May 12th is National Third Shift Workers Day. This annual day of recognition honors our workers who keep things running all hours of the night. We appreciate everyone who works outside the traditional 9 to 5, like emergency room doctors, firefighters, and factory workers. Today, we’d like to focus on our night construction crews and the impact their work has on their careers and their communities.
The Perks for Workers
- Night construction work can be safer and more enjoyable for workers, as long as flipping nights and days is realistic. In hot summer months, night work is cooler and more comfortable for construction workers.
- Parents will appreciate this work schedule because it allows one parent to be home at all times with their children. When a night worker’s spouse is busy working during the day, they can be at home tending to the children and vice versa. This is also a great benefit to those that are caring for a loved one. They can be there for them during the day, helping with various tasks, and leave for the job site when they go to sleep.
- Every night construction worker benefits from high pay for working this shift. According to ZipRecruiter, as of last month, the national average hourly pay for a night shift construction worker is $20.60 an hour, with some hourly wages reaching more than $50 per hour.
- Not only can construction workers anticipate high earnings when working at night, but they can also expect jobs to be readily available, too. There’s a high demand to fill these roles, which means that there is an increase in opportunities for advancements long-term.
The Benefits for the Community
- Nighttime work allows our communities to run more efficiently. By taking advantage of extra hours in the day, construction crews have more flexibility in their project layout. Thanks to their work, projects can be completed twice as fast.
- Speaking of efficiency, when construction crews can get the work done outside of “normal business hours” there is less risk of running into the public, meaning there is less impact on traffic, which is especially beneficial during rush hour.
- Not only does less traffic mean fewer delays for motorists, it actually leads to a safer community overall. Workers are less exposed to automotive emissions and there’s less risk of accidents.
- Lastly, night construction work saves communities money because it costs less than daytime work.
The benefits are clear for individuals working nights and the communities they serve. Of course, this job isn’t for everyone. That’s why it’s important to honor third-shift workers on Wednesday by doing things like:
- Take some time to see your third shift-working friends and family on their schedule. Rather than grabbing a morning coffee together, treat them to an afternoon brunch.
- Tag your loved ones who work the third shift in a post on social media with #ThirdShiftWorkersDay. They’ll love the shout-out.
- Even if you don’t know anyone currently working nights, share some of the above benefits with a link to this blog on your Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to inspire your followers to learn more about the benefits of working the third shift.
While dedicating one day per year is a wonderful way to give thanks to our third shift workers, we encourage our construction firm leaders to set their crews up for success all year long.
- Provide your crew with the proper protective gear that is suited for night work.
- Properly light the area and ensure that there is good air circulation on-site.
- Give your team time to take breaks as their bodies adjust to this new schedule.
- Speaking of rest, make sure they’re getting at least 4 hours of sleep before their night shift to keep them safe on the job.
- Supervise your night shift workers closely to avoid accidents caused by over-exhaustion.
Thank you, third shift construction workers, from all of us here at I Build America – Ohio. You make a true difference for our communities around the clock!
