Back to search

PETROMAKS2-Stort program petroleum

Night work, season and sleepiness as occupational safety hazards in the Northern Areas

Alternative title: Nattarbeid, årstider og søvnighet - sikkerhet på arbeidsplassen i Nordområdene

Awarded: NOK 11.7 mill.

Project Number:

326291

Application Type:

Project Period:

2021 - 2028

Location:

Partner countries:

he High North is characterized by large seasonal variation in light and temperature. The NORALERT research project will impact of conditions in the region on employees working nightshifts. Figures from The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway show that the safety levels are generally high, thus more substantial reductions in the number of incidents with the potential to develop into major accidents should be expectd. The overall goal of the project is to influence the level of risk and prevent incidents in the Norwegian petroleum industry. - To achieve this goal, we need more knowledge about the specific risks involved in shift work in the High North, and also about the effect of seasonal variations in light conditions and cold exposure, say Dagfinn Matre and Fred Haugen, the researchers behind the project at the National Institute of Occupational Health in Norway (STAMI). In the project, the researchers will measure seasonal variations in exposure to temperature, light and sleep among shift-working plant operators in the High North and map how these are related to indicators of sleepiness and circadian rhythm disturbances. Measurements will be performed in during the polar night and during the polar day. They will also test and further develop a mathematical model of the sleep regulation in the brain to predict sleepiness under working conditions with substantial seasonal variation in light and temperature. Mathematical models will be used to determine whether sleepiness at work can be predicted based on the work schedule and work environment factors that characterize the High North. The project's novelty lies in combining measurements in a High North working environment with mathematical modelling. We expect to expand current models so that they can be used to design work plans that optimize sleep and minimize the risk of safety incidents, the researchers emphasize.

It is imperative to identify occupational hazards with potential to prevent safety incidents. The overarching aim of the proposed project is to reduce the risk level for safety incidents in the Norwegian petroleum industry. This proposal investigates two hazards related to HSE climate and working environment, namely shiftwork and seasonal factors, with particular focus on the cold working environment in the Northern Areas, the northernmost region of the Norwegian Continental Shelf. We designed a prospective cohort study of shift working petroleum workers (n=100) to assess and quantify the contribution of environmental factors (cold exposure and light) in the Northern Areas (71-deg N ) to inter- and intra-individual seasonal variation in sleepiness. In addition, by use of a model, we will determine whether sleepiness may be predicted based on work schedule and environmental factors a model. Measurements will be conducted during early fall and winter to capture the effect of seasonal variation. Daily measurements (by smartphone) will be subjective and objective sleepiness, feeling cold at work, bedtime, sleep latency, time awake after sleep onset, rise time, etc. Actigraphy, saliva measurements and body temperature will capture circadian misalignment. Ambient temperature sensors at clothes will measure cold exposure. The study will determine whether i) shift workers in Northern Areas become more sleepy during the winter season, compared to other seasons, and ii) whether a bio-mathematical that predicts sleepiness based on work schedule can be used in the Northern Areas, or has to be modified. Such a model can be used to design work schedules that optimize sleep and minimize risk of safety incidents. The novelty of the project is in combining measurements in a natural working environment with mathematical modelling. A model can be used to optimize work scheduling, and reduce occupational hazards without conducting expensive and labor-intensive field studies.

Funding scheme:

PETROMAKS2-Stort program petroleum