Nonstandard Shift Work and Subsequent Health Hazards : A Review

Abstract

Present age has moved into twenty four hours a day; seven days a week economy. Concept of 24-hour economy is based on the pattern of work; that for a given work, eight-hour working day can be carried out at any time during twenty-four hour day/night period, which is achievable by shift work (routine method being three shifts of eight hours each per day). According to international labor organization, shift work is defined (1990) as placement of an employee in schedule where workers succeed one another at job, hence the management can function more than the hours of work. The other term often available in 24- economy is shift sharing, and flexi-time. Over the years scientific research has been focused to explore relationship between organism and its environment to establish link between disease and man-made environment. The current review has addressed how de- synchronized physiological rhythm could lead to human pathophysiology by un- standardized shift work.