Table 1 Work in the German offshore wind industry [66, 82, 83]

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.