Hours of Employment (Conventions) Act 1936

PART IISheet-Glass Works Convention, 1934

Article 1

1This Convention applies to persons who work in successive shifts in necessarily continuous operations in sheet-glass works which manufacture by automatic machines sheet-glass or other glass of the same characteristics which only differs from sheet -glass in thickness and other dimensions.

2By necessarily continuous operations are meant all operations which, on account of the automatic and continuous character of the feeding of the molten glass to the machines and the working of the machines, are necessarily carried on without a break at any time of the day, night or week.

Article 2

1The persons to whom this Convention applies shall be employed under a system providing for at least four shifts.

2The hours of work of such persons shall not exceed an average of forty-two per week.

3This average shall be calculated over a period not exceeding four weeks.

4The length of a spell of work shall not exceed eight hours.

5The interval between two spells of work by the same shift shall not be less than sixteen hours ; Provided that this interval may where necessary be reduced on the occasion of the periodical change-over of shifts.

Article 3

1The limits of hours prescribed in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of Article 2 may be exceeded and the interval prescribed in paragraph 5 reduced, but only so far as may be necessary to avoid serious interference with the ordinary working of the undertaking—

(a)in case of accident, actual or threatened, or in case of urgent work to be done to machinery or plant, or in case of force majeure ; or

(b)in order to make good the unforeseen absence of one or more members of a shift.

2Adequate compensation for all additional hours worked in accordance with this Article shall be granted in such manner as may be determined by national laws or regulations or by agreement between the organisations of employers and workers concerned.

Article 4

In order to facilitate the effective enforcement of the provisions of this Convention every employer shall be required :

(a)to notify, by the posting of notices in conspicuous positions in the works or other suitable place or by such other method as may be approved by the competent authority, the hours at which each shift begins and ends;

(b)not to alter the hours so notified except in such manner and with such notice as may be approved by the competent authority; and

(c)to keep a record in the form prescribed by the competent authority of all additional hours worked in pursuance of Article 3 of this Convention and of the compensation granted in respect thereof.