Introduction: We performed a systematic review to assess the consequences of non-standard working
time arrangements on occupational accidents (including fatal accidents), near-accidents,
injuries, and other safety risks (referred to as «incidents») by considering the overall
evidence.
Methods: We systematically searched five databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science,
and Proquest Health and Safety Science Abstract) and identified 13569 studies until
February 2024. Of these studies, 24 met the inclusion criteria. A structured approach
was followed to evaluate the risk of bias and undertake a narrative analysis of the
data using “Synthesis Without Meta-analysis” (SWiM).
Results: This review found associations between being a shift worker and experiencing safety
incident risks. Most of the included studies found an increased risk of incidence
during or after night shifts, with some noting an elevated risk during evening shifts.
Accumulated exposure to evening or night shifts increased the risk of safety incidents
in the following week. Due to heterogeneity in study designs, populations, and outcomes
across findings, the overall certainty of evidence was rated as low to very low.
Conclusion: Broadly, a non-standard working arrangement was associated with an increased risk
of safety incidents, notwithstanding the relatively low grading of the evidence. For
future longitudinal studies on working time schedules and safety incidents, using
payroll data is recommended.
