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Plain Language About Shiftwork
How Regular or Predictable? Most jobs have a very regular, set
schedule. A worker usually knows the schedule ahead of time. Even
if the shift times change, a worker will know several days before-
hand. This makes it easy to schedule other non-work activities, such
as making sure somebody is at home when the children get there.
Other jobs are not so regular or predictable. For example, health care
workers might respond to emergencies that keep them on the job
much longer than expected. Or, they might be on call for such emer-
gencies. At a factory, a breakdown or a last-minute call for a product
might keep workers at the plant working overtime. Railroad workers
sometimes work off a "call board." This means they can be assigned
to a train at the last minute to move a "just-in-time" order of goods.
If workers cannot predict their schedules, it is difficult to get ade-
quate rest. Maybe they just get to sleep when they are called back to
work, or maybe they have just worked a long shift when an emer-
gency happens. So, they stay at work a few more hours. Maybe they
are on call and never get deep, satisfying sleep because they are
always listening for the phone. Some people call this "sleeping with
one eye open."
Summary :
At a factory, a breakdown or a last-minute call for a product might keep workers at the plant working overtime. Maybe they just get to sleep when they are called back to work, or maybe they have just worked a long shift when an emer- gency happens.
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