For many companies, keeping workers safe is an around-the-clock issue. And when different shifts operate in a facility, one common outcome is that the night shift isn’t given the same EHS focus as other groups.
As a recent article in Safety + Health magazine on shift-worker safety puts it, “The night shift keeps things running, yet it comes with unique safety challenges that often go unaddressed. Leadership structure, workplace culture and employee well-being all look a little different for people working through the night.” With that in mind, the article takes a look at the safety concerns that are unique to the night shift, while also highlighting some opportunities to protect overnight workers to the same extent as the rest of the workforce.
One of the most common safety concerns for the night shift is a lack of traditional oversight from managers and other organizational leaders. Often, management responsibilities fall to shift supervisors, who are the only leaders of any capacity who are present night-in and night-out. And as we all know, the safety efficacy of supervisors can vary greatly. Other challenges include environmental issues and employee engagement concerns.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that some human factors—most notably fatigue—may be more prevalent in an overnight shift. This requires mitigation efforts that are tailored to the needs of the night shift and its individual workers, further reinforcing the need to have safety-first supervisors who have a good working knowledge of how to deal with human factors.
The article goes on to discuss the importance of training and communication. Too many organizations fail to extend the same safety training, or the same level of safety communication, to overnight shifts, effectively alienating those workers. Even worse, it could leave them without critical skills or knowledge they may need to avoid an incident.
The same can happen with engagement efforts. As the article points out: “committee meetings, training sessions and policy discussions frequently happen during the day, leaving off-shift workers disengaged.”
The antidote to all these issues is to get in the organizational habit of considering the needs of the night shift with the same rigor as you do their daytime counterparts. By putting equal emphasis—and effort and resources—on all work shifts, you can help avoid many of the issues that can put night shift workers at risk of being hurt on the job.