hours of rest

NUSPM

Hours-of-rest records are safety controls, not paperwork to complete at the end of the month. They help show whether work and watch arrangements provide sufficient recovery and whether exceptions or disruptions are being managed.

Start with the shipboard arrangement

Locate the posted table or schedule that applies to your role. It should help you understand expected work, watches and rest. Compare it with what actually happens, including drills, port work, call-outs, maintenance and handovers.

Rest should mean a genuine opportunity to recover. Being continuously disturbed, required to remain working or repeatedly called back may not match a block shown as rest.

Record the day accurately

Enter work and rest at the required interval.
Include unscheduled work and emergency call-outs.
Check totals and rest periods, not only the visual pattern.
Review before signing.
Request a correction when the record does not reflect reality.
Keep any copy provided under the vessel’s procedure.

Never sign a knowingly false record because “everyone does it.” False records hide fatigue risk from the vessel, company and inspectors.

Warning signs

The sheet is pre-filled regardless of actual work.
Drills and port operations disappear from the record.
You are asked to sign blank or incorrect forms.
Repeated short rest periods leave you unfit for watch.
The schedule complies on paper but routinely fails in practice.
People are discouraged from reporting fatigue.

Raise a discrepancy factually

State the date, scheduled duty, additional work, actual rest and immediate safety concern. Use the ship’s safety management and reporting procedure. A useful sentence is: “My record for [date/time] does not include [work/call-out]. My actual rest was [facts]. Please correct the record and review the next watch because I am concerned about fatigue.”

If you are not fit to keep a safe watch, say so promptly through the operational chain. Do not wait for the monthly record review.

Keep the issue systemic