Working Nights

Is Moonlighting Poised to Return, and if so, What Should Employers and Employees Do About it?

As the economy turns, it’s likely that more people will start taking second jobs. Added employment security and the need to double up on paychecks to make up for losses during the recession will drive people in this direction. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 7.6 million Americans held multiple jobs during the first five months of this year, or 5% of all employees, about the same as last year. During earlier economic boom periods, moonlighting has increased. For example, at the end of 1989 over 7.2 million Americans worked more than one job, an increase of 25% since 1985. And, by 1997, 8.5% worked more than one job, almost another 20% increase. Now, during more difficult financial times, perhaps it’s not surprising that the numbers are down a bit.

But, the downward trend seems poised for a quick uptick as the economy improves and employers supplement their workforce with part timers rather than bulk up on full-time employees.
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Safety at Work for an Aging Population of Workers

Everywhere we turn there are articles about more seniors in the workforce. This is not a new trend, but the pattern has clearly stepped up as a result of the current recession. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 1977 and 2007, total employment in the US increased by 59%. Amazingly, employment of workers 65 and over had already increased 101% during this time! For men over 65, the 1977 to 2007 increase was 75%, but for women it was 147%. What does this mean for safety at work? We have a lot to do!
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Learning from Past Mistakes about Managing Overtime after a Recession

After the last recession was over in 2002, overtime spiked at many extended hours operations and so did accidents and injuries on the job. After a recession, managers are usually gun-shy about hiring and for good reason – they want to feel confident that demand is truly back so they don’t generate oversupply. There are starting to be some early signs of improvement in the current economic climate, which means we may see overtime starting to creep up soon. Now’s the time to start planning in order to prevent accidents and injuries resulting from overtime.
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Feeling the Impacts of Chronic Stress Brings You Back to Old Habits

Do you feel frazzled and overwhelmed? Are you having trouble sleeping? Are you anxious and impatient? These are just some of the symptoms of chronic stress. According to a new study, the effects of chronic stress force us back into old habits. And this may actually cause us to make bad decisions because in some situations, we are better off inhibiting a habit and instead using a goal oriented strategy – an effort that will force us to approach the situation differently. But when we are stressed we are more likely to just fall back on our habitual approach to dealing with the situation as opposed to being creative and forging a new path.
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Mental Health Conditions are on the Increase…and Shift Working Companies Should Take Notice

According to a report in the August 2009 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, treatment for mental health conditions is becoming more common in the US. The article has several explanations for why this may be, including patient and medical providers having a broader understanding of the need for mental health treatment, recent significant outreach by nonprofit groups promoting mental health care, and the growing public acceptance of mental health treatments. A related outcome – antidepressants are now the most commonly prescribed class of medications in the US. Read this article…

The Expensive Recession: Managing Costs During Difficult Financial Times

Money’s low, stocks are down, workers and employers on all sides of the board are struggling to make ends meet. In this recession people are counting on their jobs more than ever, yet many companies view layoffs as the quickest way to get out of the red. But by focusing on root causes of money loss, management can make long-term changes to boost the profit of operations. Shift worker absenteeism bleeds company money, and frequent worker turnover requires more basic worker training and more money hunting for replacements. Increased preventative health care and management training would cut down on illness and injury, saving money on health costs and reducing absenteeism, as well as helping workers feel more connected with the company to slow worker turnover. This article focuses on the personal pain of layoffs and alternative ways to cut costs while saving jobs. Read this article…

Running on Empty- Safe Driving on a Shift Work Schedule

While people worry about the dangers of sky diving, bungee jumping, and other death-defying activities, in fact one of the most dangerous things you can do is turn that little metal key in your car every day. In the U.S., someone dies in a car accident once every 13 seconds. Since shift workers experience many of the symptoms that are the most frequent causes of car crashes- fatigue and drowsiness, nodding off from lack of sleep, drug use, and use of sleep aids- driving safety is especially important from shift workers. The perils of a commute after a long day (or especially after working nights) can be deadly.
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The Impact of Fatigue on Driving

Most people know that driving after drinking enough alcohol could be a death wish, but driving home after a seemingly endless shift could be equally dangerous. After 22 hours without sleep, you act the same behind the wheel as if you had a blood alcohol level of 0.08, the legal driving limit. It won’t get you pulled over (yet, although several states have laws pending to outlaw driving while drowsy) but falling asleep at the wheel can send you hurtling towards a tree or another vehicle with no control over your car just as easily as alcohol or drugs can. The urge to reach home and bed can sometimes overtake caution on the road. Truck drivers and night-owl teens are also greatly affected by this risk, which often goes unnoticed in our up-and-at-’em culture. Read this article…

Here Comes the Sun: Getting Enough Vitamin D When Working Shift Work

The threat of skin cancer looms on the one hand, but the threat of bone fractures, sleep disorders, and depression awaits on the other. What is a shift worker to do? Too much sun causes danger, but many shift workers- shuttling back and forth to work all day, toiling under the gleam of florescent lights, sleeping all afternoon- don’t get enough sunshine in their lives. Vitamin D helps the body use calcium to grow strong bones, as well as preventing rickets and aiding the immune system. While a few foods such as milk and eggs contain Vitamin D, the body mainly produces the vitamin in response to sun exposure, and so the vitamin languishes in dark, night work and shift work environments. It is important for shift workers to understand the workings of Vitamin D and how to get the right amount safely, since these days it’s the rare work schedule that supports a relaxing daily sunbathe. Read this article…