Rest time, night work and shift work: the rules you need to know
Trains run all day — but your rest is non-negotiable
In a trade where attention and precision determine whether a train is safe to send off, fatigue is not just uncomfortable — it is a direct safety risk. That is why working hours, rest time and night work for employees in Denmark are regulated by occupational health and safety legislation, and the rules also apply to you as an apprentice and later qualified train preparer working in shifts.
§11-hour rule
The basic rule on daily rest period — popularly called the 11-hour rule — means that your working time must be arranged so you have at least 11 consecutive hours of rest within each 24-hour period. The rule is found in the regulation on rest periods and days off and is based on the Working Environment Act. It applies regardless of whether you have had a late evening shift or need to arrive early the next morning.
§Night work has its own limit
If you work at night, there is a special limit on how long a shift can be: night work must normally not last more than 8 hours on average within a given period. The rule exists because night shifts in themselves put more strain on the body than day shifts, and because a too long night shift increases the risk of errors precisely in those hours when concentration is already lowest.
- 01At least 11 consecutive hours of rest within every 24 hours
- 02Night work may normally last at most 8 hours on average
- 03At least one weekly day off of 35 consecutive hours
- 04Deviations from rest periods require a clear, documented reason
§The weekly day off
Beyond daily rest, you have the right to a weekly day off: at least once within a seven-day period you must have a full day off plus 11 hours of rest combined — in practice 35 consecutive hours of free time. In a trade with rotating shifts, it is the employer's responsibility to plan so this day off is actually observed week after week.
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Daily rest | At least 11 consecutive hours within 24 hours |
| Night work | Normally at most 8 hours on average |
| Weekly rest day. | At least 35 consecutive hours once a week |
§24/7 operation requires planning.
Trains run in practice around clock and preparation must happen all hours day including when most others sleep. This makes shift planning more complex than workplace with fixed daytime: planner must juggle daily rest night work limit and weekly rest day for whole team simultaneously week after week. If planning goes wrong for one employee it often hits others because shifts typically must be covered by others on team
§Compensatory rest if rules are waived
If your rest period is exceptionally shortened — for example because an unforeseen event delays a train and you must stay longer than planned — the main rule is that you must subsequently be given compensating rest: an extra rest period that makes up for the one you missed. The idea is that the total amount of rest over a period should still meet the rules, even if the individual day differs. It is the employer's responsibility to ensure that the compensating rest is actually scheduled — not just noted and forgotten.
§Your own responsibility in shift work
The rules protect you, but they only work if you actually use your rest time to rest – sleep, food and breaks are part of safety work, not something that comes after. If you notice that a shift schedule in practice doesn't give you real rest, it's something you should speak up about, preferably through your union representative or safety representative.
“A well-rested train preparer is a safety measure in itself — as is an approved brake test.”