Summary
During 2005-06 NFRS
evaluated alternative service configurations and
deployment arrangements based on a demand-led rostering approach using annualised hours working.
Since implementation of the negotiated scheme in January 2007 ridership levels have improved significantly and shifts lost to absence have decreased by
more than 30%.
While the operational firefighter establishment of 456 FTE remained unchanged, revisions to overnight appliance deployment combined with more efficient rostering and alternative absence management policies have allowed the creation of a Community Safety Team of 24 FTE firefighters along with a “Pool” of 16 FTE firefighters to provide cover for longer-term absence.
Short-term sickness absence remained covered within the individual Station/Watch establishments (of 416 FTE firefighters) which were adjusted to accommodate cluster arrangements and the establishment of the Pool and Community Safety Team.
In a report to the CFA, the Chief Fire Officer said:
“The Agreement represents a significant step change in the way in which shift duty personnel are rostered for work, providing capacity for greater engagement in Community Safety activity to reduce avoidable death and injury.
Key with the Agreement and linked to IRMP outcomes is the focus on Community Safety on every day shift within each 3-day block, the introduction of flexible rostering for operationally based Community Safety firefighters, and risk-based resource deployment.”
Demand-Led Rostering
The principle of demand-led rostering, combined with the increased flexibility within the negotiated collective agreement enables NFRS to roster the required number of firefighters to work, with designated colleagues on “amber-call” who are able to be called in to cover others’ short-term absence.
Watch & Shift Pattern Arrangements
A 4-watch arrangement of firefighters was preferred to other alternatives investigated – including those based on 3- and 5-watch working.
A revision to the conventional [2 Days (of 9 hours), 2 Nights (of 15 hours), 4 rests] was implemented using 12-hour shifts with a pattern of [3 Days, 3 rests, 3 Nights, 3 rests].
Absence Cover Arrangements
While short-term absence is covered by designated colleagues being available on “amber-call”, longer-term absence is treated differently.
To assist in managing the fluctuations in the establishment and to reduce the impact of long term sickness a virtual ‘Pool’ was created. Firefighters are deployed to the pool when they are sick for 10 consecutive working days (a minimum of 19 consecutive calendar days), or when placed on light duties.
Additionally, under circumstances where the establishment is high, or the number of long term sick staff is low, then a small number of operationally fit employees will notionally reside in the pool (rather than being deployed to a Station establishment where they would be deployed, on occasions, in excess to the required operational deployment).
Employees in the pool are conditioned to the agreed day duty system and based at Headquarters, or if appropriate to the Community Safety Teams. This may be varied by approval of the Head of Safety Services in circumstances where such a posting or duty system would be significantly detrimental to the employee.
Annualised Hours
Annualised hours contracts consider firefighter working time across a year, rather than on a weekly basis – so that an annual contract for a firefighter, after holiday entitlement, is made up of either 1794 hours (less than 5 years’ service) or 1758 hours p.a.
In NFRS these hours –called Committed hours – are further divided into Rostered hours and Reserve hours – with each firefighter having a “reserve bank” of 96 hours (equivalent to 8 x 12 hours).
Detailed local rules are incorporated in the collective agreement on the amount of notice to be given and the methodology for deployment of reserve hours.
In the NFRS agreement there are 13 occasions per year when a firefighter is assigned “amber call” – some of which are on “rest” days within the 3-on, 3-off pattern.
If a firefighter is called in on fewer than 8 occasions across a year, then any hours not worked (which will have been paid) are written off at the year end. This is a built-in incentive for roster groups to reduce casual short-term absence.
Stand-down arrangements during night shifts were discontinued with beds being subsequently removed from stations.
Ken Beaumont
currently MD and Principal Consultant at
Workforce Logistics Ltd, provided consultancy
support to both staff and union sides in the
development of the scheme
Update – December 2009
In the last year all NFRS stations have moved away from a “central crewing arrangement” and have implemented self-rostering arrangements. Operational firefighters at individual stations now have the opportunity to choose the rostered arrangement which they work – within certain parameters, including meeting the Working Time Directive and a maximum scheduled shift length of 12 hours.
Many stations have reverted to the conventional rotation of [2 Days, 2 Nights, 4 rests], with both Day and Night shifts of 12 hours.
