What shift patterns are there in the UKFRS in 2008 - pros & cons?

[gladholm]

Another FRS is about to review shifts systems and duties...
To inform the debate it would be useful to know what shift patterns there are currently up and down the land.

DAY crewed, 5 day nucleus, 7 day nucleus,  hours worked etc
24/7  2 2 4, hours start - finish number of rota days, and other shifts patterns etc

Grateful for any positives or negatives about each

Cheers

[Benfire]

Starting on a Thursday:
2 days, 2 nights, 2 off,
1 day, 2 nights, 2 off,
2 days, 1 night, 2 off,
2 days, 2 nights, 8 off.

12 hour shifts, start and finish at 7am/pm

Great shift pattern, plenty of time off, never more than 2 day or night shifts in a row, and take four shifts leave and get 14 days off

[gladholm]

That's a good start, thanks. What's the pattern that Derbyshire are trying to introduce that is not so family friendly?

[toby14483]

I forget the shift patterns that they will be moving to, but when I heard them, I remember thinking they sound really good. They also include HAVING BEDS.

I have heard the S word mentioned several times. I really hope it wont come to that.

[toby14483]

Just found it:

2 nine hour days, followed by 2 thirteen hour night shifts. Basically, working the same patterns as Control staff. Shock. Horror.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/7635364.stm

[Big A]

Just found it:

2 nine hour days, followed by 2 thirteen hour night shifts. Basically, working the same patterns as Control staff. Shock. Horror.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/7635364.stm

Er, I think you mean 11 - hour day shifts.

[toby14483]

Sorry, my mistake. Read it right, then typed it wrong.

"The authority want to change to two 11-hour day shifts and two 13-hour night shifts - a pattern already worked by fire control staff."

[Monkey nuts]

They tried this shift in our brigade and it failed after a short time.

We now work two 10 hour days and two 14 hour night shifts followed by three off.

[nearlythere]

What actually is a shift system that "works"?

[Mike Buckley]

There ain't no such beast. There are too many different objectives.

Management want the maximum amount of work out of the fire fighters for the time they are paying them. The firefighters want the minimal disruption to their family and life.

Therefore management will want three eight hour shifts with the numbers on duty reflecting the amount of work they can do, more on during the weekday when they can do visits inspections etc., less on during the night and at weekends.

Firefighters wants will depend on their status, family people will want weekends off. Young unmarried will want sixteen hour night shifts with beds so they can do their part-time job, and Friday and Saturday nights off.

Ok these are extremes and I am using stereotypes, but the point is the shiftsystem will be a compromise and it will depend on the working hours.

When I first joined I worked the 48 hour week and we were split into a number of groups which overlapped. The main point I remember about it was that if you worked Friday you also worked Saturday and Sunday so you either worked the weekend or you had the three days off. When the 42 hour week came in we lost that and most weekends were disrupted under the 2, 2, 4 system.

[burgdog]

only just seen this topic. the shift we works are 2 9hr days 2 15hr nights 4 off.then after 7 tours of this we get 18days off. but the middle 2days of your 4 off we can be brought in on rosterd off patterns day or night to work.