Long working hours affect health adversely: WHO study

GENEVA: A report by the World Health Organisation said that working long hours is killing thousands of people a year. The study, released on May 18, came as the first global study of the loss of life associated with longer working hours. Published in the journal Environment International, the paper revealed that around 7,45,000 deaths around the globe from stroke and heart disease could be associated with long working hours in 2016.

Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO, said that working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard. She said that the organisation wants to create awareness about this information to prompt more action and better protection of workers.

The study was produced jointly by the WHO and the International Labour Organisation. It showed that most of the victims of health hazards associated with long working hours were men (72 per cent) and were usually middle-aged or old aged. According to the study, people residing in southeast Asia and the western Pacific, which includes countries like China, Japan, and Australia, were most affected. Drawing on data from 194 countries, the study elaborated that working 55 hours or more a week is associated with a 35 per cent higher risk of stroke and a 17 per cent higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease compared with working 35-40 hour per week.

It covered the period between year 2000 and 2016, therefore it did not factor in the COVID-19 pandemic and its immediate consequences including long viral infection, lockdowns, remote working, economic slowdown. Experts from WHO said that the pandemic is accelerating developments that could possibly feed the trend towards increased working time and hence the related hazards. Frank Pega, technical officer at WHO, said that capping hours would be beneficial for employers because it has shown to increase worker productivity.