British Policing and the Ottawa Shift System Easing the Stress of Rotating Shifts

FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,The, Jan, 2000 by Mike Simpson, Suzanne Richbell

On Health

When compared with employees not working shifts, shift workers have more health concerns, increased errors of judgment, and display symptoms similar to those of insomnia. [17] Shift workers complain of difficulties sleeping and loss of appetite and have increased incidences of digestive disorders and ulcers. [18]

Sleep loss, however, stands as the major health problem for shift workers, leading to higher levels of fatigue than in other workers. Some studies have linked continual partial sleep deprivation with increased death and disease. [19] One report found that fatigue proved common among shift workers but appeared to have no effect on mortality, accidents, or long-term health, although gastrointestinal disorders might become exacerbated. [20] Another survey did not agree and suggested that sleep deprivation remains one of the most pervasive and serious health problems in the United States today. [21] This study also referred to previous work that associated accidents, illness, and domestic problems with lack of sleep. [22]

On Circadian Rhythms

Most bodily systems operate on a cyclic rhythm, which is governed by the day/night sequence of activity and rest. [23] Temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, lung capacity, and other bodily processes follow the day/night cycle, with activity generally higher during the day, reaching a peak in the afternoon or early evening and a trough during the night. [24] Shift work alters sleeping habits, meal times, and elimination processes [25] and may affect productivity and safety, especially on the night shift. Evidence shows that the ability to perform most tasks is lowest during the early hours of the morning. Similarly, performance appears to decline on shifts in excess of 8 hours and where workers perform physically or mentally demanding or repetitive tasks. [26]

POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS

While some problems related to shift work remain largely a fact of the human condition that no shift system can solve, managers still can take steps to help their employees adjust to a rotating work schedule. For example, because the body clock resists rapid resetting, workers find it easier to go to bed late and get up late than to go to bed early and rise early. [27] Hence, managers should make any shift changes in a clockwise direction to reduce their personnel's risk of fatigue and digestive problems. For example, workers would find it easier to change from day shift to afternoon shift, rather than vice versa. Other interventions include such measures as employing bright-light therapy, selecting personnel based on their suitability for night and shift work, and providing coping strategies. [28]

Managers also should experiment with different shift systems to find the one that works best for their departments. Some systems prove more adaptable to individual agency needs than others. For example, the Ottawa shift system removes the need for quick changeovers and provides longer periods between shift changes. This results in an increase in sleep over the shift cycle together with a significant improvement in employee well-being. [29]