The Safety Concerns of Night-Shift Schedule: Implications for Family, Homes and Human Health

Wealth does not correlate with health, neither does the ability to work longer hours and the night-shift determine the level of one’s wealth. It is important to consider health and safety first when accepting new job schedules or offers. This study investigates how night-shift schedules have contributed to workers’ poor well-being, quality of life and marriages. One-hundred ninety-one night-shift workers voluntarily participated in the study. Respondents were grouped into three age categories: 18-34, 35-54, and 55-74. Responses were quantified and statistical analyses were run on the data. Results revealed that 24% of the respondents responded to be depressed and 57% indicated to have low energy after working a night-shift schedule. The risk of divorce among the married respondents was found to be 1-person in every 5-workers. Poor appetite revealed 1 out of every 3-workers and 1 out of 2-workers have the risk of losing interest in their usual activities. Approximately seventeen percent reported having very bad quality of life, while 39% declared to have average quality of life. Thirty percent of the respondents revealed having concentration problems after working night shift. The paired t-test result revealed that a night-shift schedule has a statistically significant effect on the workers’ well-being who work on night shift (t = 16.13, df = 190, p < 0.0001). The level of divorce, poor quality of life, less interest in usual activities and health issues as a result of workers’ schedule suggest the need for better work schedule structuring. The findings from this study highlight potential damages night-shift schedule has done to human well-being and life style in general. Findings from this study could help families to better avert or handle health issues at home and with their spouses.