Health and Safety Executive research on cancer and working
The Health and Safety Executive released a report regarding breast cancer and working night shifts. The report was commissioned to find out if there is a correlation between working nights and breast cancer in women. The hope from the study was to find out if there is something that can change health and safety at work if there is indeed a correlation between working nights and more cases of breast cancer.
The studies conducted by many different countries and researchers have suggested that women who work on a night shift may be prone to breast cancer over those who work during the day. The Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal stated that women are 40% more likely to have breast cancer issues if they work at night than those that do not. Breast cancer is genetic to a certain extent, but given incomplete research it is hard to determine what other causes exist when genetics do not play a role in the appearance of breast cancer in women.
The research conducted already led to Denmark compensating women who work night shifts. There is a suggestion that the UK should do the same, but the HSE stated that though studies are showing these results, there is a need for more research as to whether this is truly a health and safety problem relating to work. If the HSE does concur then there may be changes in the night shifts or at least how long a woman is allowed to work night shifts without a break of day shifts in between.
