worklpace and the law

[strapping young lad]

anyone know if there is a law regarding taking a break from a job after working a certain number of hours?

[Bishops Finger]

Working time regulations....?

[sleeplessparadise]

This tells you about breaks entitlements etc.

[strapping young lad]

cool thanks, nice to prove the missus wrong for a change :P

[boss]

everey 4 hours you must have a break....not sure if its 15 mins or 30 mins.

[Mr Bump]

everey 4 hours you must have a break....not sure if its 15 mins or 30 mins.

20 mins unpaid during a 6 hour shift iirc

[auf_wiedersehen_pet]

everey 4 hours you must have a break....not sure if its 15 mins or 30 mins.

20 mins unpaid during a 6 hour shift iirc

So....less than six hours is nothing. I'm a teacher with 5 x 1 hour lessons per day so theoretically I'm entitled to no breaks at all.

[strapping young lad]

well the missus works 4hr shifts part time in a motorway services and has been told she cant have breaks cos her shift isnt long enough.

hence the question

[muddy4x4]

If it`s only a shift of 4 hours, then it`s no breaks. If the shifts is over 4 hours, then it`s 15 mins break.
Depends who you work for tho ? Some companys stick to the rule others don`t.
Hope that helps

[Range Rover Blues]

When I worked at Bonar it was 30 minutes in an 8 hours shift, not tacked on to one end or the other.  IIRC 4 hours wouldn't require a break at all (but they can't stop you going for a pee).

[sleeplessparadise]

When I was young I worked a 3 hour shift at B&Q of an evening, I got a 10 minute break in my 3 hour shift but maybe that was just company policy.

[diggerdog36]

The forces are bad for breaks, we sometimes get 5 minutes break between work, othertimes we get 5 minutes work between breaks!!!

My new job im going to get a 30min at 10am, 1.5hr for lunch at 12, then 30min at 3pm.  Why not work that, then have a friday off :-k

[lampyrover31]

Hi
 It all depends on the type of work also, as if you were working in a cold store or in a foundry you will have to take more break but as stated in the Working Time Regs 1998 (I know I am boring stating Regulations but its my job) is a minimum 20 mins uninterupted break if the working time is more than 6 six hours(for a working adult over 18). You are also entitled to spend it away from the work station if you have one (how nice is that of them!!!!)If you are working with Display screen equipment then it is advised that you try and have 5 minutes every hour if poss however micro breaks of a few seconds are encouraged maybe to stretch or move around.

Cheers

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

From experience of the Plod, when doing twelve hour shifts, we should have got a 15 minute rest period every four hours and a 45 minute meal break. However..........
That changed when I started 10 hour shifts. 45 mins scran break, which was the same for those on 8 hour shifts. Very confusing.
It always puzzled me how we were supposed to knock HGV drivers off for being over their hours, but there we were on 12 hour shifts, blatting about in high speed cars, missing out on meal breaks, usually going over the 12 hour work period with no enforcement of H&S regs that supposedly apply to us! I raised this once and was told that the Police will adhere to current work regulations where possible but due to the 'unique' work we do, we are not bound by the regulations.
Double standards?

[Guardian.]

your a government organisation thats why, and they treat the emergancy services and health services like crap.
i dont work in it obviosly, but i can see what happens , and in this country the government are definately double standard, do as i say not as i do thieving monkeys.

[littlepow]

From experience of the Plod, when doing twelve hour shifts, we should have got a 15 minute rest period every four hours and a 45 minute meal break. However..........
That changed when I started 10 hour shifts. 45 mins scran break, which was the same for those on 8 hour shifts. Very confusing.
It always puzzled me how we were supposed to knock HGV drivers off for being over their hours, but there we were on 12 hour shifts, blatting about in high speed cars, missing out on meal breaks, usually going over the 12 hour work period with no enforcement of H&S regs that supposedly apply to us! I raised this once and was told that the Police will adhere to current work regulations where possible but due to the 'unique' work we do, we are not bound by the regulations.
Double standards?

I see you get the same excuses we do. Oh you seem to have worked passed all the H&S limits without having proper breaks. Well never mind, it happens due to the special circumstances and unique way we work!
In other words your stuffed and when it goes wrong, Even more so as it's going to be your fault for not taking a break!

Got to love government policy. 

[landroverkeith]

I find so far that at my company health n safety only applies one way, and thats if it doesnt cost money!

but then i do work for a bunch of monkeys

[burgerman]

 I legally have to have a break of 40 mins minimum ( plus 10 minutes walking time)  between 5 and 7 hours into a shift, Maximum of 12 hour shift, min 12 hours between shifts, 13 days in a row maximum.  Thats the railway for ya :D

[Buddha]

If you are working with Display screen equipment then it is advised that you try and have 5 minutes every hour if poss however micro breaks of a few seconds are encouraged maybe to stretch or move around.

I know it seems obvious but, with the above, the recommendation is that people using VDU's have a break of 5 minutes every hour, from that type of work, i.e. go and do some filing instead - no that you should have a 5 minute break from all work every hour! More's the pity!

[lampyrover31]

If you are working with Display screen equipment then it is advised that you try and have 5 minutes every hour if poss however micro breaks of a few seconds are encouraged maybe to stretch or move around.

I know it seems obvious but, with the above, the recommendation is that people using VDU's have a break of 5 minutes every hour, from that type of work, i.e. go and do some filing instead - no that you should have a 5 minute break from all work every hour! More's the pity!

Hi
 I agree sorry I have just written that a little badly. However if you can get away with having 5 minutes in the hour I would!!!!
Sorry I that has misled anybody.
Cheers