Abstract
In Northern Europe, offshore working is traditionally performed in cycles of continuous two or three weeks of working 12 hour shifts, of either night or days. It is quite common for overtime to be worked in addition to these 12 hours, bringing the working day up to 16 hours or even more.
A work cycle such as this can easily have an influence on the health of the offshore worker and this in turn can affect the ability for the offshore worker to continue working until normal pension age. As long ago as 1981, a report by three major offshore oil companies in Norway, together with representatives from OFS, the Norwegian Federation of Oil Workers union, recommended a pension age for the offshore workforce of around 60 years, but this has never been implemented.
Added to these health problems is one of safety for the offshore workforce. Long shifts and in particular night shifts, are known to increase the risk of workers having accidents.
As there has never been a specific study by the Norwegian oil industry concerning shift, sleep and health problems, especially related to safety and age, I have had to use related studies, reports, publications and verbal presentations, in tying to my reach conclusions.
I will try with this paper to show that a great deal of information already exists today to support the problems experienced by offshore workers and how possible solutions can be introduced.
