Are there special working time arrangements for night shift workers?
An employer shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that the normal working hours of a night worker do not exceed an average of 8 hours in any 24-hour period. This is averaged over a 17-week reference period. A night worker is a person who normally works at least 3 hours during nighttime (nighttime is defined as between 11pm and 6am). If the night work involves ‘special hazards or heavy physical or mental strain’, then a strict 8-hour time limit is imposed on working time in each 24-hour period and no averaging is allowed over a reference period. Note that there are no ‘opt-outs’ to working time regulations for night workers.
