Are these working hours legal?

[Zoflorabore]

Hi, my dp has recently started a new job at a warehouse for a huge well known company. He likes the job and is doing well but the issue is with the shifts.

He’s does 6-2 and 2-10 and the week starts on a Sunday. This week he finished his 2-10 last night, got home around 10.20pm ( by car ) and had to be back in this morning at 6am as the new shift starts today.

He’s lucky to drive as there are lots of people there who don’t and are having less than 7 hours at home before being due back at work. He said that lots of people are talking about it and that different rules are being thrown about over rest times.

I looked online and it said 11 hours but then under exclusions mentioned shift changes so if that’s the case it’s perfectly legal.

Dp has to leave at 5.30am. He had just over 7 hours to eat, sleep and get up and get ready again. He also feels the need to “wind down” after work rather than just going to bed but hasn’t got the luxury of that.
Any experience of this?

Thanks.

What days off does he get? Or has he picked up extra shifts this week? Should be 2 days off a week with those hours or 8hr days unless he picked up overtime.
6-2 and 2-10 is normal for the shifts where I work (manufacturing) and given it is a big company same as me they would have all the checks and docs in place that this is legal.

Thanks for replying- he gets Thursday and Friday off every week. He was asked during his interview if he had a preference and the days have to be consecutive so he’s really pleased he got the days he wanted.

He hasn’t done overtime yet.
The shifts are set so one week is 6-2 and one week is 2-10. There is also a 10pm-6am shift but that is covered.

Sounds bog standard to me.

I thought the legal requirement was minimum of 11 hours between one shift ending and the next starting?

Ps I also said that re: the legalities.
There’s no way a huge company would not check if this is legal. Dp said a lot of people are struggling with it though.

The emergency services do shifts like this all the time. We would work 10-6 on a night duty, go home, and then have to be back in for the 2-10 shift. It was called a 'quick changeover' an absolute killer but it did help to get your sleep pattern away from nights.

It is lawful when the reason is a shift change, as long as they are given the opportunity to make up for the missed rest. This will happen the next week when they get a much longer break on changeover.

@Hayeahnobut

It is lawful when the reason is a shift change, as long as they are given the opportunity to make up for the missed rest. This will happen the next week when they get a much longer break on changeover.

This and also they get a 48 hour rest break every week too so plenty of compensatory rest.

It does sound rubbish and it’s a complex area but I don’t think it’s illegal as he gets sufficient rest time overall.

Yes he gets two weekends a month with this short break but also 2 weekends a month where he finishes at 2pm Saturday and isn’t back in until 2pm Sunday. He will do that this weekend coming.

Thanks for replies.