It is time employers took health risks associated with working night shifts seriously to avoid facing a volley of compensation claims, believes international law firm Eversheds.

A UN study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer has found a direct link between breast cancer and long spells of nightshift duty particularly done by nurses and flight attendants who have been working for more than 30 years.

Approximately 40 women have already won compensation from the Danish government that has identified breast cancer from nightshift working as an industrial injury. The women who have received compensation are workers with 2 decades or more of experience in working nightshifts, and with no hereditary link to breast cancer to nullify their claims.

UK courts have no legislation in place to serve the interests of workers caught up in similar situations. But Brendan Padfield, Head of Personal Injury at law firm Eversheds, wants employers in the UK to properly address this health issue. He commented that no guidance from The Health and Safety Executive has come so far, and an autonomous research by HSE into the risks to employee health posed by nightshift work is expected two years from now, i.e., in 2011. However, the HSE should take speedy action in favour of employees, more so because an EU Government has already started the compensation process. IOSH courses are designed to give managers and supervisors all they need to know to help handle health and safety in their teams; click on IOSH training for more information

Padfield added that claims cases have been successfully warded off by employers who have assessed the risks beforehand and issued warnings. Erratic working hours and increasing number of women doing nightshifts are two pertinent reasons why breast cancer cases are on the rise.

Comment RSS - Both comments and pings are currently closed.