June/July 2007 (vol. 04/1)

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Research Plus

Driving safety in shift work

Driving simulator tests showed that night work increased the risk of driver error; however, neither of two shift patterns affected performance. The findings are based on 36 male volunteers working in two different shift patterns at a chemical plant. Half had worked for at least three years in a slow backward-rotating shift system; the other half had worked for eight to 12 months in fast forward-rotating shifts. Although sleepiness scores were higher in the backward-rotating shift group, shift pattern did not affect driving performance. ‘Lane drifting’ was significantly higher after a night shift.

Scandinavian Journal of Work Environment & Health 2007; 33(1): 51–57.

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Occupational Health at Work June/July 2007 (vol. 04/1) pp38