This book is for shiftwork schedulers and for teams involved in fatigue risk management systems (FRMS) for 24/7 operations. The book covers shift lengths from four to 24 hours, and numbers of crews from one to five. Shift plan examples include 4-, 6-, 8- 12- and 24-hour shift lengths, split-crew plans, a plan for part-time workers, and eight-plus-twelve-hour shift length combination plans. The Continental, Metropolitan, Panama, DuPont, oilfield/offshore, maritime watchstanding (classic and "close") and other known shiftwork plans (rotas) are assessed critically. I have updated the sections on sleep and fatigue physiology and fatigue countermeasures and added information on FRMS.

As far as I can determine, this is the most comprehensive, non-proprietary explanation of shiftwork scheduling available on the market. It should probably be in the library of every individual or team responsible for the scheduling of 24/7 operations. It may also be used as an inspection tool to help determine whether shiftwork-induced fatigue or shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) may have been a contributing factor in an accident. The book contains 155 scientific and technical references.