wholesale trade and retail trade sectors account for 1 in 5 private sector employees; it had an equal number of injury and illness cases in 2005.
• The transportation and warehousing sector includes establishments engaged in transportation of passengers and freight via air, water, rail, and ground, as well as warehousing and storage of goods, sightseeing transportation, and various related support activities. This sector accounted for nearly 7 percent of all private industry injury and illness cases in 2005, but made up only 4 percent of employment.
• The rate of illnesses experienced by workers in hospitals was 66.2 cases per 10,000 full-time workers, compared to 26.7 cases for all private industry in 2005.

Steps to Improve Workplace Safety

Five proactive steps that employers and employees can take to reduce work fatality, injury and illness rates include:

1. Improve training; especially for younger workers. Short training programs are the most effective. Employees should be trained at least quarterly or each season. Records of all training should be maintained. Training should begin with new hires and when responsibilities change. Training should also be stepped up when injuries or “close calls” occur
2. Verify employee qualifications and experience, particularly in machinery operation. Do not just take the employees’ word for it. Employees should be honest about their capabilities and request help or training when they need it.
3. Perform regular inspection of work areas to reduce and eliminates potential hazards. Employees should let management know of any unsafe or hazardous situations.
4. Establish emergency procedures for use in case of injury, accident, or other emergency such as fire or severe weather. Post written directions near the phone for getting to the facility for individuals to give to emergency personnel in the event of an emergency.
5. Make sure that employees and managers understand and practice the safety and health standards that have proven to prevent workplace injuries or poor health; periodically review the health and safety government standards as a team; assess improvements necessary.

Security Issues at Work

A total of 564 workplace homicides was recorded in 2005 (up from 559 in 2004). For women, homicide was the second leading cause of death on the job in 2003 (most recent data available). Women are the victims in 80% of rapes and sexual assaults that take place in the workplace; at least 29,000 acts of rape or sexual assault each year. An estimated one million women are stalked each year in the U.S. and about one-fourth of them report missing work as a result of the stalking, missing an average of eleven days. Over 370,000 men are victims of stalking each year.

Robbery is the principle motive in workplace homicides. Of the 3,829 job-related homicides occurring between 1996 and 2000, more than half took place in the retail industry. One third of victims of workplace violence between 1993 and 1999 reported that they believed that the perpetrator was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the crime. During 1993-1999, 84 percent of all workplace homicides were committed by people who were strangers to the victims. Co-workers and former co-workers were responsible for 7 percent of the workplace homicides, and husbands and boyfriends were responsible for three percent of the workplace homicides.

Steps to Improve Workplace Security

• Install key-card access systems at main entrances and on other appropriate doors; issue access control badges, with recent photographs, to all employees and authorized contractors.
• Follow strict access control procedures, do not allow exceptions.
• Ensure that receptionists have more than one way out of their workstation.
• Keep master and extra keys locked in a security office.
• Arrange office space so unescorted visitors can be easily noticed.
• Keep offices neat and orderly to identify strange objects or unauthorized people more easily.
• Keep publicly accessible restroom doors locked and set up a key control system. If there is a combination lock, only office personnel should open the lock for visitors.
• Pre-program phones to 911 or the local police emergency number.
• Install phones in isolated areas such as storage rooms.
• Develop crisis communication among key personnel and security office involving intercoms, telephones, duress alarms or other concealed communications.
• Have a back up communication system, like two-way radio, in case of phone failure.
• Empty trash receptacles often.
• Open packages and large envelopes only if the source or sender is positively identified.
• Keep closets, service openings, telephone and electrical closets locked at all times. Protect crucial communications equipment and utility areas with an alarm system.
• Avoid stairwells and other isolated areas. Try not to ride the elevator alone with a suspicious person.
• Install good outdoor lighting and check all lighting before it gets dark.
• Don’t work late alone, especially alone on a routine basis.
• Develop a buddy system for employees to get to cars or bus stops after work.

©2007workingnights

This material is provided for personal, non-commercial, educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement

Tags: death, health costs, homicide, injury, Safety, shift work, training