Domestic Hours

ASK THE EXPERTS SAFETY, LAW AND WORKING TIME DIRECTIVE FORUM (INTE
1

I think I’m working on Domestic Hours in this company. We’re tachograph exempt, but obviously still have to stick to the speed limits (Yeah, we do honest :open_mouth: :open_mouth: )

However, I don’t know that the management actually know what is entailed with these hours, if indeed we are working to them. Are there any other hours to be adhered to apart from Domestic or WTD hours??

I’m not best happy that my manager has given me a break between shifts that has amounted to about 5 hours, preceeded by an 18 hour day (only 8 hours driving spread from 0600-1000 and 1830-2230). Needless to say I’m rather tired, so I’m off to bed… I may wake up in time, and my back is still giving me gyp.

Bring on the drugs :unamused: :unamused: :unamused: (ibuprofen before you ask) :sunglasses: :open_mouth: :unamused:

Thanks all for your help :wink: :wink:

2

It depends exactly what it is you’re doing as to whether you are exempt EC drivers hours. Usually, if you’re exempt EC then you come under Domestic, although there are some exemptions from this.
For HGV drivers the rules are pretty simple;
No more than 10 hours driving
No more than 11 hours duty
That’s IT!! No midshift breaks, no continuous rest requirement, no weekend rest requirement, you can drive every day 365 days a year if you want to.
The example you give, actually looks legal. Assuming you were able to rest between 10:00 and 18:30 your day is only 8 hrs as the bit in the middle doesn’t count. What you couldn’t do is start work before 06:00 the following day, then the shifts would be added together.
The RTR regulations introduced in April this year don’t apply to work done under domestic regs, but the WTD 48 hour limit does. But you can opt out of that if you want to.

3

For the period between the driving I expected to be on standby and often operating equipment within that period (ie The Platform). So I am not “resting” during those times.

Although, due to the nature of that particular shift I had a lot of waiting time for the camera guy to finish what he was doing up there :open_mouth: :open_mouth: :open_mouth: :laughing: :laughing:

4

However, thank you for your explanation. I think I will have to have words with management… :unamused: :unamused: :unamused: