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Show 12 Lnergy Guide- - April 2001 Study results relate to shift work's effect on energy industry employees Castle Valley residents who work graveyard shifts This includes graveyard shifts, swing shifts, split shifts, rotation shifts and even extended shifts. as function doesn't body It is estimated that alwell as when they sleep most all people have had on a regular schedule. to work odd shifts at some Even people in the Carbon and Emery County time, especially employarea who work swing ees in blue collar posishifts sometimes experi- tions. In Castle Valley, the perence problems adjusting to the late nights and centage of people who sleeping in the mornings. work swing shift and, parUntil the last few years, ticularly, graveyard is not much research had fairly high as compared been done on the effects with the average populashift work has on people's tion because of the nature of the local energy and metabolism and lives. But now a number of support industries. Coal extraction and studies have been conducted that document the power generation are two problems of working odd of the biggest factors, since they are basically shifts. Answers on how to deal operations. In addition, some inwith the associated problems have come with the dustries require employees to work rotating shifts. research. Shift work can have sevThe employees may eral definitions. But usu- work days for two weeks, ally, it means any time a swing for two weeks and person works outside of graveyard for two weeks. the standard 8 a.m. to 5 Then the rotation starts over again. p.m. Monday through Frischedule. Other people work day realize that the human 24-ho- ur What longer than eight-hou- r shifts on the job. For instance, drivers of coal truck s hauling from the production point to power plants or rail spurs may work 12 hour shifts five or six days a week. They may start at irregular hours. Odd shift employment positions have higher turnover rates than regular daytime jobs. The research data indicate that more than 20 percent of the people who try shift work cannot tolerate the accompanying physical and family or social strains. But beyond the problems individual workers may face, there have been questions raised about productivity and safety. Why would a shift affect the judgment of trained workers? There are a number of factors, but the obvious one is chronic fatigue. Fatigue not only affects per- about the job. Chronic fatigue can lead to a reduction in concentration, attention span and reaction time. The fatigue, in turn, may lead to other behaviors as well as maladies that can affect a workers entire life. Many people who work shift work have poor diets, eating a lot of junk food as well as sugar and their intake of caffeine is usually much higher. Many people experience loss of appetite, but gain weight because of what they are eating. Shift workers tend, if they smoke, to use tobacco more heavily. It has been shown that some medications may not have the same affect on a shift worker as it does on a person with a regular work schedule.' In addition, shift work- that companies and employees can do to improve the situation. At the company level, scheduling is important. People assigned to shift work should not regularly work more than eight hour per day. If 10- - or shifts are required, employees should be on a four-dawork week. How shifts are scheduled is another important help them sleep and work. fewer long ones. 12-ho- ur y factor. Workers who frequently rotate from shift to shift experience more prob- lems. Circadian Information Company in Cambridge, Mass., has done extensive surveys on companies. The Circadian surveys found that 42 percent of companies that have graveyard and swing shifts use some type of rotating shift. More frequent, shorter ers tend to take more medicines and drugs to breaks are better than formance, but attitude However, there are things (Continued on page 40) A Standing Ovation Looks Like Underground Good service is always worth a round of At Phillips our number one goal applause. to is get you back in coal production as soon as possible. From our emergency service to Phillips better than new" exchange components, were committed to meet every customers need. We can support your operation with everything from used equipment to conveyor drive sprockets made in our machine shop. This commitment to service is just what youve come to expect from Phillips. Its what youll find every time you turn to us. If you have any equipment to sell, call us! IP Harper Industrial Park RO. Box 1245 Beckley, WV 25802 (Phone) (Fax) www.phillipsmachine.com 304-255-05- Cell: 304-255-05- Reggie Farlaino, Sales Representative 270-991-00- Home: 270-338-17- Fax: 270-338-14- |