Taking breaks

**Jimmy B** · #1 06-30-2005, 07:37 PM

As anyone who has worked the entire day knows that taking breaks during your job is critical, at least for most workers including me.

At Frontier City, during our short-day operations (like 10 AM - 8 PM or Noon - 7 PM), we usually have a 15-minute break during the first shift and half-hour during the second. On long days (10 AM - 10/11 PM) for all day workers, we'll have two 30-minute breaks, and perhaps if possible a third 15-minute break, which almost never happens due to scheduling problems.

Also, because of the heat and humidity in Oklahoma and Texas during the summer (mid-upper 90s), we are strongly encouraged, indeed required, to drink lots of water and take our breaks. Fortunately we have water jugs to keep in our stations. I usually bring lots of Gatorade; on a typical Saturday, I consume about four to six 20-oz bottles of Gatorade, or drink almost a gallon of water a day.

How many breaks do you all get to take?

Carowinds 73-03 · #2 06-30-2005, 07:52 PM

If we work a half day like 4pm-8pm or 2pm-8pm we get a 30 min break but if your like me and work from 8/9am till 8/10pm i get an hour break and thats it which is plenty for me. Sometimes i really wish we didn't have to take breaks.

When SCarowinds comes around and i work 9am-12:30/1am i will get 2 1 hour breaks but most likely will only take 1.

RidesKid133 · #3 06-30-2005, 08:17 PM

Under NJ State Law, since I'm under 18 (16) I can't work more than 4 hours without a break. And I can only work 8hours in a day. If I only work 4 hours, usually a sup. will give me 15 minutes. If I work 8 hours, I get 1 30 minute break and an occasionally 2nd 30 minute break. Then, if I work 8.5 hours I HAVE to have 2 30 minute breaks.

On a normal 8 hour day, I only take 1 break. I rarely take 2 breaks, unless like I said its an 8.5 hour day.

medieval · #4 06-30-2005, 10:21 PM

Rides, under NJ state law, you have to take your break before your 5th hour of work.

Im 16, and I work at SFGadv. I can't take my break before my 3rd hour of work and no later then my 5th.
A 16 or 17 year old cannot work more them 8 hours under NJ state law.

RidesKid133 · #5 07-01-2005, 01:31 AM

^well when I say I work a 8.5 hour day, because of the 1hr total break time, I only work 7.5 hours a day. And I was never told I couldn't take a break before my 3rd hour of work, but I guess that's how they start figuring out break times..??

phantompenguin · #6 07-01-2005, 12:05 PM

At Kennywood we get two half-hour breaks. For my crew the first round of breaks starts at 2(2-3 people go at a time) and usually ends around 3:30 or 4. The second round begins at 5(again, 2-3 people go at a time) but usually only the As(all day shift) take them.

I almost never take breaks unless it's really hot or I'm really hungry.

RLLrCoastrLover · #7 07-01-2005, 01:44 PM

I dont work at a park but I was wondering what you guy do on your breaks? Do you go ride something?

**Jimmy B** · #8 07-01-2005, 03:17 PM

We're not allowed to ride when we are on the job or when we are in uniform -- even during breaks. I always head to my employee cafe to just sit down and rest and if I need to, get more water or fluids. For me, I need the rest, so I always take full advantage of my breaks to relax, especially since we are required to stay standing at all time on the job and the heat and humidity also takes its toll.

Scottywood · #9 07-02-2005, 12:52 AM

In the rides department at Lake Compounce, if you work a half day (10:30am-3:30pm or 3pm-8pm) you get 1 45 minute break, if you work all day you get 2 45 minute breaks. I usually take only 1 break a day because I am a manager or a section so I don't have to take one, and usually when I do I never take the full 45 because I don't like just sitting down doing nothing, I'd rather be walking around doing something.

phantompenguin · #10 07-04-2005, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RLLrCoastrLover

I dont work at a park but I was wondering what you guy do on your breaks? Do you go ride something?

Sit in the employee cafeteria and eat and/or talk.

Carowinds 73-03 · #11 07-04-2005, 11:54 PM

Same here, were not allowed to ride rides on breaks anymore

Tbakmtown2006 · #12 07-05-2005, 01:11 AM

At Hersheypark, if you are working the morning (9-4) or night (4-10/11) you get a 45min. break somewhere in the middle of the shift during the break time. If you work the relief shift (11:50-8) you get a 1 hour break in between all the other breaks you are giving. But sometimes during pre/post season when staffing isn't that great we only get 30min. breaks which depending on where you are working isn't enough time. Our normal breaks are plenty of time to do whatever you need to do. Also, throughout the day/night if you ever need a bathroom/water break somebody comes and relieves you while you go.

PGH_Steeler · #13 07-05-2005, 11:12 AM

Kennywood shifts/breaks

A Shift - 10:30am to close (when ever close is depending on weather and crowd) usually around 10:00pm or 11:00pm. we will no longer be closing before 10pm now which sucks!! N-E-Ways you get two 30minute breaks

B Shift - 10:00am to Not Needed (which is usually after 2nd breaks) around 6:00pm or 6:30pm. you get one 30 minute break

C Shift - 2 to close you get one 30 minute break

D Shift- 10am - 5pm no breaks cause we usually get off at 3pm. in kiddieland they get off at 5 so they get one break.

E Shift- 5 to close no break

F Shift 12- close one break

we can't ride in uniform. plus our breaks are only 30 minutes and usually we are super hungry so we go to the employee cafe to eat. The only time we can ride while we are working is if there is a little kid that is scared to ride by themselves and there are more than one platform attendent on platform. Otherwise the kid will just have to go alone lol. And at the thunder bolt, if someone does not have a partner, the attendents try to find them one and if they can't find them one the platform attendent can ride with them just as long as there is someone else on platform, cause you must have a partner on that ride.

**Jimmy B** · #14 07-05-2005, 06:26 PM

Do you all have water jugs available at your ride station or do you just bring your own personal cooler? We are required to have water jugs from the park storage at every ride/attraction, in fact a park policy, whether or not you bring a personal cooler. I usually consume almost a gallon of water (one full cup every hour) on an all-day (12/13-hour) shift.

PGH_Steeler · #15 07-05-2005, 09:20 PM

[quote=Hurricane]Do you all have water jugs available at your ride station or do you just bring your own personal cooler?QUOTE]

we have water jugs at every ride. But sometimes its just too hot to carry it all the way to the ice/water station in the morning, so we don't fill it up. Everyone in the rides departmant has a Kennywood water bottle so we just fill that up with water when we need it. There is a Gyro place right next to our ride so we ask them to give us water.