EFFECTS OF SHIFT WORK

The setting of this problem is the Command Center of III Marine Expeditionary Force. The Command Center is a critical function that is directly related to force readiness. As the Command Center must function continuously, personnel assigned to the Command Center must work shifts. The Command Center requires a staff of three persons on duty at all times. Command Center staff performs critical functions, including the following:

Monitoring communications and conducting communications tasks

Monitoring every room in Headquarters to assure that all classified materials are secure and that no unauthorized people are in the building

Most people assigned to Command Center duty do not get sufficient sleep. Night shift (2300-0700) workers (fighting the natural wake-sleep pattern) experience problems remaining alert. One of the reasons is that staff personnel assigned to the night shift experience greater difficulties in getting beneficial sleep in daytime hours. Staff assigned to other shifts do not experience the same level of problems remaining alert because they are able to sleep me workers do because their sleep patterns are more effective, as they tend to conform to normal wake-sleep patterns.

The mission critical nature of the responsibilities of the Command Center have, in the past, precluded serious consideration of alternative approaches to the scheduling of work in the Command Center to relieve problems assoc

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g any other schedule. People working rotating shifts reported a higher incidence of nodding off while driving to or from work than did people working any other schedule. Operational errors were attributed to people working rotating shifts reported a far higher incidence than that reported for people working day, evening, or night shifts. People working rotating shifts reported a higher incidence of automobile accidents than did people working any schedule other than fixed night shifts. People working rotating shifts reported a higher incidence of accidents of all types than did people working any other schedule. While shift change is one of the least reported excuses given by people for being absent for work, factors attributable to shift work are cited as causes of work absences. The reasons related to shift work used as excuses for work absence include the following (Presser & Altman, 2002): Minor personal illness Emotional problems Physical fatigue Frustrated with work Hard to concentrate Research has determined that, because biological clocks cannot be reset as easily as mechanical clocks, a person's adjustment to a new sleep/wake schedule takes at least one to two weeks. For some individuals, the adjustment perio

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