Long working hours are a killer, WHO study shows

GENEVA • Working long hours is killing hundreds of thousands of people a year in a worsening trend that may accelerate further due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

In the first global study of the loss of life linked with longer working hours, the paper in the journal Environment International showed 745,000 people died from stroke and heart disease associated with long working hours in 2016. That was an increase of nearly 30 per cent from 2000.

"Working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard," said Dr Maria Neira, director of the WHO's Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.

The WHO and International Labour Organisation joint study showed that most victims (72 per cent) were men and were middle-aged or older. Often, the deaths occurred much later in life than the shifts worked.

It also showed that people living in South-east Asia and the Western Pacific region - a WHO-defined area which includes China, Japan and Australia - were the most affected.

Overall, the study - drawing on data from 194 countries - said 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 a 35-40 hour working week.

The study covered the period 2000-2016 and so did not include the Covid-19 pandemic, but WHO officials said the surge in remote working and the global economic slowdown resulting from the coronavirus emergency may have increased the risks.

"The pandemic is accelerating developments that could feed the trend towards increased working time," WHO said, estimating that at least 9 per cent of people work long hours.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he and his employees have been working long hours during the pandemic and Dr Neira said the UN agency would seek to improve its policy in light of the study's findings.

REUTERS