Sleep quality and physical and social well-being in North American petrochemical shift workers

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Industrial-Organizational Psychology
• Sociology of Work

Background:

• Shift work is prevalent in continuous operations industries like petrochemicals.
• Assessing the impact of different shift schedules on worker well-being is crucial for occupational health.
• Existing assessment tools may require adaptation for specific industrial contexts and workforces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt the Standard Shiftwork Index for petrochemical workers in southeast Texas.
• To compare the effects of day work, 8-hour backward rotating shifts, and 12-hour shifts on worker well-being.
• To identify specific indices of well-being most affected by different shift schedules.

Main Methods:

• Modified the Standard Shiftwork Index for syntax and length.
• Surveyed 351 male employees across three work groups: day, 8-hour backward rotating, and 12-hour shifts.
• Collected data on sleep quality, physical well-being, and personal/family time.

Main Results:

• The 8-hour backward rotating shift group reported significantly worse sleep quality.
• This group also experienced poorer physical well-being, including gastrointestinal and cardiovascular complaints.
• Workers on the 8-hour backward shift reported less time for family and personal pursuits.

Conclusions:

• The 8-hour backward rotating shift schedule is associated with the most adverse effects on worker well-being.
• Shift schedule design significantly impacts employee health and work-life balance in petrochemical settings.
• Findings suggest a need for optimizing shift schedules to mitigate negative health outcomes.