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RTW and Nonstandard Work Schedules, Part 2 of 3
Last week, we discussed why a RTW program must address a worker's post-injury schedule when deciding how to best transition him back into the workplace. The Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation (JOR) study is the first to specifically analyze the relative effects of different types of post-injury work schedules on the likelihood for injured workers to resume work successfully.
The JOR Study
The study is based on data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 (NLSY). The NLSY is sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and is comprised of a nationally representative sample of 12,686 individuals who were first surveyed in 1979. They were then interviewed annually until 1994 and then every two years.
The JOR study researchers focused on data from the NLSY surveys conducted from 1988 through 2000 (when the individuals surveyed were between 22 and 43 years old). The data covered the employment history of 10,793 individuals who worked at least one job during this time period. Researchers analyzed data in three areas:
Reported injuries and illnesses. During this 13-year period, the workers reported 5,313 work-related injuries and illnesses.
Work schedules. The workers had been asked about the usual start and end times of their work days, commuting time and overtime status. Based on their answers, researchers identified five types of extended work hour schedules:
- Extended hours per day (at least 12 hours per day);
- Extended hours per week (at least 60 hours per week);
- Overtime (involving overtime work or overtime pay);
- Extended commute time (at least two hours per day); and
- A summary category of the above four categories.
Workers had also been asked to describe the nature of the hours they worked. Based on these answers, researchers categorized work as either regular day shift or one of five nonstandard shifts:
- Regular evening shift;
- Regular night shift;
- Rotating shift (changes periodically from days to evenings or nights);
- Irregular shift (no set schedule); and
- A summary category of the above four categories.
RTW experience. Workers who reported suffering a work-related injury or illness were asked about their RTW experience. The researchers focused on 13 indicators that a work-related injury or illness had "vocational consequences" for the worker. For nine of the indicators, workers had been asked if the injury or illness had caused them to:
- Miss one or more schedule days of work;
- Be temporarily reassigned to another job;
- Work at their regular job at reduced hours;
- Work at their regular job without being able to perform all the job's normal duties;
- Be laid off;
- Quit;
- Be fired;
- Change occupations; and
- Lose wages.
Three of the four remaining indicators related to workers' compensation benefits-that is, whether the workers had filed workers' comp claims because of the injury or illness, whether those claims were pending and whether they actually received workers' comp benefits. The last indicator was a summary category of the other 12 indicators.
Conclusion
Next week, I'll analyze the findings of the JOR study and discuss how to apply them to improve RTW outcomes at your own company.
HURRICANE BASICS
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| Hurricane Katrina takes aim at the Gulf Coast, Aug. 28, 2005 |
Corrections & Clarifications
Thank you to the members who pointed out the inaccuracies in Monday's piece on hurricanes. I went back to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and did a little more research.
The Mistake: The part of the BY THE NUMBERS article that was wrong was the following:
- 74 Miles per hour sustained winds must reach for a system to be declared a tropical storm
- 111 Miles per hour sustained winds must reach for a tropical storm to be upgraded to a hurricane.
The Correction: Here's the right information:
- Tropical systems acquire a name upon reaching tropical storm strength with sustained winds of at least 39 miles per hour
- Tropical storms become hurricanes when winds reach 74 mph
- Hurricanes become major hurricanes (Category 3) when winds reach 111 mph.
Hurricane Glossary: Here's a helpful glossary from the National Hurricane Center:
- Tropical Depression: An organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 38 mph (33 knots)
- Tropical Storm: An organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph (34 to 63 kt)
- Hurricane: An intense tropical weather system of strong thunderstorms with a well-defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 mph (64 kt) or higher
- Sustained Winds: A one-minute average wind measured at about 33 feet (10 meters) above the surface
- Hurricane Watch: An indication that your part of the coast could experience hurricane conditions within 36 hours. If a watch is in effect, you should take protective measures.
- Hurricane Warning: An indication that your part of the coast is expected to experience sustained winds of at least 74 mph within 24 hours or less. If a warning is in effect, you should complete protective measures and determine the safest location to be during the storm.
- Hurricane Names: When winds reach 39 mph (34 kt), they're assigned names by the World Meteorological Organization. Storm names are alphabetical. The 2008 names for what are called Atlantic Basin Tropical Cyclones are: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paloma, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky, Wilfred. Let's hope we don't get to "meet" any of these storms.
- Hurricane Categories: Hurricanes are categorized according to wind strength:
- Category 1: Winds of 74-95 mph (64-82 kt), storm surge 4-5 feet above normal
- Category 2: Winds 96-110 mph (83-95 kt), storm surge 6-8 feet above normal
- Category 3: Winds 111-130 mph (96-113 kt), storm surge 9-12 feet above normal
- Category 4: Winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt), storm surge 13-18 feet above normal
- Category 5: Winds over 155 mph (135 kt), storm surge over 18 feet above normal
Precautions: Basic hurricane safety actions include:
- Be aware if you live in an evacuation area
- Be aware of your home's vulnerability to flooding, storm surge and wind
- Prepare a written plan based on your vulnerabilities
- Create a disaster supply kit and check it, e.g., make sure batteries work, at the start of hurricane season (June 1) each year
- Monitor the tropics during hurricane season
- Monitor NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Weather Radio
- Listen for hurricane watches and warnings
- Evacuate if ordered to do so.
Source: National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center, http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/basics.shtml
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