Long working hours are bad for your health

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study shows that working long hours increases the risk of injury and illness, no matter what the job is.
Many people have to work overtime - indeed it can even be compulsory in the USA. Now researchers at the University of Massachusetts argue that a culture of working long hours can be bad for health.

They looked at the responses of almost 11,000 Americans and analysed over 110,000 job records, to learn that there were over 5,000 work related injuries and illnesses. Overtime was linked to a 61 per cent increase in the risk of injury or illness. Those who worked at least 12 hours a day had a 37 per cent increased risk of injury or illness and working at least 60 hours a week was linked to a 23 per cent increased risk.

The length of the commute to work was not a factor in increasing ill health. Nor did the type of job have an influence. The researchers believe long hours of work increase stress and fatigue, laying the individual open to injury or illness. Maybe it is time to cut working hours - as has been done in Europe.

Source
Occupational and Environmental Medicine August 2005