LRD guides and handbook September 2014

Health and safety law 2014

Chapter 7

Rest breaks and monotonous work

[ch 7: page 114]

Additional protection is provided by Regulation 8 of the Working Time Regulations (see Chapter 9: Hours of work). This says that where the pattern of work puts the health and safety of any worker at risk, especially if work is monotonous or the work rate is predetermined, the employer must ensure workers get adequate rest breaks. This is on top of the basic rest break entitlement under the Working Time Regulations of 20-minutes away from the workstation after working six hours in a day.