dicky ticker

hi folks

need a bit of up to date advice on what is legal and whats not. in my day if you were working a four hour stretch you were entitled to a 15 minute break during that shift.

however the new manager is saying thats a load of crap.

we work in dimly lit environments working on vdu's with no natural light and ventilation.
our shifts are basicly 9-5 with some people taking their one hour unpaid lunch break at 12 and others taking theirs at 1pm.

to me that means some people are entitled to a break in the morning and others entitled to a break in the afternoon.

also does anybody know regs regarding vdu users and adequate rest.

any advice greatly appreciated

B9GLY

i think you are entitled to a 15min break if you work more than 4hrs! ie if you work 4 you dont get a break

DCI Gene Hunt

Your employer should have a DSE assessment already for you and your machine, if you use it 'solid' i.e. for an hour non-stop you should have a 10 min break away from it, not a *** break, just a break from the PC.

Eye tests & glasses etc...... the light requirements should form part of the DSE assessment....

Google is your friend, Display Screen Equipment Regs

swampster

iTrader: (1)

From the Working Time Directive:

* workers should be offered a minimum 20 minute break for every shift lasting over 6 hours
* workers are entitled to a rest period of 11 consecutive hours between shifts each day
* workers have the right to one whole day off a week in addition to paid annual leave. Days off can be averaged over a two-week period
* employers are obliged to ensure workers are able to take their rest but do not have to make sure they actually take their rest
* mobile workers are excluded from the usual rules but are entitled to 'adequate rest'. Regulations define this as regular rest periods which are sufficiently long and continuous to ensure that fatigue or irregular working patterns do not cause workers to injure themselves, fellow workers or other individuals, and that their health is not damaged in the short or long term

So basically your one hour lunch break meets the requirements.

red_dog104

LOL. Ambulance service (EMAS) = 12 hour shift + 45 minute break usually after 5 hours, if we get one at all! Not really a great working initiative, however, our union thought it was a good idea...none of them are on the road tho btw!!!

Maz

iTrader: (34)

There's a lot wrong with the whole set up though isn't there, probably needs a separate thread.

Dracoro

Can't you just have a 15 minute dump every day

swampster

iTrader: (1)

You're gaining 5 minutes over the minimum requirement then.. what more do you want

In all seriousness though, there are exceptions to the above rules from the working time directive, i.e where they don't apply... as an example in an emergency, and I presume being in the Ambulance Service you get a lot of them!

_RIP_

dicky ticker

harsh it is.

we cannot have drinks whist working as its in close proximity to pc's.

at least if we can't drink we wont need a pea break

banny sti

iTrader: (68)

At our place working with computers in an 8 hours shift, we get two 15 minute breaks and an hour lunch.

Banny

swampster

iTrader: (1)

We have a 7.5 hour day, with 1 hour for lunch. They will allow 15 minutes morning and afternoon (usually only the smokers take this up) but they then expect you to stay 8 hours, which is reasonable enough I suppose.

ru'

Get another job?

Prasius

iTrader: (1)

The hellish world of civillian employment???

Give me 16+ hour days on Ops but being able to go make a brew when I want anyday!

What a high morale and highly enthusiastic and loyal workforce you lot must be

Sonic'

I work pretty much 8.30 to 5pm (most days )

I get a brew when I want, have a smoke when I want etc, but i don't take a lunch hour, I have a bite to eat but thats about it

When I did some work at ANC parcel place, we got 5 mins break every hour, for a rest (quick smoke and brew then back to it) plus an hour for lunch (well midnight as it was nights)

djuk

Pretty much the same here, I'll often work outside of business hours and just have a bite to eat for lunch.

But in the same way I feel free to come in late, work from home if I just need quiet to catch up on work, and essentially make a cuppa whenever I decide to

The way I see it, the two cancel each other out

DCI Gene Hunt

I do what I want when I want, tea breaks, pub breaks, I left school a long, long time ago...... and as a 'adult' I don't require some *** jockey telling me when and what breaks I can have

Flexible working, you'll all be doing it in 10 years

StickyMicky

1 hour lunch breaks? LOL


lazy gits

the problem with long breaks is getting motivated afterwards IMO

Sonic'

Especially after the obligatory pub lunch

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

i work 8 hour nights, 10pm-6am (yey finished for two days!!!)

get a 30 min break at either 2-2.30am or 2.30-3.00am. paid break.

were also allowed 5 mins at 12am and 4am for a hot drink/can of pop. go to the toilet whenever we want, obviously - human right and we can take on a drink of water whenever we want, but literally a cup and your outa here so to speak.

were on a personal bonus schem, where the faster we finish the assignments, the more we get paid, as its warehouse work i do.

andy

pwhittle

we get half an hour deducted from our pay, to encourage you to take a lunch break. Really annoying when you have to work through, or attend a meeting, and still loose the money.

Abdabz

Correctomundo Duderoonie... My boss Splinter never lets me fight Beebop and Rocksteady for more than 4 hours because he would have to give me a pizza break for 15 mins if he did...

GazTheHat

I thought you could take 10 mins after an hours solid use on a VDU?