No abstract

BACKGROUND: If current population and health trends continue, workplace demographics will look significantly different by the turn of the century. Organizations will no longer have a steady pipeline of younger workers and will likely need to rely on older workers to remain competitive in the global marketplace. The future multi-generational workforce will bring with it the challenge of maximizing contributions from each generation whilst at the same time addressing the health, safety and wellbeing needs of all workers. OBJECTIVE: This review provides an insight into aging and older workers, and presents recommendations to promote worker longevity. METHODS: This narrative review draws on evidence from 108 published sources. RESULTS: The relationship between age and work is not simple; factors including the physical nature of the job and worker's health and fitness interact with age to either increase or decrease the potential effect of age. Evidence suggests that the issues arising from an aging workforce can be managed through polices that focus on active aging through: attitude management; flexible working and the provision of occupational health. CONCLUSION: The integration of such interventions would require company and organizational commitment from the top down with educational programs at all levels to ensure understanding and participation.

Background During 2003–2013, 1189 US oil and gas extraction (OGE) workers died while working, resulting in an average annual workplace fatality rate seven times that for all US workers. OGE work commonly involves long hours, shiftwork, irregular schedules, and long commutes, but effects of these factors on fatigue, occupational injury, and illness in OGE are largely unknown. Methods A scoping review of relevant OGE research during 2000–2019 was completed and supplemented by input from a NIOSH‐sponsored Forum. Results Seventy‐eight papers were identified; 76% reported only offshore research. Five themes for research needs emerged: build knowledge about the impacts of fatigue; explore interactions between on‐ and off‐the‐job risk factors; identify and evaluate interventions; assess effectiveness of technology; and increase the diffusion of fatigue risk management information. Conclusions Further collaboration between researchers and OGE operators and contractors can lead to action‐oriented recommendations to mitigate the effects of fatigue, inadequate sleep, and shiftwork.

The European Working Time Directive (EWTD) limits excessive night shifts and restricts the working week to no more than 48 hours. The underlying rationale is to minimise the health risks to all workers. Here we debate the impact of night rotas for doctors-in-training on patient safety and medical education; when the EWTD was agreed these topics may not have been considered, either systematically or objectively. The impacts of diurnal rhythms on human functions affect all night workers, but the nature of rostered medical and surgical work has little precedent in other industries or even in the contracts of other healthcare staff. For example, rostered night duties need to be distinguished from permanent night shift work. On-call medical night work from training doctors is generally required for short periods and usually involves fewer patients. It is an important time in training, where clinical responsibility and decision-making can be matured in a supervised setting. To comply with the EWTD most hospitals have adopted rota patterns that aim to cover the clinical needs, while ensuring no doctor works for more than 48 hours in an average working week. To monitor this process longterm studies are necessary to evaluate effects on a doctor's health and on patient care generally. The EWTD has also led to a loss of continuity of patient care; does this really matter?

No abstract