A night worker is someone who works at least three hours during the ‘night’ from 11pm to 6am, unless the worker and employer agree on a different night period. A night worker assessment is a health examination required for individuals working night shifts to determine if they are fit to handle night work or if they have any underlying conditions that may be affected by working nights.
Irregular hours of work and work patterns that include night and early morning shifts can lead to disruption of the internal body clock, sleeping difficulties and fatigue. If workers are fatigued, they will be less alert, their reaction time will be slower, and they will find it harder to concentrate, which can lead to accidents and injuries. Additionally, there are certain medical conditions that may require regular medication administration, and this may be difficult to manage when working night shifts.
Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, employers are required to ensure that workers are fit for night work and must offer a free health assessment to anyone who is about to start working nights and to all night workers on a regular basis. Although the worker does not have to accept the offer of a health assessment, it’s good practice for employers to continue to regularly check with them about their health, safety and wellbeing.
Most night worker assessments are paper-based health questionnaires that are reviewed by an occupational health adviser on an annual basis. The assessment asks employees to declare any current medical problems and treatment they are receiving. They are also asked specifically about past medical history and, in particular, any medical conditions which could be impacted by working at night, such as epilepsy or diabetes. Assessments also include lifestyle questions about factors that can impact night work, such as alcohol intake and sleep patterns.
Ensuring night shift workers are fit to undertake all duties in their role is essential for the health and wellbeing of your employees. Choose Occupational Health provides health assessments for night workers across the UK, helping businesses identify individual health concerns and provide tailored support to safeguard the health and wellbeing of their employees.
If your business requires night worker health assessments or workplace health surveillance, speak to our team at Choose Occupational Health today by calling 01228 513687.