Does Excessive Overtime Increase the Risk of Workplace Injuries?

While working overtime benefits both employer and employee, there are several downsides of excessive overtime.

The eight hour work day is the standard in the U.S. However, it is common for companies to ask their employees to work extra hours. When employees agree to work extra hours, they are usually paid a higher rate of pay and the employer benefits from increased productivity. While working overtime helps both parties, there are several downsides of excessive overtime.

Health Hazards

Workers who frequently work extra hours are more likely to suffer a number of illnesses. Working for more than 8-9 hours per day may affect your long-term physical and mental health. Excessive overtime may trigger the following health issues:

• high blood pressure
• neck or back injuries
• mental health issues

On-the-Job Accidents

When workers become excessively tired, they are more likely to be involved in a work-related accident. This is because of the loss of the ability to concentrate or focus on a particular task, leading to mistakes. Working consecutively for 16 hours increases accident risks by three times, according to recent research. In addition, a tired worker may also be involved in a car accident outside the workplace. Working for an extra eight hours increases the risk of being involved in an accident by five times.

Workplace Injury and Accident Causes