FOHCUS

Night worker

A night worker is someone who usually works at least three hours per day during ‘night hours’, i.e. the period between 11pm and 6am. It’s sometimes referred to as working ‘unsociable hours’.

Night workers must not work more than eight hours in a 24-hour period on average. Workers cannot opt out of this limit, including for overtime. When it comes to night shift effects on health, workers might experience broken sleep in the short-term, but this can lead to far more serious physical and mental problems if working nights for longer periods of time.

Employers have a duty of care to offer their night workers a health assessment conducted by a health professional. The assessments will check that their employees’ overall health isn’t negatively impacted by their work. FOHCUS occupational health can provide guidance on the most appropriate steps for employers to take in order to keep their employees safe and well.