Longest work shift

Kevin McCloud · 13-12-2014 03:58AM

petrolcan wrote: »

Longest I've done is 140(ish) hours straight. I did get to sleep for a few hours at night though. Couldn't do it now as the OH would be mightily pissed.

That is not a work shift though since you left work and got sleep.

Littlekittylou · 13-12-2014 04:11AM

beks101 wrote: »

I started work at 7.30am Friday morning.
I've been on-shift for 18 hours.
That's 18 hours with no lunch break, one coffee break where I got pulled back to my desk because of another work crisis, and two toilet breaks.
I need sugar, alcohol, sleep and to punch a wall very hard.

What's the longest shift you've ever worked and why?

ETA: I did get free hula hoops though. BBQ beef flavour. I ate three packets.

I once worked on Christmas eve from 5.00 in the morning until 10 o'clock in the evening. I worked in a hairdressers at reception. Awful worst day of the year. No lunch no nothing too busy.

20 hours straight on a complicated web site rollout with just one other person. I killed her.

braddun · 13-12-2014 05:39AM

I work 16 hour days
7 days a week

The Backwards Man · 13-12-2014 05:52AM

I used to run a bar and nightclub, started at 8am until 5ish seven days a week, back at 7 until 2am Tue-Thur, 7 until 4am Fri-Sun, 11pm-2am Monday (my day off!) Did that for three years straight until I disappeared on the tear for a fortnight one January.

Littlekittylou · 13-12-2014 06:22AM

braddun wrote: »

I work 16 hour days
7 days a week

Get some sleep!

pappyodaniel · 13-12-2014 06:26AM

There's a lot of this going on in this thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

Littlekittylou · 13-12-2014 06:28AM

pappyodaniel wrote: »

There's a lot of this going on in this thread.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

I know I haven't worked really long shifts regularly generally the ones I mentioned were not par of the course they would have been before a big project or something unusual.

I know certain jobs are known for it but some people are exaggerating. Not all of course! But some!

TheFarrier · 13-12-2014 06:42AM

Done 41 hours in a tractor drawing silage the summer before last, the weather was supposed to break so the boss had all hands on deck for days. Was dangerous near the end, I fell asleep in the yard waiting for the loader to come down off the pit. No amount of roaring down the two way radio or bouncing the loader off the trailer would wake me.

Done an 18 hour day shoeing horses during my apprenticeship, my boss was going on holiday, and we had to try put a weeks work into two days. Under the first horse at 6am, out from under the last one at five to midnight. Was fair sore getting into bed that night I tell ye

Jawgap · 13-12-2014 07:11AM

Back in the day I worked in hospitality in a couple of the larger hotels near Lansdowne Road.

On rugby weekends you'd work about 80 hours over 4 days........and on Sunday afternoon / evening go on the pi$$! Oh, to be that young again

Icemancometh · 13-12-2014 10:18AM

pappyodaniel wrote: »

There's a lot of this going on in this thread.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

I feel like this sometimes, cause the new interns only work 24 hour shifts. In some places, only 12 hours at a time! And they get cup o' hot gravel and all.

dundalkfc10 · 13-12-2014 10:20AM

When on holidays, stayed awake from the Tuesday morning untill early on the Friday morning! Drink and Drugs helped me through it though

seventeen sheep · 13-12-2014 10:23AM

In my old job, 14/15 hour days were the norm ... also you were fully expected to work at the weekends ... in theory, time in lieu was given for overtime; however all jobs were on a strict budget. So we were only allowed record a fraction of the overtime worked.

I don't miss that place!

Sir Osis of Liver. · 13-12-2014 10:28AM

xXxkorixXx wrote: »

My husband worked 21hrs one day

One day I worked 25 hours.

TheBeardedLady · 13-12-2014 10:53AM

Never did any mad working like that. Would do the odd double shift as a waitress when I was a student. Can't imagine. I'm a horrible human being when I'm sleep deprived and I feel extremely sorry for myself.

Beks would you not bring a little packed lunch with you just in case?

13-12-2014 11:14AM

16 hours days regularly enough when writing my thesis and in work an odd time. I'd have taken plenty of breakes in that though at least 2 hours. 16 hours is actually the longest I could work where I work as the building is only open for that long.

Some of the claims being made here aren't possible.

corner of hells · 13-12-2014 11:27AM

Elisabeth Moldy Balloon wrote: »

16 hours days regularly enough when writing my thesis and in work an odd time. I'd have taken plenty of breakes in that though at least 2 hours. 16 hours is actually the longest I could work where I work as the building is only open for that long.

Some of the claims being made here aren't possible.

They are possible if you include spoofing as your employment.

sam34 · 13-12-2014 11:50AM

As a medical intern I regularly did 57/58 hour shifts... It was madness, and dangerous. Wouldn't be allowed happen now.

cloud493 · 13-12-2014 11:55AM

Last christmas we were so busy on the 22nd to the 23rd december, and the higher ups so stingy on hiring new people, that I did from 6am on the 22nd to 11pm on the 23rd.

brevity · 13-12-2014 11:59AM

Frosty McSnowballs wrote: »

Most iv stayed awake because of work is 10 days. Active all the time for that though.

Were you in Guantanamo bay?

Intensive Care Bear · 13-12-2014 12:02PM

One year while living in Ibiza i stayed awake for a whole summer.

AnimalChin · 13-12-2014 12:06PM

Longest shift was November 16 until yesterday. Didn't sleep, eat or take any breaks either.

But at least I can feel like a hero on boards.

Mesrine65 · 13-12-2014 12:09PM

Frosty McSnowballs wrote: »

Most iv stayed awake because of work is 10 days.

Amphetamines

myshirt · 13-12-2014 12:13PM

NCHD's do have it tough, that's hard going. The mentality of the profession at that point is nuts though with the bring it on attitude. They really bust their bollox working.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9250518/Top-surgeon-says-48-hour-week-damages-doctors-training.html

Most intense I ever done was 19 days on, one off, and another 19 after that, one off, then back to normal six day weeks. Everything very nearly fell to sh!t at the time courtesy of the Central Bank.

Most I'd work in a day is 8a.m to 6 now, but used to draw the line at 9p.m. Who here will be on their death bed saying they wished they worked more?

At the same time, you must work, and our kids should realise that people do work, and not sit on their hole unfettered, unchallenged, with pay increment after pay increment, regardless of performance, pensioned up to the eyeballs, excessive holidays, sick pay etc. Somewhere out there there's someone working at least!

petrolcan · 13-12-2014 12:26PM

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

That is not a work shift though since you left work and got sleep.

I didn't leave work.

ShadyLane · 13-12-2014 12:48PM

As an intern in a general hospital would routinely (3-4 x a month) be doing 36 hours shifts.

Now down to the much more civilised 24-26 hour shifts once or twice a week. Generally work 70-80 hours per week so not too bad overall. Gets surprisingly easy to stay awake when adrenaline is pumping!

Spook_ie · 13-12-2014 12:58PM

Frosty McSnowballs wrote: »

Regularly do 24hr shifts. Mostly just trying to stay awake than actually doing stuff though.

Most iv gone without a day off is about 4 months.

Most iv stayed awake because of work is 10 days. Active all the time for that though.

Ah feck you were only just off being a world record holder
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-long-can-humans-stay/

The easy experimental answer to this question is 264 hours (about 11 days). In 1965, Randy Gardner, a 17-year-old high school student, set this apparent world-record for a science fair.

Red Kev · 13-12-2014 01:00PM

In Germany I once did 32 hour shift, trying to get an order out. We all got serious bonus for it, so worked out OK.

Did 70-100 hour weeks for 4-5 months at a time for s few years, I was self employed and was making a lot of money so it didn't bother me too much, but I wouldn't recommend it.

I also call bull on the 10 day shift......what were you working at?

demanufactured · 13-12-2014 01:02PM

I call bull**** on a lot of these posts... . Did a 17 hour day once.. That was a once off... Was melted after it.

Greenmachine · 13-12-2014 01:14PM

Years ago, I often worked 11am-3am or 11am-5am. At one point I alternated for a period between such a long shift and a 1pm-7pm shift.
I remember riding the bus in many a morning about to start a 16-18 shift and my head snapping forward from exhausting.
Eventually I was scheduled one day to work 8am-6am and I told my manager to go to hell.

Daisy03 · 13-12-2014 01:17PM

seventeen sheep wrote: »

In my old job, 14/15 hour days were the norm ... also you were fully expected to work at the weekends ... in theory, time in lieu was given for overtime; however all jobs were on a strict budget. So we were only allowed record a fraction of the overtime worked.

I don't miss that place!

Accountant by any chance? I am the same! Longest was 15 hours at work followed by working 2 hours at home which I thought was long. I couldnt manage anymore.

I have an astronomical amount of leave in lieu owed to be but it would be so much more if I charged all the time I actually worked.

Longest work shift

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