Managers must undertake a risk assessment for night and shift work. Night work refers to work carried out between 12 midnight and 7am on the following day.
You are a night worker if you:
Shift work is when different groups of workers do the same jobs in relay. It can involve evening or night shifts, early morning shifts, and rotating shifts.
The negative effects of night and shift work include:
If you become unwell because of night or shift work, you can self-refer to your local occupational health department. Your manager can also make a referral.
Managers must undertake a generic risk assessment (Word, 40KB, 2 pages) for night and shift work.
The risk factors to assess are:
Some employees in sensitive risk groups may be more at risk than other shift workers such as:
Additional control measures may be needed to lessen the risk for these employees.
Managers must offer an assessment of the health effects of night working.
This assessment should be offered:
A registered medical practitioner, or a person acting under their supervision, must carry out this assessment. They will inform the manager and the employee if the employee is fit or unfit to perform the night work concerned.
Contact HSE Health and Safety helpdesk (HSE staff only)
Monday to Friday 10.30am to 12 noon and 2.00pm to 3.30pm