Q With reference to the "Know the
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Law" series article which appeared in Commercial Motor, March 12, would you please confirm to us whether we as lime hauliers are allowed to work a 14-hour day?
A As hauliers of agricultural lime you come within the concessions listed in "Know the Law" (CM March 12).
Under this concession your drivers are still restricted to the maximum driving period of 10 hours in a working day but their on-duty time (which includes the 10 hours driving) may be increased to 14 hours in a working day. However, as each working day must be followed by an 11-hour rest period this means that the 14-hour day cannot be worked every day unless the driver starts one hour later each day during the week.
For example, if he starts at 7 am on Monday and works 14 hours to 9 pm his 11-hour rest takes him to 8 am Tuesday. If he works a further 14 hours until 10 pm Tuesday his 11-hour rest means he cannot start work again until 9 am on Wednesday and so on.
A further concession allowed you concerns the weekly 24-hour rest period. Your drivers must have a continuous rest of 24 hours in respect of each week but these periods may be accumulated so that four full 24-hour periods may be taken consecutively at the end of but no later than four weeks from the previous 24-hour rest period.