8hr or 12 hr shiftwork

[nukeET1]

We are talking about going from 12s to 8s.  What schedule are you currently on (please be specific) and does your crews like them?   Our current schedule is as follows:

Monday-Thurs  Days (7am-7pm)
FSSMTWT off
FSSM Mids (7pm-7am)
TWT off
FSS Days
M off
TWT Mids
FSS off
MTWTF 8 hour training days
SS off

and the schedule repeats.  If anyone has any feedback on 8s vs. 12s and a good schedule that works well for everyone please post it here.
Thanks,
Nukeet1 (former)

[JnyMac]

After consulting my fellow operators they would like to know who is behind this insane idea.  Palo Verde did a Days, Swings, and Mids 8 hour schedule that nobody even likes to talk about.  I think they send you to the Shrink just for mentioning it.  You just have to work more days to get time off.  Overtime comes much faster on 12 hour days.  Our schedule is as follows.

MTWTh  Days  0630 to 1830
FSaSuMTW  off
ThFSaSu  Nights  1830 to 0630
MTWTh  off
FSaSu  Days
M off
TWThF  Training  0700 to 1730
SaSu off
MTW Nights  1830 to 0630
ThFSaSu  off
Same as yours basically a 5 week rotating schedule.

[grantime]

We have worked both a rotating 5 week 8 hour and a rotating 5 week 12 hour.  The 12 hour schedule wins hands down.  The only caveat is that you have to have a full staff otherwise working off days to cover gaps puts you in outage schedule. 

[Roll Tide]

My union steward told me that unions were formed to prevent people having to work 12 hours in a row for straight time. I replied that if they didn't form to prevent working 7 days in a row for straight time they were idiots.

And yes, it only works well if fully staffed. The OT hogs may make more on 8's, but most people will do a little better on 12's.

[shayne]

After consulting my fellow operators they would like to know who is behind this insane idea.  Palo Verde did a Days, Swings, and Mids 8 hour schedule that nobody even likes to talk about.  I think they send you to the Shrink just for mentioning it.  You just have to work more days to get time off.  Overtime comes much faster on 12 hour days.  Our schedule is as follows.

MTWTh  Days  0630 to 1830
FSaSuMTW  off
ThFSaSu  Nights  1830 to 0630
MTWTh  off
FSaSu  Days
M off
TWThF  Training  0700 to 1730
SaSu off
MTW Nights  1830 to 0630
ThFSaSu  off
Same as yours basically a 5 week rotating schedule.

Simuilar to this 5 week schedule, however our 7 off falls between 3 nights and 4 nights.  I like your rotation better than ours.

Week 1
M T W T Days 7-7pm (4-12hr)
F S S off

Week 2
M T W Nights 7-7am (3-12hr)
T F S S Off

Week 3
M T W Off
T F S S Nights 7-7am (4-12hr)

Week 4
M T W T Off
F S S Days 7-7pm (3-12hr)

Week 5
M Off
T W T F Training 7-5pm (4-10hr)
S S Off

[mattrev]

I'm on a 12 hour 6 shift rotation:

Sa Su Mo Tu - Days  (0600 - 1800)
We Th Fr Sa Su - Off
MTuWTh - Relief Days (10's) (0630 - 1630)
Fr Sa Su Mo Tu - Off
We Th Fr Sa - Nights (1800 - 0600)
Su Mo Tu - Off
We Th Fr - Days (0600 - 1800)
Sa Su - Off
Mo Tu We Th - Training Days (10's) (0630 - 1630)
Fr Sa - Off
Su Mo Tu - Nights (1800 - 0600)

The nice thing is taking 40 hours of vacation on the relief week nets you 15 days off. Since most people tend to do that, I rarely have to cover a backshift.

Other departments work a 5 Week variation of this schedule where you just take out the Relief week and compress the schedule. They can still get a 15 day break by taking the 4-Day or 4-Night shift off (takes a few more hours vacation or giving up 8 hours of OT to do it though)

[JnyMac]

Gone Sailin,

We use to work the 6 week rotation with the relief week.  We had it set up so we worked 3 days had an eight off then 3 nights.  I liked that schedule.  Work Control Work Week Managers didn't.  They couldn't get the work done.  We do most of our online work on dayshift Tu thru Fr.  The majority of the site including maint. works 4-10s.  It really sucks when a piece of equip. goes on a Friday night and you need it fixed.

[Nuclear NASCAR]

Our Operations department just went to a 12 hour rotation the 1st of the year.  It was a return for the RO's and a first time trial for the Equipment Operators.  Our Maintenance department is on 8 hour days, Monday through Friday.  It took several years of bargaining for Ops to go on 12 hr days.  The last vote before it passed the EO's had only 1 vote for it.  Right after it passed 3 Maintenance bids were cancelled because Ops couldn't lose the 3 EO's who would have taken them.  Kinda like no good deed going unpunished.  Just one of the reasons I didn't go Ops.  I admire those of you working the job.  You're better than I in that regard.