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

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: schedule irregularity; shift work; work schedule; work-related injury.

Figure 1

Odds ratio of work-related injuries according to work schedule regularity with sufficiently and insufficiently provided safety information. Work schedule regularity * is regular when the daily working hours, weekly working days, weekly work shift, and start and end time of each shift are all “fixed”. “SUFF” means that sufficient safety information was provided. All the models were controlled for age, gender, education level, the size of the workplace, and work hours.