Posted By John Caboche
We allow up to a 12 hour shift, with the proviso that any work over that has to be risk assessed. Our general shift length is 10 hours but we monitor people working nights and do not allow them to work over 48 hours in a week (WTD). We have a company policy that will not allow over a 1 hour drive post shift, local accomodation must be used, or if for some reason the individual is tired (after physical or mental strain)then local accomodation again must be used. The definition for fatigue is subjective, but it is hard to break the guys out of wanting to drive home after a night shift to be with their families, it took a near miss to formulate policy (despite me moaning to the MD about it incessantly for months prior to the incident) and convince the guys that it wasn't a good idea (as they wouldn't see their families again ever....)The WTD regs are a bit grey in this area, and the rail industry has only just come under them (Aug 2003) so the whole industry has to change it's long/anti social hours culture, and it's an uphill struggle. I would like to see the 48 hour week enshrined in law for all workers not just night shift. I know of one rail company thatnhas dropped to 8 hour shifts due to the fatigue factor, certainly at possession manager level. How the Railway safety critical work regs interact with the WTD is another grey area.....