REST PROBLEM III I work nights for a bread delivery
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firm and drive a 17-tonner. I start on a Sunday and work from
13:00-23:00hrs. From Monday to Thursday I work from 10:00-07:30h rs. Sometimes I am asked to do an extra shift on Friday night finishing at 07:30hrs Saturday.
I always take weekly rest at home and believe I should take a minimum 36hour break on Saturday before I start driving again on Sunday. Am I right?
• From the work and vehicle you describe it appears your driving hours are subject to EC Regulation 3820/85.
This requires that during each week one of the daily rest periods must be extended into a weekly rest period, and a weekly rest period must be taken after not more than six daily driving periods.
The weekly rest period must be at least 45 hours but it can be reduced to 36 hours if taken at the vehicle's or driver's base, or to 24 hours in any other case. Any reduction must be compensated for by an equivalent amount of time being added, in one lump, to a rest period of at least eight hours by the end of the third following week.
On the shift you describe, the time between finishing work on a Sunday evening and starting again on Monday night is 23 hours so it could not count as a weekly rest, even if it were taken away from base.
Consequently, starting on Sunday you could work the shifts described up to and including the Friday night, but after that you must take a weekly rest. if you finished work at 07:30hrs on the Saturday and took the minimum of 36 hours rest you would not be able to resume work until 19:30hrs Sunday. This means you could not work your present shift pattern week after week.