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A safety net when all else fails

50202 Staff only receiving nine hours rest between weekend turns

July 2012 in Train Operations

tagged Fatigue Rostering East Midlands

A reporter is concerned that safety critical staff are receiving only nine hours rest between weekend turns.
 
According to the reporter, East Midlands Trains have stated that it is acceptable for safety critical staff to receive nine hours rest between Saturday and Sunday turns at the start of the roster week, and that this is compliant with the Working Time (Amendment) Regulations (2003).  However, the reporter feels that staff should receive 12 hours rest between Saturday and Sunday turns, as 9 hours is not sufficient for those undertaking safety critical duties.  The amount of rest is reduced further because of the time staff spend travelling to and from work.  
 
The reporter is concerned that General Purpose Relief (GPR) staff are more affected by the nine hour rest period, because they work at a variety of locations with varying shift times. 
 
Could East Midlands Trains please:
  • Clarify how the Working Time (Amendment) Regulations (2003) apply to their staff and if they are adhered to on a company wide basis?
  • Clarify whether receiving nine hours rest between weekend turns has been risk    assessed as safe, especially for GPR staff?  If not, could this be risk assessed with a view to increasing the amount of rest staff receive when working weekend turns?

Response from East Midlands Trains

East Midlands Trains (EMT) would like to thank the reporter for raising their concerns.  EMT's current arrangements for controlling the risk of fatigue set a minimum rest period of 12 hours between consecutive shifts. However, provision is made for the minimum rest period to be reduced to eight hours at the weekly shift changeover, if staff work a shift pattern which rotates or alternates on a weekly basis.

Roster patterns are agreed with local Trade Union Representatives before they are implemented. For most rosters, the pattern is obvious and the most sensible pattern is agreed. We are unaware of any local concerns regarding these arrangements. EMT also uses the Health and Safety Executive's Fatigue Risk Index tool as part of its arrangements to ensure that roster patterns are appropriate.

EMT is currently reviewing its arrangements for the management of fatigue in the light of revised guidance published by the Office of Rail Regulation.  Where practicable we will take steps to ensure that rosters are designed to reduce the risk of fatigue further and will continue to work with Trade Union Representatives to achieve this.

 50202