Breaks in monotonous work

The WTR regulations include a separate obligation on employers to ensure that a worker is given “adequate rest breaks” where the “pattern according to which an employer organises work” is such as to put the health and safety of the worker at risk (WTR 8). These breaks may be required, in particular, “because the work is monotonous or the work-rate is predetermined”. But public services union UNISON has pointed out that the regulations do not embrace the principle in the European Working Time Directive Article 13 of “adapting work to the worker” (as is the case in the CAR regulations.