Appendix J
GENERAL ORDER REGULATING OVERTIME
ISSUED BY THE HOME OFFICE
SEPTEMBER 9, 1916.
The following is the full text of the
parts of the order applying to women:
Scheme A. (Three Shifts.)
This scheme applies to women and female young persons of 16 years of age and over, and male young persons of 14 years of age and over. Three shifts, none of which may be longer than 10 hours, may be worked in each period of 24 hours, subject to the following conditions:
(1) Each worker shall have one break of 24 hours or more in every week, or of 32 hours or more in every alternate week, or of 40 hours or more in every third week.
(2) Each worker shall have an interval of two unemployed shifts between each two shifts of employment.
(3) An interval of not less than half an hour shall be allowed if the shift is 8 hours or less, and an interval of not less than one hour if the shift is more than 8 hours.
Provided that the superintending inspector of factories may authorize, subject to compliance with condition (1) and to such other conditions as he may impose, different arrangements as regards hours of work and breaks at the week end for the purpose of changing over the shifts.
Scheme B. (Two Shifts.)
This scheme applies to women and female persons of 16 years of age and over and male young persons of 14 years of age and over, provided that the employment in the night shift of girls under 18 or boys under 16 years of age shall be subject in each case to the approval of the superintending inspector of factories. Two shifts of 12 hours each may be worked, subject to the following conditions:
(1) No person shall be employed more than 6 turns by day or more than 6 turns by night in any week.
(2) Unless otherwise sanctioned by the superintending inspector no person shall be employed on Sunday except in a night shift commencing on Sunday evening or ending on Sunday morning.
(3) The total hours worked per week (exclusive of meal times) shall not exceed 60 provided that in the case of male young persons 16 years of age and over the total hours worked per week (exclusive of meal times) may be 63.
(4) Intervals for meals amounting to not less than 1½ hours shall be allowed in the course of each shift, of which in the case of the night shift one-fourth of an hour or more shall be allowed as a break within 4 hours of the end of the shift.
(5) Each worker shall have an interval of one unemployed shift between each two shifts of employment.
Providing that the superintending inspector may authorize, subject to such conditions as he may impose, a system of one long shift, not exceeding 13 hours with a corresponding reduction in the other shift, so that the average weekly total of hours shall not exceed the limits specified above in paragraph (3).
Scheme C. (Rearrangement of Statutory Hours.)
This scheme applies to women and female young persons of 16 years of age and over, and male young persons of 14 years of age and over.
In the case of such women and young persons the hours of work and intervals for meals allowed by the (factory and workshop) act may be arranged, subject to the following conditions:
(a) The total hours worked per week (exclusive of intervals for meals) shall not exceed 60.
(b) The daily period of employment (including overtime and intervals for meals)—
(1) Shall not commence earlier than 6 a.m. or end later than 10 p.m.
(2) Shall not exceed 14 hours.
(c) Intervals for meals amounting to not less than 1½ hours shall be allowed during the period of employment, with an additional half an hour if the period of employment is more than 13½ hours.
(d) No overtime shall be worked on Saturday.
Naval Ship Repairing Work.
In cases of special emergency women, female young persons of 16 years of age and over, and male young persons of 14 years of age and over, employed on repair work for His Majesty’s ships may be employed for special hours on any day of the week on the express instructions of the senior naval officer in charge and subject to such conditions as he may lay down as regards intervals for meals and rest, provided that in any case—
(1) No male young person over 16 years of age shall be employed for more than 67½ hours in the week (exclusive of intervals for meals and rest).
(2) No other young person or woman shall be employed for more than 65 hours in the week (exclusive of intervals for meals and rest).
Miscellaneous Provisions.
No woman or young person shall be employed continuously at any time for more than five hours without an interval of at least half an hour, except that where not less than one hour is allowed for dinner, an afternoon spell of six hours may be worked, with an interval of quarter of an hour only for tea, if the factory inspector is satisfied that adequate provision is made for the worker to obtain tea in the works and for tea to be actually ready for them as soon as they stop work.
If work commences before 8 a.m. and no interval is allowed for breakfast, an opportunity shall be given to take refreshment during the morning.
A woman or young person shall not be allowed to lift, carry, or move anything so heavy as to be likely to cause injury to the woman or young person.
Different schemes of employment may be adopted and different intervals for meals fixed for different sets of workers.
Employment on night shifts shall be subject to the provision, to the satisfaction of the factory inspector, of proper facilities for taking and cooking meals, and in the case of female workers, for their supervision by a welfare worker or a responsible forewoman.
Circular letter 198802 to accompany Home Office Order of Sept 9, 1916.
No requirement is laid down in the order that workers on the night shift shall change periodically to the day shift. The matter is left to the individual employers to determine in consultation with their work people. Care should be taken in selecting women and young persons for night work. They should not be put on night work indiscriminately.