For example, the twelve-hour, 2nW:2nF system with n = 1 allows twelve different plans in three serially-identical sets.
During the off shift there is time to perform maintenance, study for qualifications, and handle collateral duties.
With sufficient personnel, a given watchstation may benefit from a fourth man (the midnight cowboy or "Balls-to-6").
This plan needs four teams for full coverage, and makes an average 42-hour workweek.
First shift has very early starts, so time in the evening before is heavily cut short.
[2] Some U.S. states, such as California,[2] accommodate this arrangement by allowing the employee to be paid at their regular rate (as opposed to time-and-a-half, or an overtime rate, that would normally be required for any time past 8 hours) for the 10-hour shift, calling this an "alternative workweek".
Continental plan, adopted primarily in central Europe, is a rapidly changing three-shift system that is usually worked for seven days straight, after which employees are given time off, e.g. 3 mornings, 2 afternoons and then 2 nights.
Each of these is 6 hours long and if a shift begins in their time slot, a group has to work it.
Shifts can be swapped to make double-shifts and increase the minimum time of rest.
Split shift is used primarily in the catering, transport, hotel, and hospitality industry.
The average working day of a chef on split shifts could be 10:00 to 14:00 and then 17:00 to 21:00 Earlies and lates is used primarily in industries such as customer service (help desk, phone-support), convenience stores, child care (day nurseries), and other businesses that require coverage greater than the average 09:00 to 17:00 working day in the UK, but no 24/7 coverage either.
Extended night shifts such as these are often a double edged sword; on one hand crews on slower weeknight shifts, or those in areas of low demand will receive excellent levels of rest (when there are no calls for emergency services, crews are encouraged to rest if required).
However, due to the scheduled nature, most ambulance and fire employees can attempt to obtain sufficient rest before or after a particularly busy 14-hour night shift.
The Panama plan follows a 2-2-3 pattern throughout a fortnight, in which shift workers generally are allowed every other Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off, with two additional days off during the week, although this may differ depending on organization and industry.
One of the advantages of using this plan is each shift pair, for example A and B, will get time off on weekends alternatively, because the schedule is fixed and does not drift.
To balance pay into 36- and 48-hour weeks, many US companies shift the DuPont Schedule so the seven-day rest period ends on Friday night.
The seven-day eight-hour rotating plan provides 24/7 coverage using 8-hour shifts with 5 crews.
According to Michael Quinion it is an "evocative term for the night shift … when … your skin is clammy, there's sand behind your eyeballs, and the world is creepily silent, like the graveyard.
"[8] In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that working the graveyard shift would be listed as a "probable" cause of cancer.
In many North American fire departments, firefighters work 24-hour shifts.
They are authorized to sleep in the fire station during the time spent on night shift.
The most basic three-platoon schedule is a straight rotation of 24-hour shifts among three platoon groups.
Twenty-four hours off-duty is also the minimum required to completely recover from a period of acute sleep deficit.
This rotation reduces the chronic sleep deficit accrued over the first two work days at the expense of a shorter long break.
The four-day break could be retained by working a fourth day in the rotation - XOXOOXOXOOOO.
Careful demand management would be required to avoid acute sleep deficit, however, firefighters should return to work fully recovered from the previous shift.
Kenneth B. Ellerbe chief of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department has proposed a schedule where firefighters work three-day shifts, followed by three night shifts, followed by three days off.
[14] It is likely that such a schedule would impact all four alertness factors associated with shift work, and result in a threat to public safety.
If the schedule induces sleep deficit in a subsequent day shift, this performance would be worse.
The majority of Australian fire brigades use this schedule (which is locally referred to as the '10/14' or '4 on, 4 off' roster) [15] The rota is: DDNNOOOO.