lawson101

Recently started a job where I have to do night shifts, basically I do 14days of 12hr day shifts followed by a week off then 14 nights and another week off.

The question is....Is it normal to come home at 7am and start drinking lagers?

Personally I cant see a problem with it as its like other 'normal hours' workers getting home and having a few drinks, except its early in the morning to them but late at night to me.

Most annoying is the reaction from my mother in law who clearly thinks that I am the scum of the earth because I drink so early in the day, even though shes a shift worker too and 'allegedly' she was also young once.

Does anyone else have a few quiet beers after a nightshift before sleeping through the day? If so have you had any negative reactions to it?

tbh i reckon that I can get a better sleep after a couple of beers as I tend not to wake up with the wife going to work or the kids in the street going to school.

Stephen.

scott8629

Yeah its pefectly normal, I have done it many times, no adverse effects.

I dont like your shift pattern. Here is mine

Week1 Days 0500-1300 Mon-Fri 0500-1700 Sat & Sun
Week2 Afternoons 1300-2100 Mon-Fri Weekend off
Week3 Nights 2100-0500 Mon-Fri 1700-0500 Sat & Sun
Week4 Off
Week5 Off

Then its starts again.

So in an answer to your question a few beers is the way forward.

2000TLondon

That sounds like a very tough shift pattern, and you're doing much more than the average weekly number of hours! You deserve a beer in the morning! At the end of the day, you're an adult, and if you want a beer, have one. All in moderation of course, but I think a couple of beers, when you fancy, no matter what time, is to be encouraged! Just got home from a 14 hour day driving an ambulance and have just finished my second, although I have to be up in four hours for my next shift. Volunteering, too!

Unwind in the way you see fit. The only problem with drinking in the day is if you start at 7am and finish somewhere about midnight, sitting in the road in your own p1ss shouting at buses!

haroldhettaturbo

iTrader: (2)

nothing wrong whit that i work shifts myself and after a 12 hour night shift theres nothing wrong with having a beer.

talizman

iTrader: (1)

That shift pattern sounds like a fast forward to an early grave mate

However, regards the drinking, I've worked shifts for 9 years and many of the guys crack open a beer in the morning, for "breakfast" nothing wrong AFAIAC

kbsub

Yup.. I just pour lager on me cornflakes

scott8629

What shift pattern do you lot work?

RMA26

It's normal mate, when else are you supposed to bloody drink? Is she an incarnation of Hitler of something?

Playsatan

iTrader: (2)

My shift goes one stage further and actually arranges a day on the p!ss following a Friday nightshift. Our Super Saturdays, as they have become known, really take the edge off of a week of constant nights and when you wake up on the Sunday morning your body clock is instantly reset to day mode.

Billgtt

I work 1800 - 0600, 4 on 4 off. I never have a beer when I get home, but I don't tend to drink at home anyway. But people can't seem to get their head around me cooking myself a big dinner at 0630 some mornings when i'm feeling peckish

StickyMicky

come home, have a beer mixed with 2 "one a night nytol" tablets, then have a **** and enjoy 8 hours of sleepy bliss

lawson101

I hope not!!

I hadnt even thought about it being bad as Im earning good money, so not really considering any long term consequences atm.

At least im getting time off tho; there are Australians working for the same company and they do the same pattern of 12hr night and day shifts but WITHOUT the week off!! Mind you they get paid £250.00 a day.

Anyway just woke up ready for the last shift before my week off!! A few beers too many tomorrow morning i reckon

fatherpierre

Sounds a punishing schedule. I used to do a similar pattern a few years ago in the RAF.

I used to sleep on nights, though .

What is it you do?

StickyMicky

i would do it for £250 a day TBH

i hate nightshifts

but i could handle it for £250/day

King RA

I've come home after a nightshift, drunk 4 carlsberg specials and ended was up talking **** to my dog cos I was so twatted. All before 10 am.

scott8629

LOL! I have got messed up a few times after night shift, especially when I hit the spirits!

falkster

Ive been doing nights for the last 8 weeks but I have never worked nights before and will only be for another two weeks.

I find that a nice can of Stella when I get home relaxes me and gets me to sleep much quicker than usual.

Im sure I asked the same question a few weeks ago as the local off license lady looked at me as if I was some alchy.

Mrs WRX

My Other Half works shift and he has a tin of beer at 7.00am. It does look odd as I get ready to go to work and he is on the stella's.

paulr

14 continuous 12 hour shifts then a week off,that must include 7 days overtime. I do 4x 12 hour shifts then 4 days off which conforms to the working time directive at around 40 hours per week. Yours is way over and if they force you to do it then thats breaking the law.

As someone said,its a one way ticket to the mourge if you were to do that for any length of time. Our company wont let us do more than 6 shifts in a row for legal reasons.

Chip Sengravy

I'm trying that, and I work days

falkster

So if Im doing 5 11/12 hour shifts a week is that ok or not??

Kev_turbo

EU working time directive says you must not work and average of more than 48 hours a week. I work a shift job as well as running my own business and the shift job company made me sign a declaration that i would not work more than 48 hours a week.

I work 14 days and 14 nights every 10 weeks which averages at about 33 hoiurs a week and we complain like hell. It used to be 7 days and 7 nights in 6 weeks - 3 weeks in with the odd day for change overs between nights and days followed by 3 weeks off. That was nice.

I personally don't do the drinking before bed. I consume my last food/dfrink at about midnight on nights and then go straight to bed when i get home. I am then usually up for noon ish and have a few hours to myself before going to work.

Chip Sengravy

It does, and if you have anything about you, and don't pack biscuits (eg) for a living you will opt out of it

TomBoyNI

iTrader: (3)

2 Days 8am - 8pm
then start at 8pm the next day for 2 nights...

Then 4 days off, it is marvellous, then drinking in the morning, nothing is better than a beer when the wife is heading to work LOL!!

Nido

Indeed. I think the point of it was you can't be forced to work over 48 hours, but like all EU stuff is a load of tripe. Most people need to do more hours than that every so often so opt out anyway. Nothing Illegal about that.

The people that stick to it and refuse to work over 48 hours, even when really needed, are usually found seeking alternative employment

Not that they can be sacked for not signing up of course, but for many other reasons

lawson101

When I signed the contract for the job I understood what I was required to work and signed an agreement stating that I was willing to work over the EU Directive of 48hrs/week.

I work in the Drilling Industry on a land based Rig. And the Rig works 24hrs a day until whatever well we are drilling is finished.

demonsurfer

i do two day shifts two night shifts <7am-7pm> days -<7pm-7am> nights then 4 days off do this three times a month then get 10 days off <paid> a beer after work is nice

King RA

48 hours a week, lets face it if you're working nighshifts then that equates to about 8 hours of actual working.

paulr

Too much. I work 4 x 12 hour shifts in 8 days.

MooseRacer

That is indeed a punishing shift schedule.

As for drinking when you get home, not a problem I used to do it all the time. I did get some funny looks stumbling around half pissed walking the dog before bed though