Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997 (Act No. 75 of 1997)Codes of Good PracticeCode of Good Practice on the Arrangement of Working Time5. Arrangement of Shifts |
The following recommendations apply to the arrangement of shift work:
| 5.1 | Overtime should be avoided, especially in occupations involving special hazards or heavy physical or mental strain. |
| 5.2 | The changeover from one shift to another during the working day should, where appropriate, include a brief period of overlap of the two crews in order to pass on any information that is needed by the subsequent crew. |
| 5.3 | If appropriate and if it is possible within legal requirements, workers whose skills are interchangeable should be allowed to exchange a shift with another worker. |
| 5.4 | The shift schedule should be displayed or distributed for easy access by all workers, and should be presented in a readily understandable form. |
| 5.5 | Workers should receive reasonable notice in advance of scheduled hours of work and of any foreseeable changes to the schedule. |
| 5.6 | Arrangements should be considered to accommodate the special needs of workers such as pregnant and breast-feeding workers, workers with family responsibilities, older workers, disabled workers or workers with health problems, and also workers' personal preferences for the scheduling of their own free time. |