Working Overtime Leads To Increased Injuries
Most of us knew it long ago, but a recent study by the University of Massachusetts Medical School confirms it — fatigue and stress caused by long working hours indirectly contributes to workplace accidents and mishaps.
After analyzing 5,100 work-related injuries and illnesses, researchers found that more than half occurred in jobs with extended working hours or overtime. The study noted that employees who work overtime were 61 percent more likely to suffer a work-related illness or injury than employees who didn’t work overtime. According to the study, the most common injuries were muscle and joint pain, followed by cuts and bruises.
While longer working hours were associated with an increased risk of illness and injury, there was no link between long commutes and work-related illness or injury.
Which Workers Are More At Risk?
According to a recent Gallup poll, the following types of workers tend to work more than the U.S. \
average of 42 hours a week.
- On average, workers in households earning at least $75,000 per year spend 45 hours a week on the job.
- Employed adults with higher education levels spend more time at work than those with less education.
- Men spend more time at work than women, with men averaging a 46-hour workweek and women a 40-hour workweek.
- Non labor union members, on average, work more (44 hours per week) than those who belong to a union (42 hours per week).
