Background
Workplace | Offshore wind employees in Germany carry out their work on platforms and installations in the North and Baltic Sea. They transfer to their workplaces by boat or helicopter. |
Work organization | The most common work schedule for the workers consists of two weeks offshore followed by two weeks free time onshore (14/14-work schedule). When performing a 14-day offshore turn, workers’ daily work time is 12 h. Shift patterns may include day or night shifts, rotating shifts, and on-call work. |
Work tasks | Employees’ work tasks vary according to their specific job types. They may contain demanding physical work, organizational and management activities, or tasks related to offshore workers’ health and safety. |
Environmental aspects | The offshore work environment is characterized by its remote location on the high sea, exposing the workers to increased accident risks, changing weather conditions, and particular physicochemical factors, e.g. noise, vibrations, and air-conditioning. |
Psychosocial aspects | Psychosocial aspects of offshore work concern the living conditions (e.g. confined spaces, limited privacy, limited opportunities for leisure activities and retreat), as well as the recurrent absences of the workers from home. |
Offshore employees’ occupational strain and health
Theoretical background
Offshore employees’ coping strategies
Theoretical background
Study aims
Methods
Participants
Interview guideline
Introduction | Sociodemographics | Occupational strain and health | Coping strategies |
---|---|---|---|
Study information Confidentiality Informed consent | Gender Age Relationship status Occupation Offshore experience Work shifts Living accommodation Project phase | Perceived strain Health impairments Ability to detach from work Fatigue Sleep quality | Strategies for dealing with the job demands |
Analysis
Results
Participants
Variable | Number | Percent |
---|---|---|
Gender | ||
Male | 19 | 90.5 |
Female | 2 | 9.5 |
Age | ||
20 − 30 years | 5 | 23.8 |
31 − 40 years | 11 | 52.4 |
41 − 50 years | 4 | 19.0 |
> 50 years | 1 | 4.8 |
Relationship status | ||
In a relationship | 18 | 85.7 |
Single | 3 | 14.3 |
Occupation | ||
Technician | 6 | 28.6 |
Quality, maintenance | 5 | 23.8 |
Medic | 3 | 14.3 |
Health and safety | 3 | 14.3 |
Management offshore | 4 | 19.0 |
Offshore experience | ||
< 1 years | 2 | 9.5 |
1 − 2 years | 9 | 42.9 |
3 − 4 years | 5 | 23.8 |
> 4 years | 5 | 23.8 |
Project phase of wind park | ||
In construction | 5 | 23.8 |
In operation | 16 | 76.2 |
Work shifts | ||
Day shifts only | 15 | 71.5 |
Day shifts and flexible night shifts | 4 | 19.0 |
Rotating shifts (day and night shifts) | 2 | 9.5 |
Living accommodation | ||
Offshore on a platform | 6 | 28.7 |
Offshore on a hotel ship | 7 | 33.3 |
Offshore on a construction ship | 4 | 19.0 |
On an island at a hotel or flat | 4 | 19.0 |
Offshore wind employees’ occupational strain and health
Theme 1: Stress at work
“A person who is suffering from mental stress on the platform will get sick. They are no longer productive, they miss shifts, they get a fever or a cold, they get a sore throat or headaches.” [employee #8, age 31-40 years, offshore experience 1-2 years]
Theme 2: Difficulties detaching from work
A major factor cited as contributing to the inability to unwind from work was the lack of spatial separation between employees’ workplaces and living accommodations offshore. This was described as leading to a continued feeling of being in a work atmosphere in the evenings:“Technicians are definitely able to do it [detach from work]. But for electricians or people working in management, they would sometimes stay up all night at their desks, unable to mentally detach from work.” [employee #14, age 31-40 years, offshore experience 3-4 years]
Additionally, employees indicated organizational factors (e.g. confined spaces, sharing a double cabin) and environmental factors (e.g. noise, vibration) as hindrances to mental disengagement from work. In general, it was stated that unwinding from work was much easier during free time onshore.“It’s not really possible to completely ‘switch off’. You are basically [mentally] at work the entire time.” [employee #20, age 31-40 years, offshore experience 1-2 years]
Theme 3: Fatigue
During this time, employees reported feeling more tired and less focused and efficient at work, and stated to begin counting the days until departure time. Remarkably, some workers described the sensation of having reached a limit after having spent 14 days offshore:“You feel good for the first 3 to 4 days. By the last 4 to 5 days, however, you begin to lose steam. You notice you’re much more tired and you can see it in your bloodshot eyes.” [employee #3, age > 50 years, offshore experience 3-4 years]
“After two weeks, you are ready to go home. It’s like you reach some kind of limit.” [employee #19, age 41-50 years, offshore experience 1-2 years]
Theme 4: Sleep quality
Other burdening factors that were mentioned by the interviewees consisted of the confined spaces, unfavorable climatic conditions, and uncomfortable mattresses in the cabins. Employees also described the constant ship movements as being particularly disturbing:“It’s definitely a lighter sleep, if not just generally worse. You realize this when you’re home and it feels like you’ve got cotton in your ears; everything is suddenly so quiet.” [employee #21, age 31-40 years, offshore experience 1-2 years]
Notably, sleeping problems were especially expressed by employees performing on-call work and/or working on night shifts. Not being able to sleep restfully was regarded as a major cause for increased tiredness and decreased work performance. Few interviewees reported a certain habituation effect and described that they were eventually able to become accustomed to the sleeping conditions offshore.“And then there’s the constant rocking of the ship; it’s the sea that keeps you awake.” [employee #1, age 20-30 years, offshore experience > 4 years]
Theme 5: General health and fitness
None of the workers reported mental health problems. The fitness level of the workers was also described as being generally good, though varied among the workers. Some of the employees reported that, for some colleagues, overweight was an issue that could complicate physically demanding work. The general health awareness among the workers was described as being mixed; most of the workers reported being distinctly self-aware, but pointed out that others seemed to be less concerned about health issues.“There were few problems. You’ve got the offshore examination, anyways. Actually, people were all fit.” [employee #15, age 41-50 years, offshore experience 1-2 years]
Theme 6: Physical health impairments
Short-term health impairments | |
Back problems | |
Muscular tension | |
Skin problems (dry, rough, chapped hands) | |
Knee problems | |
Respiratory infections | |
Fever | |
Headache | |
Gastrointestinal complaints | |
Seasickness | |
Dry mucus membranes | |
Long-term health impairments | |
Chronic back pain, spinal disc problems | |
Chronic muscular pain | |
Skin alterations |
Most of the workers stated that they did not expect any long-term adverse health effects as a consequence of offshore work. However, a few employees assumed that specific risk factors of their work environment, such as the exposition to UV radiation, the handling of hazardous materials, or the hard physical work, could contribute to adverse health effects over time. A few interviewees with several years of offshore experience also described adverse health effects they had already experienced, namely chronic back and muscular pain, spinal disc problems, and skin alterations. However, employees themselves questioned whether these concerns could truly be considered as a direct consequence of offshore work.“If you have to wait a longer time [during transfer] because of marginal weather conditions, it sometimes happens that colleagues experience seasickness.” [employee #10, age 20-30 years, offshore experience 3-4 years]
Offshore wind employees’ strategies for dealing with the job demands
Theme 1: Work-related strategies
Moreover, the workers reported using different tools to reduce accident risks (e.g. emery paper on slippery surfaces), carefully following manual handling instructions, and avoiding lifting and carrying extremely heavy loads on their own. In order to cope with the weather conditions, they stated using sun protection on sunny days or wearing warm clothes in the winter months.“When wearing your personal protective equipment, you should not experience any health restrictions.” [employee #18, age 31-40 years, offshore experience > 4 years]
Moreover, the workers stated that they were active in the search for new work tasks, becoming involved in decision-making processes. This was described to provide them with a greater sense of control over their work tasks.“The freedom to make my own decisions or structure my own work helped. I was always able to organize my tasks in such a way that made it all easier for me to deal with.” [employee #4, age 41-50 years, offshore experience > 4 years]
Theme 2: Strategies related to social support
Moreover, time spent with colleagues after work was desribed to alleviate feelings of homesickness. Employees further stated that they felt they could approach their superiors with problems or requests. The presence of a medic on the platforms was also described as a source of support. In line with this, the medics we interviewed described themselves as contact persons for health concerns, but also for private issues and everyday conversations. They defined themselves as “preventive health providers” [employee #8, age 31-40 years, offshore experience 1-2 years] and saw their role as taking care of both the physical and mental well-being of the employees.“You recognize that you have persons to confide in, persons you can go to when you are feeling stressed and who will talk with you.” [employee #21, age 31-40 years, offshore experience 1-2 years]
Most employees reported staying in daily contact with their partners while working offshore, keeping them updated about their day-to-day work life. Likewise, they stressed the importance of being informed about what was happening at home when they were away.“That the workers can call home and hear the latest news, or just to make themselves feel better.” [employee #7, age 20-30 years, offshore experience 1-2 years]
Theme 3: Health-related strategies
Other workers highlighted the importance of pursuing calming activities, such as reading, calling home, or watching TV in their cabins. The relevance of having a single cabin in order to relax and withdraw from work was highlighted. Conversely, others reported to pursue energetic activities for relaxation (e.g. exercising), and stressed the relevance of social gatherings after work, such as meeting with colleagues to watch TV together:“We keep [work and free time] as separate as possible. If someone starts to talk about work, then we say, ‘you can deal with that tomorrow, forget about it for now’.” [employee #1, age 20-30, offshore experience > 4 years]
“When you continue to carry out your regular routines on the platform [e.g. watching TV series on Sunday], it’s like bringing a piece of your home life with you. And if you are able to feel like you’re at home, it’s easier to switch off. At least a little.” [employee #8, age 31-40 years, offshore experience 1-2 years]
The possibility to exercise was also cited to be of particular importance (and a welcome distraction) on days when work was impeded due to unfavorable weather conditions.“If there is the possibility to burn out oneself by doing sports – that helps.” [employee #2, age 31-40 years, offshore experience 3-4 years]
Some workers pointed out that the best meals were usually served during the last days of their offshore assignments in order to stabilize the workers’ mood when fatigue began to increase. Moreover, a few employees reported that having occasional coffee breaks at work with sweets provided them with short-term relief in stressful work situations:“You can’t give rope safety technicians just plain bread or a leaf of lettuce. They need ‘real’ food.” [employee #3, age > 50 years, offshore experience 3-4 years]
“It’s something you do when you’re feeling stressed; you take a quick coffee break. There are always sweets around, so you can run over and grab a piece of cake or something.” [employee #2, age 31-40 years, offshore experience 3-4 years]