Posted By Glyn Atkinson A similar pattern of working for shutdown contracts is commonly used in the oil refineries shutdown industry locally to me. Is this the system to which you are referring? Previously, the workers would be expected to work 12 hours x 7 days for up to 8 weeks to complete a shutdown programme either on day or night shifts. There is a national pattern of shutdowns agreed across the country so that specialist labour forces have enough participants to complete all shutdown work required. Contract firms will move their workshops, equipment and personnel across country on a nine month process of shutdowns throughout the year. Although the 2 off in every 14 gives a break to the workers, many of these people are going from contract to contract with different employers just chasing the money, some with no days off at all when travelling between shutdown sites, and each location just stays within the requirements for the Working Time directive on each shutdown by using averaged hours over a longer period of time. I have earnt wadfulls of money over the years before coming into H&S, but am glad to be where I am now, without having to turn out every weekend to make up the necessary cash to fund University courses and to live a decent home life with the family.