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Working nights. And a rest day question
- Thread starter Rjhsteel
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Most TOC/FOCs have a minimum amount of hours for a rest day, usually 32 hours. So if you finish at 06:00 on the Tuesday, the earliest you can come back to work is 14:00 on the Wednesday.
If you think about it (unless you work nights constantly, never having a night off) you have to at some point work into your rest day when doing night turns.
If you think about it (unless you work nights constantly, never having a night off) you have to at some point work into your rest day when doing night turns.
I see it that with shifts you win some and you lose some. I feel that the huge amount of time on the day before effectively makes it seem like a rest day anyway.
Overall, I don't mind nights as the work is fairly relaxed, I still get my three good meals a day (unlike on lates) and I don't have to get up after a short amount of sleep.
Overall, I don't mind nights as the work is fairly relaxed, I still get my three good meals a day (unlike on lates) and I don't have to get up after a short amount of sleep.
Beveridges
Established Member
Northern for one don't have a minimum amont of hours for a rest day. It is possible to finish at 06:00 Tuesday and be back to work at 06:00 Wednesday. Not that I ever do this but I know plenty who do 23-29 hour shift changeovers!! Its very, very wrong and needs to stop. Its bad for fatigue.
shedman
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I've worked shifts where I finish at (for example) 0600 and been back in at 1800 after my 12 hours rest. Its certainly not uncommon.
Beveridges
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12 hours rest between shifts is not a problem, I have done it plenty of times, but being in work approx 24 hours after finishing a night turn is much, much worse. This is where you are starting work at around the time you would nornally be going to bed. I have done it once or twice and its really fatiguing.
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Silv1983
Member
But at least some forces give you an extra day to compensate - i.e. 2.5 days rest following a night shift. This kind of logic doesn't exist on the railways it would appear.
But the "police day" (for want of a better description) runs 0700 - 0659, so it was just moving the goalposts a bit as you weren't expected to then start at 0300 (for example) on your next day!
I'd assumed it was the same when I joined the railway but it isn't as the shifts basically mean that the nearest you would ever get to a cut off time actually overlap. We've got some jobs that start at 2359hrs. But the latest start on nights is around 0100 with the earliest start on days just after 0200.
Why does it need to be tested in court? :?
There are loads of jobs out there where people work all sorts of weird and wonderful shifts. On the railway the rules state that there must be 12 hours between safety critical shifts, and that you cannot work more than 13 days in 14 (amongst others). These are there to protect the workforce and I believe came about as a result of the Clapham Junction rail crash as it came to light that staff were working too much to maintain a "fresh mind" at work. Several drivers I work with would work every day of the year if they were allowed!
Still doesn't make sense. You are working that day. But because you start a minute before midnight forgetting the fact your working 6 plus hours that day, it's classed as a day off!?
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After the last night shift the next day should be classed as a recovery day and not a day off imho.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
After the last night shift the next day should be classed as a recovery day and not a day off imho.
greatkingrat
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Look at it the other way round, if you don't start work on Monday until 23:59, then you have essentially had all of Monday as a bonus day off.
t o m
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It's the same on my roster. All rosters have to meet certain requirements and a fatigue index or something. I much more dislike going on to nights rather than coming off them. I'll be up for 24 hours.
badassunicorn
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There's a point on my Roster where you finish at 0700 Sunday Morning and are then in at 0600 Monday morning. Its impossible not to be tired when doing shift work, the only thing you can is try to properly manage your time off/sleep which I know is easier said then done, but if you don't like it there are plenty of Mo-Fr 9-5 jobs out there!
Beveridges
Established Member
Not all shift work is tiring, only shift work with rosters that are not doable without feeling very fatigued
Eh?
You know the terms of the job when you sign on the dotted line, if you dont agree with the terms and conditions dont sign on the dotted line and find another job!
There are some parts to my job I dont like but I just have to get on with it, yes I have a moan about it but I still get on with it.
LBSCR Times
Member
All I work are 12 hour shifts, alternate nights / days!
Gives us more time off, 7 days every 4th week.
The worst day for tiredness is the day after you finish nights.
Pre-Hidden you finished at 07.00 and were required back at 15.00, to avoid losing a rest day, and that was usually after a 12 hour Sunday night turn.
JB25
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Thought about it myself to be honest... It's a bit of a **** take but that is how it goes. I got asked to do a night job as a favour recently and had to politely turn it down as I was on AL the next day so effectively I would have probably missed over half of a day off. 
Beveridges
Established Member
PG
Established Member
Here here! I'll second that 455driver.
If you Rjhsteel really feel so strongly about this either because:
- you work shifts - then maybe you're not suited to shifts and should consider a non shift occupation; or
- you're worried for your safety travelling - write to your MP etc etc
The only time this is ever likely to be examined in court is in the event of a serious incident ala Clapham which resulted in the current regs for safety critical staff.
Beveridges
Established Member
I'm suprised that a 32 hour minimum gap between finishing nights and starting day shifts is not required by law. Coming off nights and starting days (especially earlys) within one day is the most tiring situation you could find . I'm glad my roster has been written with some common sense where this never happens (unless you do it on overtime but that is your own fault)
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Indeed. Last week I was earlies Monday-Thursday finishing at 0400 on my rest day Friday morning. Then back in again at 0600 Saturday. This week I'm earlies Sunday-Friday then nights Saturday....good knows what I will be next week.
Worst shift patten I have done is 2200-0930 in the summer for 4 days.
Shifts and how the rosters are planned are hot topic with is at the minute. For example I was lates last week coming in after twelve hours rest Friday and Saturday which for me is about 9 hours at home onto Earlies.
Regarding nights the last set I done finish 0530 on the Sunday back in for 0500 Monday. Absolute killer
Without wishing to be pedantic can you break this down a bit more for us.....
Assuming you're on a contracted 35hr week, then working Mon-Thurs (finishing at 0400 Friday) then starting at 0600 Saturday means you are effectively working a six day week. How is this so or have you volunteered for extra work? If you were on earlies, why did you finish at 0400 on the Friday, or did you mean to say nights?
I'm used to shift work in the police, but I was under the assumption that if I was going to reduce my hours to 35hrs p/w I'd actually be spending less time at work than I am now! The freight rotations I'm reading here don't sound that appealing.
It's a bit worrying that you have no idea what you're doing next week, which must make it a nightmare to plan any sort of life. I'm used to being issued a whole years' roster every April...admittedly the start/finish times will vary according to 'events' but the rest days are fairly solid.
Can anyone shed any light on what DBS rosters are like?
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JB25
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When I have been on nights so far I have yet to work out a decent time to get up the day before or when to have a nap etc. Earlies and Lates take a bit of jigging with the body clock and when to eat etc but are fine. Nights are a completely different beast though. You are effectively asking your body to switch around completely in very little notice just for one week at a time.
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