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Higher risks when working unusual times? A cross-validation of the effects on safety, health, and work–life balance

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Abstract

Purpose

Replication and cross-validation of results on health and safety risks of work at unusual times.

Methods

Data from two independent surveys (European Working Conditions Surveys 2005 and 2010; EU 2005: n = 23,934 and EU 2010: n = 35,187) were used to examine the relative risks of working at unusual times (evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays) on work–life balance, work-related health complaints, and occupational accidents using logistic regression while controlling for potential confounders such as demographics, work load, and shift work.

Results

For the EU 2005 survey, evening work was significantly associated with an increased risk of poor work–life balance (OR 1.69) and work-related health complaints (OR 1.14), Saturday work with poor work–life balance (OR 1.49) and occupational accidents (OR 1.34), and Sunday work with poor work–life balance (OR 1.15) and work-related health complaints (OR 1.17). For EU 2010, evening work was associated with poor work–life balance (OR 1.51) and work-related health complaints (OR 1.12), Saturday work with poor work–life balance (OR 1.60) and occupational accidents (OR 1.19) but a decrease in risk for work-related health complaints (OR 0.86) and Sunday work with work-related health complaints (OR 1.13). Risk estimates in both samples yielded largely similar results with comparable ORs and overlapping confidence intervals.

Conclusions

Work at unusual times constitutes a considerable risk to social participation and health and showed structurally consistent effects over time and across samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. GAWO (Gesellschaft für Arbeits-, Wirtschafts- und Organisationspsychologische Forschung e.V.), Achterdiek 50, 26131, Oldenburg, Germany

    Jana Greubel, Anna Arlinghaus & Friedhelm Nachreiner

  2. XIMES GmbH, Vienna, Austria

    Anna Arlinghaus

  3. Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    David A. Lombardi

  4. Center for Injury Epidemiology, Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, Hopkinton, MA, USA

    David A. Lombardi

Authors
  1. Jana Greubel
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  2. Anna Arlinghaus
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  3. Friedhelm Nachreiner
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  4. David A. Lombardi
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Correspondence to Jana Greubel.

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Greubel, J., Arlinghaus, A., Nachreiner, F. et al. Higher risks when working unusual times? A cross-validation of the effects on safety, health, and work–life balance. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 89, 1205–1214 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-016-1157-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-016-1157-z

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