badgerbell

we're in the process of changing shift patterns at work to go onto this 4on-4off pattern, but what i'm wondering is the FOR and AGAINST for doing 2nights 2days-4off, or 4nights,4off,4days,4off
It's a big decision to make so i'd appreciate any views from those in the same patterns.( at present we do 2-10,6-2,10-6,and work the weekend in between 2-10 and 6-2 --12 days on the belt --
Also as far as holidays go, are you allocated 1day = 1x12hour shift, or can it be split into 1/2 days or 4hour splits(so instead of trying to get in for 6pm you can come in at 10pm, for instance, or finish at 2pm instead of 6pm)
Desperate for a change after 15 years of doing the way we do at present

tommy Tank

used to do 4 days four off followd by four nights then four off just remember that each year you will be shifted to work either christmas or new year so remember to book them off. Other than that its a good way to work provided you have something other than overtime to do on the days off.

ScoobyWon't

What do you work in/as?

Fire & Rescue service (currently) operate 2 days on (09:00-18:00), 2 nights on (18:00-09:00) and 4 off. Seems to work well for them.

paulr

I assume you'll be doing 12 hour shifts.
At present i do 2 days then 2 nights,then 4 off.A few of my mates do 4 days ,4 off then 4 nights so i know the ins and outs of both.I also get 20 days hols.

Personally a lot depends on your attitude to nights.I hate them,i can never sleep in the day so for me the present 2 days/2 nights is the best.That way i only ever have to do 2 nights in a row at the most.I've done 4 nights in a row and its a killer.Also you get a half day in between when you change from the day to the night.The disadvantage is you really only really get 3.5 days off,one half is spent in bed after the last night.

Doing 4 days then 4 off,then 4 nights when you go from the 4 days to the 4 nights you actually get 4.5 days off in between,however the other way round,nights,4 off then days you get 3.5 off.

In a way its swings and roundabouts,the best bit is the holidays.I have to take 6 off this month.Took off 6 nights therefore am only working 6 days in the next 21...

Personally i think you'll find its a pretty good shift pattern,the only thing is i nearly always end up doing overtime on my days off...

I hope that makes sense...

oj

Our shift pattern we used, working 12hrs , as fowllows :-

4 days 08:00 - 20:00, 2 days off,
3 nights 20:00 - 08:00, 2 days off,
3 days 08:00 - 20:00, 2 days off,
4 nights 20:00 - 08:00, and 8 days off......
and repeat the above again...

The 8 days off is great, but don't forget that the first day is recovering from the night shift, so it's really 7 days off... The worst change over being from 3rd night to 3 days... as you are recovering from the night shift, which leaves the 2nd rest day as normal... Anyway, I enjoy our current pattern above...

I have heard soem good and bad for the 4 on 4 off rotation.. we was considering this for a while, but majority of the guys here didn't want to change the current due to the long rest period..

Anyway, best of luck with your shift patterns...

OJ..

badgerbell

as i've mentioned i've done nights(8hours)for 15 years so i'm kinda used to them, but i think i'd prefer to only do 2 at a time, but don't you get 24hours in between which ever way you do it (6-6)Being a Maintenance Fitter nights tends to be less hectic too.
I think 4 and 4 is the only pattern available to us because our Security already do this.
Are holidays always 12hours worth?

oj

Just 15 years on shift... !!! another 12 years on top of that and you will match me...!!

OJ..

badgerbell

and you can't sleep either

i wasn't allowed to do shifts at school, so 15 years is the best i can get for now

oj

yes, it gets to you... had no choice, had to go to work whilst at school ... only joking.. I'm just an old git, who still enjoys doing shift work, don't like the 9-5 mon to fri pattern.... maybe I am just sad..!!!

OJ..

andrewdelvard

I work 3 days on, three days off. It does affect your life in various ways, some subtle some extreme. You can't go out when your friends do, weekends are never the same because they alternate. There are bonuses but after a few years you do get a little weary of it.

P1Fanatic

I do 4 days, 4 off repeated x 3 then the same on nights although its changing to 4 x days and 2 x nights soon I think.

I find this better as your not changing every couple of days.

I dont see how people cant sleep after nights, Im always knackered. In at 8am and straight to bed until 2-3pm. On your last night just get up a bit earlier i.e. midday and then go to bed as normal.

I look at 9-5 work and I really dont fancy it. 4on 4 off coupled with 32 days holiday this year means a hell of a lot of time off. In fact one guy at work has 36 days holiday which means he can take 12 straight days off 9 months out of 12 this year - what a git!

Simon.

paulr

Are holidays always 12hours worth?

Should be.

badgerbell

32 days holiday ???
how do you manage that, it looks like just 20 days for us.
are you off over Xmas, coz our factory only closes Xmas Day and New Years Day
Do they count bank holidays you work, then add them onto your hols?
e.g. 20 days +8 b.hols = 28 days, or is it just hard luck if you work them.
the favourite saying is "it's already incorporated in your wages"
we have a meeting tomorrow so i need as much ammo as i can to get the best package

paulr

We only get 20 days hols...thats it.We have to work bank holidays etc.The only day extra we get off is boxing day and new years day.
Personally i think i'm pretty hard done by taking into the fact i lost all the bank holidays.
You should push for 20 days PLUS some extra to make up for christmas/bank hols.

paulr

The other thing is if its a rotating shift pattern 24 hours cover/7 days a week, you only get 2 free weekends off in every 7,the others you end up working part of them.

badgerbell

cheers for that last comment Paul, it's sounding worse by the minute
just been doing a search and found this:
On a point of interest, the traditional 12hr shift pattern to staff 24x365 known as '4 on - 4 off', is the worst of all patterns. This ends up with unequal staffing numbers on each shift, causing enormous disruptions in production management and control, and a set of rules to run it which is best described as 'a dog's breakfast'. Quite simply, there are much better ways to run a business.
maybe we're looking in the wrong direction

paulr

Whats that in English????

If your meeting is tomorrow push for as many days hols as you can,thats where you want to be concentrating.

P1Fanatic

25 days holiday as standard plus 1 for every year worked (3 for me) = 28 + 3 carried over = 31 + 1 we were given extra for xmas.

Simon.

paulr

discussed previously

http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/threa...hreadID=128770

badgerbell

thanks for all the replies so far,
off to work now , to work out plan of attack
copied some patterns down that have been mentioned in here and previous posts, but i think some of them will need altered when the European directive comes into force.
cheers
Davy