ABSTRACT
The worker encounters various physical, chemical, and biological hazards in the workplace which can lead to ill health. Most of the effort in occupational health has been directed toward the technical evaluation and control of these problems. This chapter explores the use and health consequences of shift work as a method of the social organization of work. The requirements of the production process play a central role in the social organization of a worker’s life. These full social and health effects must be considered in evaluating the impact of the social organization of work. In order to understand the application and consequences of shift work, one must evaluate it as a manifestation of the development of work under capitalism. The growth of shift work can be understood as one facet of the technical and social reorganization of work within the workplace that has been used to increase productivity and profits.
