MODULE 7: PSYCHOSOCIAL ISSUES AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS IN OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SECTION 7: SHIFTWORK AND HOURS OF WORK: 4: Health Conditions Not Compatible With Shiftwork 5: The Legislative Framework For Shiftwork In South Africa

4: HEALTH CONDITIONS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH SHIFTWORK:

Workers with certain medical conditions should be advised against night work. Some of these are:

• a history of digestive tract disorders (for example, recurrent peptic ulcer disease, irritable bowel syndrome, if symptoms are severe);
• insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus;
• thyrotoxicosis;
• coronary artery disease, especially if there is unstable angina or a history of myocardial infarction;
• narcoleptics and others suffering from chronic sleep disturbances;
• epileptics;
• severe psychiatric disorders, in particular chronic depression;
• asthma requiring medication, especially if the patient is steroid dependent;
• active and extensive tuberculosis;
• alcoholics and drug addicts;
• marked visual impairment or hemeralopia (day blindness) that is too severe for effective correction.

5: THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR SHIFTWORK IN SOUTH AFRICA:

Shiftwork in South Africa is governed by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act of 1997 (and subsequent amendments), under Chapter 2: Regulation of Working Time. The Department of Labour has also produced a guidance document, the Code of Good Practice: Arrangement of Working Time. Both these documents emphasize the important relationship between working time and health and safety.

According to the act, ordinary hours of work are defined as being no more than 45 hours per week and no more than 9 hours per day (for a five day working week) or 8 hours for more than five day week. Overtime may not extend to more than 3 hours per day or a total of 10 hours per week. If night work (after 18h00 and before 06h00) is to be performed, this must be done in accordance with an agreement, and the employer is obliged to inform the worker of the associated health hazards, as well as provide for regular medical assessments of the worker, and if reasonable, remove the worker from night duty, should there be a medical reason for doing so.