Working the graveyard shift to be added as a probable carcinogen

[Captain Kidd]

Like my father use to say, avoid four letter words, of which "work" is one. I never could adapt to third shift.

Yahoo New
Next month, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, will add overnight shift work as a probable carcinogen. The American Cancer Society says it will likely follow. Up to now, the U.S. organization has considered the work-cancer link to be "uncertain, controversial or unproven."
...snip...
However, scientists suspect that overnight work is dangerous because it disrupts the circadian rhythm, the body's biological clock. The hormone melatonin, which can suppress tumor development, is normally produced at night.

[Fazor]

I loved third shift, and dearly miss it sometimes. I don't miss the 40 minute drive each way (as opposed to the three minute drive now), and I don't miss making about $10k/yr less.

The problem I have with this article is, it doesn't satisfy my suspision that they are ignoring other factors. If they checked cancer rates among shift workers, did they ask if the workes knew they had cancer when they took the job? A serious medical condition generally comes hand in hand with serious medical bills. Is it not likely that at least some people would opt for a higher-paying shift work? Or the fact that (at least from my experience) a lot of people on third shift tend to be older than people who work day shift? or the fact that there's more factory-foundry type night jobs then there are desk-jobs for third shift, and the opposite is true for day shift? Or that third shift jobs tend to be in cities, around more pollutants? I don't know, I'm certianly not convinced.

[KaiYeves]

Like my father use to say, avoid four letter words, of which "work" is one. I never could adapt to third shift.

The only four-letter words you really need are Life, Hope and Love.
Eddited: And food.

[Fazor]

The only four-letter words you really need are Life, Hope and Love.

:shoots a quick letter out to Hallmark co.:

[Noclevername]

The only four-letter words you really need are Life, Hope and Love.

And "food".

[Captain Kidd]

And "food".

Nope that's what air's for.

[KaiYeves]

And "food".

I'll add that.

[novaderrik]

i'm sure they didn't take into consideration the lifestyle choices of people that tend to work overnight shifts.
you know, things like less home cooked meals and more vending machine food, drug and alcohol abuse, etc.

[Bearded One]

i'm sure they didn't take into consideration the lifestyle choices of people that tend to work overnight shifts.
you know, things like less home cooked meals and more vending machine food, drug and alcohol abuse, etc.

Much of that is dictated by the shift work itself though, such as more fast food. A leads to B which leads to C.

This might have interesting ramifications if it comes to pass. Workers may use it to argue for increased compensation for off-shift work.

Also, it may make it interesting for companies that strive to have their employees avoid things that may harm them. Smoking's a big one.

"Sorry boss, can't work the night shift.", "It causes cancer."

[novaderrik]

i've worked night shift most of my adult life- and no one forced me to eat vending machine food. but most people i've worked with have lived off the stuff.
now that i'm on day shift, i'm still living off fast food..