Shift work patterns - what are people working?

I'm looking for some examples of shift work patterns that people are doing - are they mostly working 8 or 12 hours ? if working nights , how many nights a week and then do they have time off before swithcing to different hours? I am currently working shift and it is a nightmare schedule (6 or 7 "days") in a row. I'd like to get some idea of how others are working this, as I'd like our reps to raise this with the union. (I have concerns regarding health and safety and there was an article in the indo today discussing dangers of shift work , tiredness and driving collisions). any info would be appreciated.

Hi Dub,
I work a permanent night shift. 12 hours a night from 8.30pm - 8.30am. No breaks are included in these shifts. I work 7 nights on, then 7 nights off.

The working time act states that no more than 48 hours are worked per week (averaged over a 3 month period) and that a gap of at least 11 hours should occur between shifts. This does not apply to certain professions eg. doctors, nurses and certain others.

Regards,
Clig.

A friend of mine is doing shift work & the pattern is usually:

2 shifts 2300-0700hrs
2 shifts 1500-2300hrs
2 shifts 0700-1500hrs

Followed by 3 full days off & starting at 2300hrs on the 4th day. I think once a month she works 3 night shifts so a 7 shift week.

It's a bit funny in that the morning she finishes night work at 0700hrs, she is back in the same day at 1500hrs and similarly, on the night she finishes at 2300hrs she is back in at 0700hrs the following morning, but I guess that's what allows the longer breaks.

we work 4 x 12 hour night shifts a week. 50% shift allowance.

I have worked 2 types of shift:

4-cycle 12 hour shifts, 33.3% shift allowance, 2 days eg Monday/Tuesday followed by 2 nights Wednesday/Thursday. We then have untill the following Tuesday off when the shift starts all over again for the next 35 years or so. This works out at 48 hours in 8 days which averages out as a 42 hour week. The 40th hour is banked as holidays. The 41st and 42nd hours are paid at double time.

5 cycle 12 hour shift. 33.3% shift allowance. This incorporated all holidays, bank holidays etc into shift structure. 12 hour shifts days and nights as follows: 2 days,2 off, 2 nights, 4 off. This adds up to 48 hours in 10 days or a 34ish hours in 7. Holidays make up the remaining hours. During the summers we worked 8 weeks of 4 cycle to allow each shift to have 2 weeks holidays. All other holidays involved shift swaps.

Found both shifts very good

Working 3x12 - 06:30-18:30 Thurs-Sat. with 25% shift allowance.

Other shifts i've been on..

3x12 weekend shift with 33% shift allowance - loved this shift as place was a lot more chilled out. Obviously doesnt suit those with a big social interest/family time,etc.
Did 3x12 nights - will NEVER work nights again! totally unhealthy.


In general, shift work cannot be healthy. I definitely have sleep deficit on work days. However, having the constant Sun-Wed. off is brilliant. Can get so much stuff done - and also gives me the opportunity of setting up other work.
In the years that i've worked here, there have been 2 road fatalities as a direct result of people falling asleep at the wheel after coming off nightshift - and numerous accidents. I myself on some mornings had serious difficulties staying awake (windows rolled down on seriously cold mornings - and still falling asleep).
Nightwork should be banned - but I don't think this will ever happen. There would have to be a global ban on it - with the exception of emergency services of course.

i do
Sat Sun Mon Thurs Fri Tue Wed

7 days a fortnight, 8am-9pm, 11.25 hrs and in one of those days we start late (10:45am) and another we finish early (5:45pm) making it a 37.5 hr week.

I work 12 weeks of a 2-Shift cycle then 6 weeks of nights. Never weekends.

2-Shift cycle (alternate for 12 weeks):
Week 1: Monday 6am-2pm, Tues-Thurs 7am-3pm, Fri 7am-2pm
Week 2: Monday- Thursday 2pm-10pm, Friday 2pm-9.30pm

Nights (6 weeks):
Monday night- Friday morning, 10pm-8am (and finish at 7am Friday morning).

Nights are the most challenging due to the difficulty of daytime sleeping (even though weekends are longer because have all day Monday off). From time to time I don't have to work my night shift (training, conferences etc.). I am on a fixed salary regardless of shift worked, and never work any more than 40 hours/ week.

eoghanlk said:

The 41st and 42nd hours are paid at double time.

Click to expand...

Hi eoghanlk,
When you say paid at double time, does that include the shift i.e?
(Hourly rate + shift rate) X 2, or just (Hourly rate) X 2, The reason I ask is as a shift worker myself, our company give (Hourly rate) X 2 if we take €'s but if we take lieu time we get 24hrs of shift off, sorry if I'm hijacking but am disputing this currently with my employer and would like to have some ammo.