Rank: New forum user 
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Hi,
We have currently engaged a contractor who expect thier employees to work 6 weeks of 12 hour shifts without a day off. They state that then the employees recieve 4 weeks off to do as they please and recouperate. This isnt my point the point is that this poses a huge safety risk, as not only do they then have to drive to work and home again after a 12 hours shift. I have raised this issue and stated that thier level of concentration cannot be maintained. These employees are international workers therefore they are also away from thier families and loved ones.
Is anybody aware of any case work studies that I can use to back up my case.
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Rank: Forum user
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This is quite common on Military contracts in Iraq/Afghanistan doing 7 days of 12 hours. The plan is work your backside off, earn good money and head home and enjoy your 4 weeks off with your family.
Obviously from a safety point of view it has it's draw backs but in this world its the done thing. These guys tend to stay on base so walk from bed to their work space and are paid well for working the hours they work and being in the locaton they are in.
I would suggest that for transporting them to and from the work site they have a contract with a bus provider to ensure none of the workers need to drive to or from work, that would alleviate some of the risk from getting there and back. Im assuming they are staying in a hotel together though.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Normal working practice in the merchant navy - tours of duty can be months, six not being unusual. Minimum rest requirements laid down by the International Labour Organisation: The minimum hours of rest, as per the ILO maritime convention should be: A minimum of ten hours in any 24 hour period. A minimum of 77 hours in any seven day period.
http://www.marineinsight...ips-including-stcw-2010/
Colin
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Rank: Forum user
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Fatigue is very complicated to evaluate properly and such working was & is common practice in many areas e.g. junior doctors work more than 84 hours as do people [cleaners etc.] as they need many jobs to make a living and construction shutdowns and please note that working 12* hours when U want it is completely different to being made to work 12 hours
My advice is to get information from the employer that shows that fatigue has been considered properly and move on and if U have doubts as the job proceeds then take guidance at that point from your employer & others e.g. this site; noting that your employer has already sanctioned the job
The HSE has guides/info re fatigue so try them & i commend U for addressing the subject *[Such working hours & time away from home was standard practice in my day & still is in some areas with the full knowledge of the HSE and the accidents that many believe were/are around were/are not] best of luck
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Rank: Super forum user 
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If you could please elaborate - your site is where? The contractors employees are from? The contractor is head officed? The Working Time Directive applies equally across all 28 members of the EU (with some national exemptions). Unless it was specifically written in to the contract that UK (including H&S) legislation applied to all workers attending your site you may find they have defaulted to their standard trading terms & conditions i.e. applicable law is that of... Unfortunately contract law is a game of top trumps (other card games are available) last played card from either side takes precedence. Check the pre-qualification, purchase order and order confirmation (contract) to determine if you truly do have a matter they should respond to.
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 2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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If you could please elaborate - your site is where? The contractors employees are from? The contractor is head officed? The Working Time Directive applies equally across all 28 members of the EU (with some national exemptions). Unless it was specifically written in to the contract that UK (including H&S) legislation applied to all workers attending your site you may find they have defaulted to their standard trading terms & conditions i.e. applicable law is that of... Unfortunately contract law is a game of top trumps (other card games are available) last played card from either side takes precedence. Check the pre-qualification, purchase order and order confirmation (contract) to determine if you truly do have a matter they should respond to.
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2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Working 6 weeks without a day off, 12 hours a day is pretty dangerous if you ask me, especially in a construction enviroment. I have seen this before with East europeans who are lowly paid and the only way they can recieved decent money is if they work long hours. Its because of this that i have in several cases actually stopped work and sent people off site for just not being aware enough and walking like zombies. Modern day Slavery springs to mind
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Rank: Super forum user
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While working on the tools and away from home we would always prefer to work 12 hour shifts 7 day a week. work 6 weeeks then go home for 2. Whats the point of working away to earn money and being restricted to 45 hrs. May as well be skint at home as skint away.
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