Shiftwork Survey
1999

In 1999 the Circadian Institute of Cambridge (Mass.) conducted a survey of 500 shiftworkers in the United States and Canada, and came up with some interesting results. Visit their Web site for lots of information on all issues of shiftwork.

They found that 22 million Americans, and just over 20% of the workforce of both countries, work the majority of their shifts other than Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

52% of the workers are on 12-hour shifts, and 48% work 8-hours shifts.

Of those who worked 8-hour shifts, 53% work fixed shifts, 29% rotate forward and 18% rotate backwards. The Institute pointed out that rotating forward seems to have the least negative effects on employees.

Two-thirds of the respondents work rotating shifts. Of this rotating group, 62% rotate forward.

Among those working 12-hour shifts, there was a wide range of schedules:

• 2-3-2 (31%)
• long break of 6, 7 or 8 days-off every 28 days (26%)
• 4-3 and 3-4 (8%)
• 2-2-4 (7%)
• 4-4 (5%)
• 3-3 (4%)

Breaks for 8 and 12-hour shifts varied--

• For 8-hour shifts: 1 long and 2 short breaks (57%), varies by workload (20%), 1 short and 1 long (6%), 3 short and 1 long (3%)
• For 12-hours shifts: varies by workload (53%), 2 short and 1 long (27%), 3 short and 1 long (5%), 4 short and 1 long (3%), 1 short and 1 long (3%), other (9%)

Total break time for the shift was:

For 8-hour shifts: 31 to 60 minutes (76%), up to 30 minutes (14%) For 12-hour shifts: 31-60 minutes (53%), over 60 minutes (35%), up to 30 minutes (12%)

Pay differential for working a shift other than 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. were:

• 25 cents to 50 cents (24%)
• None (19%)
• 51 cents to 75 cents (18%)
• 76 cents to 1 (16%)
• over $1.51 (9%)
• 26 cents to 50 cents, and $1.01 to $1.25 (5% each)
• $1.26 to $1.50 (4%)

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