Work Schedule Irregularity and the Risk of Work-Related Injury among Korean Manual Workers

Won-Tae Lee, Sung-Shil Lim, Jihyun Kim, Sehyun Yun, Jin-Ha Yoon and Jong-Uk Won
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Won-Tae Lee: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
Sung-Shil Lim: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
Jihyun Kim: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
Sehyun Yun: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
Jin-Ha Yoon: The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
Jong-Uk Won: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-10

Abstract: Work schedules comprise various variables and generate health and safety outcomes, including work-related injury, which causes socioeconomic problems, such as productivity loss and damage to worker health. We investigated the association between work schedule irregularity and the incidence of work-related injury among South Korean manual workers using data from the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey. In total, 18,330 manual workers were included. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to understand the association between work schedule and work-related injury and the influence of sufficient safety information and work schedule on work-related injury. We calculated the influence of an irregular work schedule on occupational injury after controlling for personal and work environment-related factors. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for work-related injury was 1.66 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32–2.09) for an irregular work schedule. The interaction had an additive effect when the work schedule was irregular, even when sufficient safety information was provided. Manual workers had a higher incidence of injury (2.1%). Even in adjusted analyses, work schedule irregularity conferred greater risks of work injury, particularly when not working the same number of days weekly (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.21–1.90). Policymakers and health professionals need to consider the impact of work schedule irregularity on worker safety and health.

Keywords: work schedule; shift work; schedule irregularity; work-related injury (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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