Premium
Long working hours, safety, and health: Toward a national research agenda
Author(s) -
Caruso Claire C.,
Bushnell Tim,
Eggerth Donald,
Heitmann Anneke,
Kojola Bill,
Newman Katharine,
Rosa Roger R.,
Sauter Steven L.,
Vila Bryan
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20373
Subject(s) - medicine , occupational safety and health , environmental health , pathology
Abstract Background A significant and growing number of people work long hours. Research examining impacts is limited, but raises concerns about risks to the worker, the family, the employer, and the community. The purpose of this report, which is authored by the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Long Work Hours Team, is to motivate and guide future research by proposing a framework for studying long work hours and discussing research gaps. Methods The NORA Long Work Hours Team examined research reports and literature reviews, and gathered input from a conference on long work hours organized by the Team and faculty from University of Maryland. Results and Conclusion A framework is proposed for long work hours, including determinants, outcomes, and moderating factors of long work hours, suggesting that studies need to include more clear and complete descriptions of work schedules, worker characteristics, and the work environment, and need to consider a wider range of possible health, safety, social and economic outcomes for workers, families, employers, and the community. Additional studies are needed on vulnerable employee groups and those critical to public safety. More studies are also needed to develop interventions and test their effectiveness. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2006. Published 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.