Preliminary assessment of rotating shiftwork risk in a 24-hours metal industry.

Background: Rotational shiftwork (RS) has been linked to increased risk for safety and health of shift workers, globally. A growing literature has revealed a trend toward increased accident and injury rates in shift workers than non-shift workers.

Aims: The present research was aimed: 1) to develop a methodological path for a preliminary objective assessment of occupational risk by RS in a metal industry 2) to detect the consequent effective interventions for moderating the RS risk.

Methods: A modified version of the Rotational Shiftwork Questionnaire was designed by a panel of experts, through a Delphi study; the questionnaire was used for a pilot study to assess the RS risk in a metal industry.

Results: The questionnaire was entitled Rotating Shiftwork Questionnaire-Industry (RSQ-I) and was made up of two sections: 1) Sentinel Events; 2) Risk Factors. The assessment of RS risk showed a medium level of risk in the studied metal industry. Organizational level interventions were detected for moderating the impact of RS-risk on workers' safety and health.

Conclusion: RSQ-I showed a valid and reliable tool to analyze RS risk in a 24-hours metal industry. The pilot study demonstrated the effectiveness and feasibility of the introduced RSQ-I to approach the risk, through the analysis of both sentinel events and shift schedules.