August 13, 2004—The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recently released a report on how overtime and extended work shifts affect workers’ health in the long term. NIOSH Publication No. 2004-143: Overtime and Extended Work Shifts: Recent Findings on Illnesses, Injuries and Health Behaviors presents an integrative review of the methods and findings from 52 studies that were published between 1995 and 2002 and examined the relationship between long work hours and selected health outcomes. The review indicates that the influence of long working hours on health and safety involves a complex interaction of a number of factors. Authors recommend issues and priorities to consider in future research.
