FACTS

Here are some factors that can impact shift work at hotels:

1. Fatigue due to irregular work hours and disrupted sleep patterns.
2. Stress from managing shifting schedules and dealing with demanding guests.
3. Physical strain, especially in roles involving housekeeping and kitchen tasks.
4. Increased risk of accidents due to fatigue and decreased alertness.
5. Social and family disruptions caused by limited time for personal life.
6. Poor work-life balance leading to stress, burnout, and reduced job satisfaction.
7. Health issues like sleep disorders, digestive problems, and cardiovascular diseases.

STATS

307,000 work-related injury claims associated with shift work represented more than $50.5 million in costs to Canada’s workers’ compensation system.

Researchers found that working a 12-hour shift rather than an eight-hour shift increases the risk of injury, again by 25–30 per cent with risk increasing evenly over four consecutive shifts. The study found that shift workers reported higher levels of chronic fatigue as a result of the disturbance of biological rhythms that occur during shift work.

Researchers have reported the following increases in risk:

• A 9% increase in the relative risk of a needlestick for nurses working 12 or more hours per day, compared with those working 8 hours per day.
• A 3-fold increase in risk of sharp injuries for medical residents, associated with long hours and sleep deprivation.
• Double the risk for injury with sharp objects when medical residents worked night shifts and a 61% higher risk when working extended hours.

Work schedule patterns with higher risks for worker error and injury:

• Compared with regular day shifts starting after 7:00 a.m., risks for accidents and errors increase for these:
  • Night shifts, by 28%.
  • Evening shifts, by 15%.
• Compared with 8-hour shifts, risks for accidents and errors increase for these:
  • 10-hour shifts, by 13%.
  • 12-hour shifts, by 28%.