FEATURE
SAFETY ALL HOURS
Leon Marsh, Founder and CEO of Bodytrak, sheds light on the perils of night-shift work and introduces forward-thinking solutions designed to elevate the safety and quality of the experience, ensuring that work done through the night is not only productive but safe.
Working the night shift can be a daunting experience, fraught with unseen hazards and the silent toll of exhaustion. For those who work tirelessly to maintain our safety, utilities and cities while the world sleeps, the risks are not limited to the immediate dangers of the job. The real threat often lies in the gradual, unnoticed strain on both the body and mind.
WHAT IS THE AFTER-HOURS ECONOMY? The after-hours economy encompasses activities primarily taking place overnight, typically between 10pm and 6am. This period overlaps with traditional shift work schedules, such as the ‘second shift’, usually from 5pm to 1am, and the ‘third shift’, also known as the night shift, from 1am to 9am.
In the UK alone, the night-time economy contributes between £17.7bn and £26.3bn to the economy. This segment, while a huge boost to the economy, is also critical for industries requiring uninterrupted operations or performing essential maintenance and updates during off-peak hours to ensure daytime productivity is unaffected.
To illustrate the diverse roles within the after-hours economy, consider the following examples that highlight the valuable contributions of these workers.
INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE In sectors such as manufacturing, petrochemicals and utilities, maintenance crews often work through the night to carry out essential repairs and updates on critical infrastructure. For instance, in a petrochemical plant, maintenance might involve checking and repairing high-pressure systems and valves to prevent leaks that could lead to hazardous situations. Performing these tasks at night minimises the risk to workers and reduces downtime for the facility.
ON-CALL ENGINEERS Many sectors, such as telecommunications and power utilities, rely on engineers on call to address and resolve unexpected failures or service outages at night. These professionals must be ready to quickly diagnose and fix issues such as a fallen power line or a critical server failure in a data centre, which can affect thousands of users.
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CONSTRUCTION AND ROADWORKS Road construction crews frequently work through the night to avoid the heavy traffic that runs through the day. This provides safer operations for workers who would otherwise be exposed to fast-moving traffic while trying to focus on the tasks at hand. Working through the night also reduces the disruption caused to daily commuters, while allowing for faster and more efficient completion of road repairs, expansions or repaving projects.
MINING AND EXTRACTION Operations in mining and natural resource extraction often continue 24/7, intensifying after dark, into the night, when temperatures are lower to make physical work less strenuous and more productive. Activities such as drilling, blasting and hauling are regularly performed under floodlights, creating unique safety challenges that need addressing and continuous monitoring.
These schedules allow organisations to maximise efficiency and manage resources more effectively by leveraging quieter periods. However, while the after-hours economy is crucial for maximising an organisation’s efficiency, it presents a new set of risks and challenges. Identifying and understanding these is essential for developing effective safety measures and support systems for night-time workers.
www.tomorrowshs.com
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