A Preventive Occupational Health Examination (PAGO) focused on night work, aims to screen whether there are individual employees with negative effects on their health. Screening is also done for perceived unsafe situations or problems due to different working conditions at night. Where necessary, interventions can be offered on the basis of the screening. In addition, the PAGO provides insight into the health risks of working at night and possibilities for prevention. One can be part of a broader PAGO, if the RI&E shows that there are also other risks. The term night shift also includes morning and evening shifts and on-call services that can lead to disruption of the day-night rhythm.
Regularly offering and carrying out a PAGO is an obligation for the employer under the Working Conditions Act (Article 18). According to the Working Conditions Decree (Article 2.43), all employees who start night work are entitled to a PAGO. The NVAB's Night Work and Health guideline applies to the implementation of the PAGO:
- Offering a PAGO Night Work to all employees who are going to work at night for the first time.
- Perform a PAGO Night Work once every four years for all employees with night work, and once every two years for employees with an increased risk of cardiometabolic disorders.
As an employee, you share in the responsibility for a healthy and safe working environment by striving for healthy working behaviour. You can give your manager or the occupational health and safety advisor tips on how to better organize your night shift and/or on-call shifts.