posted
I have never done shift work in my life. My work experience is pretty much exclusively a 40-hour week, 8-4:30 Monday-Friday. My boss suggested I go on shift with a crew of operators I've already gotten to know a little bit as a way of getting a better feel for what their jobs entail and how they implement the things that we (the engineers) request. Okay, I think to myself. I can deal with one or two 12-hour days. I'll probably be at least somewhat busy since I'll also be poking my head into my office in case anything urgent comes up. Well, there are also two nights. The shift rotation is a four-day thing, two days and two nights, 6 to 6 each time, for a total of 48 hours of work in four days. That's more than I work in a week, so I get some time off before and after (particularly since I'll be working over a weekend) to try to adjust my sleep pattern.
I'm actually starting to get somewhat nervous about this. I need these guys to respect me, because otherwise they'll always look askance at any instructions I give them with respect to how I want them to run my area of the plant. I know that if I fall asleep while on nights I'll never hear the end of it from the operators, but I don't drink coffee and I'm not about to start now. My last all-nighter was a little over a year ago during my last term at university, but that one went pretty well, so in addition to being nervous I'm also somewhat hopeful.
To some of you this probably sounds like a lame thing to be nervous about. You might even be laughing at how cushy my life is that I've never had to work hard in my life or some such thing. If that's how you feel, I'd appreciate it if you don't post. There are some other reasons for my nervousness that I'm not interested in going into here, or on Hatrack at all for that matter.
So. I'm going to tell my dad about it when I talk to him this weekend. My dad has always told me that he thinks it'd do me good to have to work 12-hour days for a while, particularly if manual labour is involved (my dad is kind of like Calvin's dad). I won't be permitted to do any manual labour in this case, because I'm a salaried employee and not a member of the union, but these four days on shift will be far and away the longest I've ever worked. I think he will approve and I imagine he'll say something along the lines of "it'll do you good." I also imagine that he's right.
It's not just staying up that I'm concerned about, though. There's also the matter of getting along with the operators. I know some of the guys on this crew and I like them (and I'd like to think that they like me); this is definitely the best crew for me to be going on shift with. However, this city and I have some significant differences when it comes to political and social opinions, so much so that I've found myself having to bite my tongue occasionally even in the company of engineers from my own production group (with the notable exception of my boss). From the small amounts of time I've spent in the control room with groups of operators it seems as though I'm going to pretty much have to bite my tongue off to get through even the first morning on shift (though the crew I was with in the control room is not the same crew I will be going on shift with). There's a little more to it than sociopolitical stuff, too; I don't have coveralls of my own yet, so I have hand-me-downs from the guy I'm replacing, who was actually a shift foreman for quite some time a while back. My coveralls have his name on them, not mine. That's a (minor, but significant) problem for two reasons: First, it means there will be discussion of my name, which I'm not particularly looking forward to, and second, a lot of people don't like the guy I'm replacing because he's actually interested in getting things done in a reasonable time frame. He's what I would call an ass-kicker. I like him, and I'm going to have a hard time not sticking up for him if the guys I'm on shift with start to rag on him because I've got his name on my coveralls.
We'll see, I suppose. I think (and hope) that this particluar crew likes him more than the others.
I think that after day two (which is a week from this Sunday), I'm going to try to stay up all night to get my sleep pattern adjusted for when I head to work at 6 PM Monday night.
I'd also like to note that although this is my 7,000th post, it is not a landmark. I just like to use these nice round numbers to make special posts. If I ever do another landmark I will explicitly label it as such.
It's going to be an interesting couple of weeks.
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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posted
Twinky-- when I had to work nights, I'd bring in a bag of apples. An apple every once in a while would keep me sufficiently awake.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
I have confidence that you will find your own style of management. Don't let them harrass you because of your age. Gloss over disrespect with humor, and focus them back on task.
But, again, you'll find your own style. Be good, we know you will.
Posts: 410 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
A twelve hour shift isn't that hard to stay awake for provided you have gotten enough sleep beforehand (in my case that means at least 8 hours, preferably 9) and that you are keeping busy. The second one is even more important than the first; it's much easier to stay awake even if you're tired as long as you're doing something. When I need little pick-me-ups, I find that a strong peppermint (an Altoid, for example) gently wakes me up. I'm not sure if it's the fact that peppermint, when strong, is mildly unpleasant, or the cooling sensation in the mouth, or perhaps the fact that I associate mint with waking up and brushing my teeth.
The respect part is more difficult. The main thing, in my opinion, is to just be yourself and remember that you deserve to be there. When I first started as an engineer, I found giving instructions to techs very strange and somewhat intimidating. These were people who had been with the company much longer than I had; some of them had been there longer than I'd been alive. But my experience has been that as long as you are competent (and I have every reason to believe you are) and fair, people will at least give you enough respect to let you do your job.
quote:However, this city and I have some significant differences when it comes to political and social opinions, so much so that I've found myself having to bite my tongue occasionally even in the company of engineers from my own production group (with the notable exception of my boss).
I know exactly what you mean. I come from a pretty small town on California's central coast, where there's a lot of nature and a correspondingly high number of hippies and other liberals. After college I went to work in Orange County--the most conservative area in the state--for a huge defense company, which tends to draw the most conservative workforce. I pretty much just had to smile and nod, or find some excuse to leave the room when people would talk about politics. It never really got any easier. And even now that I'm working for a smaller company in a different area, I'm still pretty far left of the mean in my company. It's one of the things I miss most about being home: being around people who think like me. Of course, as my mom pointed out in a recent conversation we had, there are rabid conservatives back home, too, and she's even more liberal than I am, so she does exactly the same thing when people rant to her in her store: smile and nod. If you want to get along with people, you pretty much have to do that. As long as you have some like-minded friends to talk to--even if they're all outside of work--you'll be fine.
Posts: 4534 | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
Treat it like an expedition. It is a temporary thing and is even intended to be a little educational. Enjoy it, even the hard stuff that wears you out. You'll be able to use that stuff you get from the experience later. If anything, you being positive about it from beginning to end will likely give the others more respect for one of those cushy, salaried guys who they might not feel always connects with them. You should do just fine if you keep the attitude you seem to have about it.
Posts: 1170 | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
Apples, peppermints, phone calls to Poland. Okay. *scribbles notes*
quote:The main thing, in my opinion, is to just be yourself and remember that you deserve to be there. When I first started as an engineer, I found giving instructions to techs very strange and somewhat intimidating. These were people who had been with the company much longer than I had; some of them had been there longer than I'd been alive. But my experience has been that as long as you are competent (and I have every reason to believe you are) and fair, people will at least give you enough respect to let you do your job.
Yeah, that's exactly how I feel. The guy I'm replacing has been here for 27 years in various capacities, and I'm 24. On the other hand, I'm about to be handed a massive project that he would never have been given (I have to design a model of the entire plant and do a yield analysis), so on the engineering side of things the respect seems to be there. I just need to earn it on the operations side. We had a cooling tower upset a week ago today and the crew I'm going on shift with was on then; that helped. (The cooling water tower is in my area, so I'm responsible for making sure it runs smoothly.)
I also occasionally have doubts about my competence, but I think everybody who isn't stupid gets that. Most of the time I feel like I'm good at what I do.
quote:I pretty much just had to smile and nod, or find some excuse to leave the room when people would talk about politics. It never really got any easier. And even now that I'm working for a smaller company in a different area, I'm still pretty far left of the mean in my company. It's one of the things I miss most about being home: being around people who think like me.
I grew up in a predominantly conservative area with lots and lots of Baptists, but because our friends tended to share our view of things I didn't really notice it until I left for university and then came back.
My problem is that I don't have anyone to talk to here outside of work, period. I don't have any friends in this city. When I want to talk to like-minded people in person I get on a train and go visit one of the several friends I have in various parts of southern Ontario. I'm getting into things -- ultimate frisbee starting this week, tennis league starting next week -- but it'll probably be well into the summer before I even have acquaintances. Still, the work folks are easy enough to get along with (and my boss has great taste in beer), so I'm managing in the interim.
quote:Treat it like an expedition.
Yeah, that's how I'm going to try to handle it. Plus if it does suck I do have some fun things to look forward to not too long after it.
Edit: Thanks, ElJay. I'm not sure if I can take the patch off, but I suppose I could ask someone... I'm not sure who, but I could ask someone who to ask.
quote:My problem is that I don't have anyone to talk to here outside of work, period. I don't have any friends in this city. When I want to talk to like-minded people in person I get on a train and go visit one of the several friends I have in various parts of southern Ontario. I'm getting into things -- ultimate frisbee starting this week, tennis league starting next week -- but it'll probably be well into the summer before I even have acquaintances. Still, the work folks are easy enough to get along with (and my boss has great taste in beer), so I'm managing in the interim.
I'm pretty easy-going, so I've always gotten along with the people I work with, even the ones that no one else gets along with. But after nearly four years in Orange County, I still haven't made any local friends. I think partially it's because having Juliette to come home to, I haven't felt as much drive to meet people or hang out after work. So, for me, being with friends meant driving south to San Diego for the weekend or north to LA to be with college friends. It sounds like, though, you're being much more pro-active than I was. And there's always Hatrack (or the satellites) if you really need to get something off your chest. Posts: 4534 | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
Ask if you're allowed to do it? It's not your name, and you're just waiting for your own coveralls anyway, right? I'm betting you don't have a seam-ripper, but if you're careful you should be able to just slice the threads with a pocket-knife or something and remove the patch without damaging the fabric.
Replace it with a FireFly patch or something, if you want to get creative. *shrug* It might break the ice!
posted
A "Hello, My Name Is" sticker with your real name!
*giggle*
I know I've latched onto a minor issue here, but I have no useful advice on the major ones.
Oh, except for I directly supervise people who've been at the company longer than I've been alive, and totally understand how you feel about that. It took awhile before I got comfortable giving them direction, but it's better now. Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Shift work sounds harder than it is. My old job was 6 to 6, and I never had a problem staying awake even without caffeine. Just make sure to get lots of sleep before you go in. I was in a chair all night as well; if you are actually moving I would imagine it would be easier. If it is coffee and not caffeine you are against you might try No-Doz or soda, but they should be unnecessary. Just make sure you have no plans for the twelve hours between shifts so you can go home and collapse for about ten of them. If you do not get sleep before each shift it will be a lot harder.
Posts: 1364 | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted
I did the same shift work after some cushy time You will be fine, just make sure you sleep at least 8 hours before a shift, and big projects can help pass the time a lot faster.
Posts: 1918 | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
You'll get through it, like the other posters pointed out, if you keep busy. Time flies when you're having fun.
During the marathon holiday season, I worked a couple of 12+ hour shifts. By virtue of being crowded by people wanting help, I never notice the hours fly by. Which is a GOOD thing.
Posts: 1813 | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
I'm wondering how well I'll be able to keep busy given that I won't be allowed to do too much as a consequence of the union rules. While I can go out into the plant as an engineer to check on things whenever I feel like it, I can't, say, close a valve myself. I have to tell the relevant operator "please close this valve." When I'm on shift I still won't be able to do those things. I'm hoping there'll be enough things I'm allowed to do to keep me busy...
I'll definitely make sure to get sufficient sleep. Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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posted
The best I can say about your company is that it is run by sadists intent on getting rid of folks before they are eligible to collect pensions, either through: 1) People quitting outta disgust. 2) People getting fired for tardiness, or insubordination arising out of ill temper due to sleep deprivation. 3) People getting killed or maimed (including home and commuting accidents) while making stupid mistakes from being constantly "jet lagged"/sleep-deprived. 4) People dying way too young because of the nasty health effects of such a schedule over the long term.
Can ya work that schedule? Yep.
Can ya do it without messing up the rest of your life? Nope. Most of your "free"time is spent trying to catch up on your sleep, or being in a fouler mood than is your natural disposition. Or doing the amphetamines&sleeping-pills addiction routine. Forget about schooling unless you are one of the rare folks who normally ace tests without studying, and can write papers without more than a cursory glance through research materials. Even then expect significantly lower grades.
posted
It's a chemical plant. It runs 24/7. People have to be there to run it all the time. Shutdown and startup are so complex that they only happen once every three years or so.
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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posted
That seems like a pretty stupid shift to run. Why not do 4 nights one week and then 4 days the next, alternating crews each week? It would seem to make more sense in giving everybody a chance to recover between the day and night shifts.
There is probably a reason for it, but it seems like the crews would be less productive/well rested doing it this way.
Posts: 1336 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Of course it has to run 24/7. But do the workers have to work that schedule? Why not 12 hour shifts either all days or all nights? What good does the day/night shift do, besides really messing up people's sleep schedule?
Or why not three overlapping 8 hour shifts? 7 AM - 4 PM, 3 PM - 12 AM, and 11 PM - 8 AM. That way you don't have to worry about not having coverage on shift change, either. Stagger people's weekends, as they're obviously doing now with the 4 day work week thing.
I worked 4 x 10 x 4s for awhile. We worked four 10 hour days, with an hour break for lunch, then a four hour day on Friday. And there was always overtime if you wanted to stay and work 8 hours on Friday. It was kinda nice... all winter, pretty much, I took the overtime for extra cash, all summer I cut out and enjoyed the nice weather and free Friday afternoons.
I was really surprised when I read your original post that the same shift works both days and nights in the same week. I've never heard of that before. 12 hour days in themselves aren't really that bad... but switching back and forth like that does seem somewhat dangerous to me.
posted
How does the rotation work, exactly? Seems like in between the switch from day shift to night shift you'll get a 24-hour break. Either that or you'll get two shifts back to back. Either way seems pretty sucky, since with a 24-hour break you'll be tired coming off the one shift so you'll want to sleep, but you won't have enough time to sleep twice.
Posts: 4534 | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
24-hour break. I don't like the shift structure either, and I have no idea why they do it this way.
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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