Llanigraham
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And how many years ago was that?
What current experience do you have?
What current experience do you have?
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Night shift fatigue (RAIB report)
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RailUK Forums
Chris M
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This needs highlighting in my opinion.
For most of those who are saying they will never go back to 8h sifts (from 12h ones), the primary reason seems to be regarding the pattern of the 8 hour shifts.
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I once worked in a supermarket where there was some shift working however this tended to be between 06:00 and 23:00. Between about 21:00 and 07:00 there was a dedicated team that were seen extremely rarely at other times.
Where I worked between early and late shifts it meant a 22:00 finish on Saturday turned into a 07:00 Monday start. Saturday night tended to be midnight to bed, late up Sunday and then early to bed Sunday for the early shift Monday. Indeed on many occasions a 22:00 finish still led into an 07:00 start the next morning with at best 6 hours actual rest.
On the rare occasions I did the night shift I occasionally was late for the first shift off nights - which was late turn because my body clock couldn't adjust quick enough.
The moral of the story being it may be worth finding a permanent swap where possible as the body clock seems to work better regardless of what shift one is on for an extended period of time.
Where I worked between early and late shifts it meant a 22:00 finish on Saturday turned into a 07:00 Monday start. Saturday night tended to be midnight to bed, late up Sunday and then early to bed Sunday for the early shift Monday. Indeed on many occasions a 22:00 finish still led into an 07:00 start the next morning with at best 6 hours actual rest.
On the rare occasions I did the night shift I occasionally was late for the first shift off nights - which was late turn because my body clock couldn't adjust quick enough.
The moral of the story being it may be worth finding a permanent swap where possible as the body clock seems to work better regardless of what shift one is on for an extended period of time.
I find on early turn there comes a point where I just zone out as a result of this I had a stop short I knew where the mark was but my brain just did it's own thing I can't really explain it but i was mortified it took me weeks to get over it , but on late turn I have no such problems, the answer for me at least is to swap shifts so I can do permenant late turn and you'd be surprised the amount of people who want early turn. I've just swapped TOCS and there is no night turns and only 2 finishes after 1am so I'm hoping I can find a person to swap with, if I can't I'm seriously thinking of packing it in and going back to my old job because shift work just kills you, I recently had 2 weeks off and all I did was sleep most of the time and I never did that before i started shift work.
During my training I had to do the shift of the DI, I’m still young(ish) and used to shift work so it didn’t really bother me getting up at 2am one day then in work at 9pm a day later!
Now I’m out on my own and Ive thought, sod that! So I’ve swapped to perm lates. Even after 6 months I can notice a big difference in my general energy levels. God knows what it’s doing to people who have been banging in these shifts for 30 years!!
As regards to the Hidden rules, I honestly can’t beleive how simple, and frankly, dangerous they are. Coming from a HGV background where drivers and working hours were that complicated you’d end up having lengthy discussions about them with other drivers and your bosses, I think Hidden needs changing and bringing into the modern era. Seems so out dated to me.
Now I’m out on my own and Ive thought, sod that! So I’ve swapped to perm lates. Even after 6 months I can notice a big difference in my general energy levels. God knows what it’s doing to people who have been banging in these shifts for 30 years!!
As regards to the Hidden rules, I honestly can’t beleive how simple, and frankly, dangerous they are. Coming from a HGV background where drivers and working hours were that complicated you’d end up having lengthy discussions about them with other drivers and your bosses, I think Hidden needs changing and bringing into the modern era. Seems so out dated to me.
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