Publisher
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Place of Publication
Chattanooga (Tenn.)
Abstract
Unscheduled overtime increases injury probabilities due to worker fatigue, reduced performance, and understaffing (Wong, Chan, & Ngan, 2019). With businesses incurring around $1 billion per week in non-fatal workplace injury costs (Liberty Mutual, 2024), this study explored the relationship between unscheduled overtime and incident probability to provide data-driven insights for reducing workplace injuries and improving operational efficiency. Specifically, the research investigated whether increased unscheduled overtime contributed to higher incident probabilities. This research utilized two years of safety data from an oil refinery in the Southwest region of the United States from 2022 and 2023. The data included variables such as date, departmental demographics, incidents, and hours of unscheduled overtime. A binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between unscheduled overtime and the probability of incidents occurring. Statistical descriptive analyses were used to characterize the dataset, and key identifiers like department and overtime hours were utilized to merge the data. The statistical analysis revealed a significant association between unscheduled overtime and workplace incidents (mean = 24.86; p< .05). For every 1-hour increase in unscheduled overtime, there was a 1% increase in the odds of an incident. Over a 2-year period, employees worked a median of 13.75 hours of unscheduled overtime per week. In one operational department, the likelihood of an incident rose by 1.1% for every 100 hours of unscheduled overtime. The study confirms that unscheduled overtime significantly heightens the risk of workplace incidents, consistent with existing research on fatigue and performance (Camden & Ludwig, 2013; Matre et al., 2021). This underscores the necessity for effective fatigue management strategies. Although limitations such as varying shift patterns and contractor hours might affect the generalizability of the findings, the results emphasize the importance of addressing unscheduled overtime to enhance workplace safety and reduce injury-related costs. Implementing benefits like additional paid time off for overtime can improve the Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and support work-life balance. By adopting proactive workload management and safety measures, organizations can reduce risks, enhance employee well-being, and foster a safer, more efficient work environment.
Date
11-9-2024
Subject
Industrial and organizational psychology
Document Type
posters
Language
English
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Included in
Unscheduled Overtime: The Hidden Hazard? Unveiling Its Impact on Incident Probability in the Safety Sector
Unscheduled overtime increases injury probabilities due to worker fatigue, reduced performance, and understaffing (Wong, Chan, & Ngan, 2019). With businesses incurring around $1 billion per week in non-fatal workplace injury costs (Liberty Mutual, 2024), this study explored the relationship between unscheduled overtime and incident probability to provide data-driven insights for reducing workplace injuries and improving operational efficiency. Specifically, the research investigated whether increased unscheduled overtime contributed to higher incident probabilities. This research utilized two years of safety data from an oil refinery in the Southwest region of the United States from 2022 and 2023. The data included variables such as date, departmental demographics, incidents, and hours of unscheduled overtime. A binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between unscheduled overtime and the probability of incidents occurring. Statistical descriptive analyses were used to characterize the dataset, and key identifiers like department and overtime hours were utilized to merge the data. The statistical analysis revealed a significant association between unscheduled overtime and workplace incidents (mean = 24.86; p< .05). For every 1-hour increase in unscheduled overtime, there was a 1% increase in the odds of an incident. Over a 2-year period, employees worked a median of 13.75 hours of unscheduled overtime per week. In one operational department, the likelihood of an incident rose by 1.1% for every 100 hours of unscheduled overtime. The study confirms that unscheduled overtime significantly heightens the risk of workplace incidents, consistent with existing research on fatigue and performance (Camden & Ludwig, 2013; Matre et al., 2021). This underscores the necessity for effective fatigue management strategies. Although limitations such as varying shift patterns and contractor hours might affect the generalizability of the findings, the results emphasize the importance of addressing unscheduled overtime to enhance workplace safety and reduce injury-related costs. Implementing benefits like additional paid time off for overtime can improve the Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and support work-life balance. By adopting proactive workload management and safety measures, organizations can reduce risks, enhance employee well-being, and foster a safer, more efficient work environment.
Department
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Dept. of Psychology