How should monitoring be planned for multi-shift or 24-hour operations?

For multi-shift or 24-hour operations, monitoring should reflect differences between shifts rather than assuming exposure is the same throughout the day. Staffing levels, workload, ventilation performance, and vehicle movements often change between day and night shifts.

Ideally, monitoring should cover the highest risk periods, such as peak production times or maintenance activities. In some cases, sampling across different shifts is necessary to build a complete picture.

It’s also important to consider cumulative exposure. Even if individual shifts appear compliant, repeated exposure over long working hours may still be significant. Planning monitoring around real operating patterns avoids gaps that could otherwise undermine the assessment.

Good planning upfront prevents the need for repeat surveys and ensures the results stand up to scrutiny from regulators or insurers later on.