Working at chemical plants

[The motor guy]

How do you guys do this? I have a buddy who works 6 days a week 10hrs a day. Imo it's ridiculous. What's the point of being alive if you're just going to work all the time? Life is meant to be enjoyed. The other question is where are all the people in these places? I used to go into plants and refineries to make deliveries and hardly ever saw anyone.

 

[Starman2112]

I worked at a chemical plant for 16 years. The schedule is the biggest reason I left. 12 hour swing shifts. Days one week and nights the next. Your body never gets used to that and the older you get the harder it gets. As far as where everyone is at, they’re usually in the control room with their feet up if everything’s running smoothly.

 

[Kruse]

There is a local factory here that runs 24/7/365. They make plaster products from gypsum. They have a swing-shift schedule and you work 12.5 hours a day. (12 hours work, a half-hour safety meeting at the beginning of shift) The money is excellent, but it is a job for young, single people or older people who are divorced or can't stand to be around their spouse, as you are working or you are sleeping. If you have kids in school, you will miss all of their activities.

 

[Mr Nice]

Big $$$$ is why people are willing to work those hours.

 

[gman2304]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman

How do you guys do this? I have a buddy who works 6 days a week 10hrs a day. Imo it's ridiculous. What's the point of being alive if you're just going to work all the time? Life is meant to be enjoyed. The other question is where are all the people in these places? I used to go into plants and refineries to make deliveries and hardly ever saw anyone.

. Most people “ do what they gotta do” to support their families. I did when I was young with a wife, 2 kids, mortgage etc.

 

[sloinker]

Iv'e been working rotating shifts for almost 30 years. Industry uses them as it minimizes the number of employees while still being staffed 365/24/7.

 

[Nyogtha]

I enjoyed my career but a 40 hour work week was not the norm for me. I'd say average was 45 to 50, with long stints for turnarounds and startups putting in big blocks of time. I was well compensated for my efforts. It was still a far more structured schedule than my prior job in marine transport where I went to work when the phone rang or my pager went off and I was done when I was done on 12 days on / 4 days off. My dad worked rotating shift in petroleum refineries for over 30 years.

 

[Lyman]

I worked for CP Kelco for 9 years. Rotating shift and I would trade with coworkers so we could at least stay on one shift. It got to me after a while and I found a regular hour job. Now I work 6:30 - 3pm with weekends off. I love it.

 

[Sunnyinhollister]

We are a 24/7/365 operation. We work 3 days one week, 4 days the next week 12 hours a day. I stopped doing nights because I could not handle the 12 hours at night. Pay is good.

 

[gfh77665]

I am a 33 year veteran of shift work. I have worked 12 hour rotating shifts since age 21. I have about 10 more years to go. Last year I averaged 60 hrs/week. Honestly, I am worn out. No one ever "gets used to" shift work. In fact, its harder the older I get. It takes a toll on the human body, for sure. Why? I have provided a very comfortable life for my family of five, and financial security for my wife and I during retirement (if I live that long, LOL).

 

[PumpPusher]

Why do I? 100k to click icons on a computer screen working 3 or 4 days a week. That's the beauty of 12 hour shifts, longers days, off more often. You hardly saw anyone because it is hot or cold outside, but alway nice weather in the control room!

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Making a worker continually change their sleep, will lead to fatigue/tiredness and lower productivity. Besides lowering productivity, it greatly strains the workers and creates a ton of health problems. Workers will develop sleep problems like insomnia, be at an increased risk for illness, poor metabolism (from strange meal distributions), and are more likely to develop unhealthy habits such as smoking; lack of exercise; and unhealthy diet. I don't see any benefits to using a Rotating shift to cover undesirable shifts over the standard shifts. Sure the graveyard shift isn't ideal, but I understand the need for workers 24/7. If something needs to go 24/7 then you simply draft early/over.... I got Seniority (4th in dept) and if I want extra money I volunteer to stay over/ come in early. You just got hired off the street? Then you need to prove you are worthy, then come to days.

 

[irv]

Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL

Making a worker continually change their sleep, will lead to fatigue/tiredness and lower productivity. Besides lowering productivity, it greatly strains the workers and creates a ton of health problems. Workers will develop sleep problems like insomnia, be at an increased risk for illness, poor metabolism (from strange meal distributions), and are more likely to develop unhealthy habits such as smoking; lack of exercise; and unhealthy diet. I don't see any benefits to using a Rotating shift to cover undesirable shifts over the standard shifts. Sure the graveyard shift isn't ideal, but I understand the need for workers 24/7. If something needs to go 24/7 then you simply draft early/over....

Shift work has been scientifically proven to shorten a person's life. I have worked at a Nuke plant, DNGS, now for going on 35 years and thankfully I have never had to work it. I have worked numerous hours overtime, usually 400 hrs per year and one with over 600 hrs. I did that when I was young and able so I could rest a little easier when I decided to have children. It's not for everyone but hard work has never scared me, plus they were handing me 400 extra hours O.T on a silver platter every yearso it was hard to turn down. I make good money but the overtime (O.T.) allowed me to purchase many things and to pay them off. I have been mortgage free since I was 39, and currently have zero debts. I started working there when I was 18 on construction, I am now 53, soon to be 54 and I will be retiring next May/June at the age of 55. That will give me a total of 36.29 years working there, which is enough for me. I will admit I did miss quite a bit during this time, mainly parties and the like, but those got old quick, imo, anyways. It's not for everyone, like I mentioned, but I feel pretty comfortable now knowing I can fulfill my dream of retiring at 55 and reap the fruits of my labor.

 

[Andrew1972]

My grandfather a chemical engineer from Monsanto has an early gravel due to a pilot (model) chemical plant blowing up in lab and of course in 1950’s no masks. He died at 71 due to complications of emphysema. Dangerous work.

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: madRiver

My grandfather a chemical engineer from Monsanto has an early gravel due to a pilot (model) chemical plant blowing up in lab and of course in 1950’s no masks. He died at 71 due to complications of emphysema. Dangerous work.

Dad at 54.... Chemical plants of the 70s and 80s....

 

[andyd]

I worked 3:30-midnight at the shipyard for 8 yrs. Lousy social life but great for a young guy with 3 little kids and a fixer-upper house. I did a 6 month stint of over nights strictly from hunger. Thankfully the crew gelled and the job was paced properly.