Joedirt,
Have a look at the links below. It's heavy reading but should give you some answers.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...on_028337.hcsp
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...on_032810.hcsp
Basically, you can not exceed 2000 duty hours a year so it has big implications for any one running on a 24 hour or 12 hour roster.
Doing the maths anyone working a 12 hour roster can only work 13.9 shifts a month.
A 24 hour roster based on the current UK CG FTL works out at 8.5 shifts a month.
In addition to that you have to consider duty travel, HUET training and the other courses/refresher training etc.. you can't do while on shift. All of which must be logged as duty time. So naturally the number of shifts you can do falls.
From the DFT: -
Periods spent working overtime and on standby duty are captured under the definition of "working time" and should therefore be taken into account when calculating an individual's total annual working time.
To add to the employers problems it seems that every employee must take at least 20 days leave a year. That's LEAVE, not time off as a result of a rotating roster.
Roundwego,
I'm not sure that an employee can waiver the working time directive. Otherwise everyone would do it because from my understanding it's the worker NOT the company who pays the penalty for breaking it.
Anyway the fun continues,
RTS.