Work-Related Injuries More Severe for Police Officers Working Third Shift

Recent research carried out at the University at Buffalo found that police officers who work the night shift are more likely to suffer long-term on-the-job injuries compared to officers working day or afternoon shifts. The study, titled “Shift work and long-term injury among police officers” was published in the Scandinavian Journal of Work and Environmental Health.

Independent of age or gender, an officer working in an urban area at night was three times more likely to suffer injuries that result in leave of over 90 days compared to officers working the day shift. The urban officer working at night is also 2.2 times more likely to suffer injuries than one on the afternoon shift.

“Leaves of this length suggest more serious types of injury and indicate that night shift work poses a more significant threat to the life and health of officers than previously assumed,” John Violanti, PhD, epidemiologist and principal author of the study said. Violanti is a research scientist within the UB Department of Social and Preventative Medicine, UB School of Public Health and Health Professions.