Nightshift experiences?

[Kendog]

Can you believe it only takes two people per shift to run this station?

Just like watching Homer on the Simpsons?

[Kendog]

For we nought go to do room when forest?

Forty Two

[Number One]

Damn - enjoyed that one and can't bling ya cos I must spread

[oldrider]

I had 25 years of round the clock shift work at sea in shipping and on shore in power stations and systems.

I enjoyed shift work but there are good and bad rosters to be involved in.

The biggest problem facing shift workers in NZ (IMHO) is incompetent managers.

I was also a manager, so I comment from an experienced position.

Was I a competent manager?

It would be nice to have been considered a good one but it doesn't really matter any more, I am out of there. Cheers John.

[KiwiRat]

Just like watching Homer on the Simpsons?

Can you see the TV on in the background? SKY Digital....on the house.

Sucks to be me.............NOT.

[k14]

I agree with you there. All nights would not be too flash at all. I'm an operator at a co-generation power station, and cannot see myself ever wanting to have a regular Mon - Fri job. The "2 days, 2 nights and 4 days off" suits me just fine. I get more than enough sleep, more than enough natural light, and nearly enough bike riding time. If I take 4 days Annual Leave, it works out to be 12 days off. The leave roster is planned months in advance, so time off is not an issue.

I realize it's not the lifestyle for everyone, but if you get the right job, it beats a 9 - 5 job hands down.

Can you believe it only takes two people per shift to run this station?

Totally agree, been doing my job for just over 2 years now and we're on predominately a day day night night (7-7) roster. Takes a wee bit to get used to but once you work out the way your body handles it then its fine. Sleeping in the central otago summer can be a bit difficult sometimes though (35 degrees+) hehe.

Can you believe it takes 1 person to run these two powerstations?? Obviously you're way overstaffed . Must be run by the gv'mnt or something

[KiwiRat]

Can you believe it takes 1 person to run these two powerstations?? Obviously you're way overstaffed . Must be run by the gv'mnt or something

Mate, hydro stations are for girls

But seriously, the 9 stations on the Waikato River are pretty much operated by one person in a central control room in Hamilton.

We also sell steam to a CHH paper recycling plant 1 mile up the road.

[Highlander]

Can you believe it takes 1 person to run these two powerstations?? Obviously you're way overstaffed . Must be run by the gv'mnt or something

Mate, hydro stations are for girls

But seriously, the 9 stations on the Waikato River are pretty much operated by one person in a central control room in Hamilton.

We also sell steam to a CHH paper recycling plant 1 mile up the road.

i'm a Dispatch/Trader in the electricity industry, and 12 hour shifts are great. They provide for maximum time off after each shift run for recovery and to lead some semblence of a normal life.

K14 / Jantar I think I could do your jobs.

If we are counting number of stations I win.

Oldrider, you probably don't remember but you were my manager at one stage.

KiwiRat - REAL MEN USE THEIR WATER COLD

The thing I really don't cope well with is the periods of "Office hours" put me back on shift any time, I consider my 2 weeks stints of office hours as a punishment for enjoying shift work.

[k14]

K14 / Jantar I think I do your jobs.

If we are counting number of stations I win.

Nah real men measure by the amount of power at their disposal. Current count for me is 790MW. Can ya beat that??

I could also count the other 1000MW (give or take 100) that I'm trading but that wouldn't be fair would it

[Number One]

One week in he is coping well. Though out cold from 6pm tonight. With any luck this means he'll bound out of bed tomorrow morning bright eyed and bushy tailed and mummy can have a IN. :begging smilie required:

Strangely though while he is just completely out of sync I find surprisingly that I am also affected as I don't sleep properly being in the house on my own...it's as if I doze and I feel as though I am conscious of the hours passing and noises in the house and etc etc. When he'd go out, I'd hear the rumble of his bike coming and THEN I'd fall into real sleep. Anyway so far so, relatively good

[Disco Dan]

I was wondering if anybody out there in KB does night shift or has converted from "normal buisness hours" to night shift.

What are you experiences with this?
How did you adjust?
How do you find sleeping during the day?

What are the pros and cons of working when neally everybody else is sleeping or partying?

I interested to hear anything from someone who does nightshift hours.

Thanks in advance!

I work shifts, sometimes that means nights.

At the moment I work mainly evenings 3pm starts and 11pm finishes. - doing this means that when it's 9am 'normal' time it feels like 3am to me.

When I do nights, it's usually a follow on from a 3-11 and just carry through till 7am (on two occasions I have even followed on from that till 3pm).

Weekends disappear. But when your days off fall in the middle of the week and you can cruise around all day getting all your jobs done while everyones at work its great!

Social life? Yeah.. right "social life" on a bit of bog roll, wipe your bum with it then flush it.

Weekends roll along and you find yourself working both days. Long weekends make the whole affair worse, but with the bonus of working the public holiday.

I've done shift work like this for the past 7 years - dont plan on changing either. Love it.

It's amazing how much more you can get done when only a small part of your day actually has sunlight...

[Number One]

Yeah he is lucky to have his weekends and the shift doesn't change. I think that will help. He doesn't have trouble sleeping in the day and he gets to play with all the engineers toys so he's happy I think

[Spuds1234]

Having just changed work places (but not jobs) I know exactly what its like to work night shifts and to have to adjust.

Turns out I dont really have a body clock. I just make sure I get up one and a half hours before my shift starts and get atleast 8-9 hours sleep before my shift starts.

If I get that Im sweet at.

The trick seems to be remembering to go to bed at 6:30pm to get to work at 5am

It does kill your social life though unfortunately. Which is a bit of a cunt if your a very extroverted person. I suppose Im lucky that I'm not. For the most part I would rather sit down with a good book.

My flatmates hate it though when I invite people over for drinks at 2am when it feels like 5pm for me (it always feels like 5am for me when I finish work though).

[fatzx10r]

i work night shift 6 till 6, its good fun when the boss'es are'nt at work, you can jump on there computers and check out kb.i only work 7 nights a fortnight so get plenty of time off to go riding and what ever. would'nt want to go back to working 9 to5, 5 days a week at the moment. 2 day weekends suck

[portokiwi]

I worked 3nights 3 days 3 off for 18 years till I went overseas. Hated the nights in winter froze my ass off.
That was in the South Island.
Cons.
kills the sleep pattern. (must have affefted my spelling too)
People just dont know when not to ring you.
Can put stress on your family.
You feel more worn out.
Pros.
If you have kids its great for school activities.
My job was the day between night and day shift was classed as a day off so you realy only got 2 days off.... so your next few days on day shift you were trying to readjust.
i didnt like it but it was work.

I was offered nights or days on this job so I jumped to day shift...... I cant belive I wasted all those years. this is so much better, even with 12 hour days.... I allmost have a life now.