Staff Manning & Welfare Break Policy
We are committed to protecting staff welfare, supporting safe working practices and ensuring our attractions are operated safely and professionally throughout your event.
Staffed & Unstaffed Attractions
An attraction is considered staffed where either:
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Operational staff are included within the product hire price and the product is shown on your quotation as “Incl. Staff”; or
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Staff have been added separately to your quotation, for example “Staff – 2 Hours”, “Staff – 4 Hours”, “Staff – 6 Hours” or another specified staffing period.
In either case, the attraction is treated as a staffed item for the agreed staffing period, and the staffing and welfare break arrangements within this policy apply.
Certain attractions, including some Rodeo experiences, Climbing Walls and other specialist equipment, require a trained operator and may therefore include staff as part of the standard hire.
Any product that is not marked “Incl. Staff” and does not have staff quoted separately is supplied unstaffed and must be supervised by a responsible adult dedicated to that individual piece of equipment throughout its operation.
Staff Manning Periods
Staff manning covers the agreed period during which our team is required to operate, supervise or manage the equipment.
Staff may be booked for various operating periods, including 2, 4, 6, 8 or more hours. Where staff are included with an attraction, their attendance will be based on the agreed operating period shown or confirmed within your quotation.
For example, where “Staff – 2 Hours” is quoted for an attraction, that attraction is considered staffed for the agreed 2-hour staffing period.
The booking or inclusion of one member of staff does not necessarily guarantee uninterrupted operation for the entire staffing period, as reasonable welfare and comfort breaks must be allowed.
Staff Welfare Breaks
Our staff will be permitted appropriate welfare breaks during their working period to allow for essential needs such as using the toilet, getting a drink, having something to eat and taking a short rest from their operating position.
For staffed items with an operating period of more than 2 hours, planned welfare breaks will form part of the staffing arrangements.
As a general guide:
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Up to 3 hours: Reasonable toilet, water and comfort breaks will be taken as required and where operationally practical.
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4 – 5 hours: Staff will take up to a 15-minute welfare break approximately every 2 hours, where operationally practical.
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6 hours or more: Staff will take up to a 15-minute welfare break approximately every 2 hours, with one of these breaks replaced by a 30-minute food break.
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Longer bookings: Breaks, rotations and staffing arrangements will be planned according to the total working period and event requirements.
Break timings are flexible and may be adjusted according to visitor demand, queues, weather conditions, safety requirements and the practical operation of the attraction.
Wherever possible, breaks will be taken during quieter periods to minimise disruption to your event. Where more than one member of staff is attending the event, breaks will be staggered wherever reasonably practicable. This does not necessarily mean that every attraction will remain operational during staff breaks unless appropriate break cover has been booked.
If there are particularly busy periods, performances, presentations, competitions or other important timings during which you would prefer an attraction to remain operational, please let us know in advance so these can be considered when planning staff breaks.
Continuous Operation & Break Cover
Where only one member of staff is allocated to an attraction, the attraction may need to temporarily close while that member of staff takes a welfare, toilet or food break.
If an attraction is required to remain continuously operational while the allocated operator takes their breaks, additional break-cover staff may need to be booked.
Break-cover staff are not included within standard staff manning prices or within attractions marked “Incl. Staff” unless specifically stated on your quotation.
Booking one operator for 2, 4, 6, 8 or more hours therefore does not automatically mean that the attraction will operate continuously without interruption throughout that entire period.
Where uninterrupted operation is required, please tell us when requesting your quotation or confirming your booking. We can advise on suitable break-cover arrangements, with any additional staff charged at the applicable rate.
Set-Up, Operating Time & Pack-Down
The total working period for our staff may include more than the advertised operating hours of your event.
Where staff are required to assist with or be present for set-up and/or pack-down, this time will be taken into account when determining their overall working period and appropriate welfare arrangements.
For example:
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3 hours set-up
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4 hours event operation
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1.5 hours pack-down
This creates a total staff attendance period of 8.5 hours, rather than a 4-hour working period.
Where the total working period requires additional breaks, staff rotation, split shifts, additional personnel or an Event Manager, appropriate arrangements will need to be made.
Where practicable, breaks may be scheduled during set-up, pack-down or quieter periods so that they have minimal impact on the client-facing operating period.
Food Breaks
For staff working periods of 6 hours or more, one of the scheduled welfare breaks will normally be replaced by a 30-minute food/lunch break.
Where staff are required to remain on site for an extended period, the client should either provide a suitable staff meal or allow sufficient time for staff to obtain food.
Where an attraction cannot safely operate without its allocated member of staff, it may temporarily close during the food break unless suitable break cover has been booked.
If continuous operation is required during food breaks, additional staff can be provided at an additional cost.
Toilet, Water & Comfort Breaks
Regardless of the booked staffing period, our staff will be permitted reasonable toilet, water and comfort breaks as required.
These breaks will be taken at appropriate times wherever reasonably possible, taking into account the safe operation of the attraction and the requirements of the event.
Where an attraction cannot safely remain operational without its operator, it may need to temporarily close while the operator takes a necessary break.
Where multiple members of staff are present, breaks will normally be staggered wherever practicable to minimise disruption.
Event Manager Requirement
For events involving 4 or more staff and an event duration of over 4 hours, an Event Manager must be booked.
The Event Manager coordinates the operational team, organises staff rotations and breaks, monitors attractions and assists with operational matters throughout the event.
The Event Manager is an additional member of staff and is not included within standard staff manning prices or the staffing included with an attraction unless specifically stated on your quotation.
The Event Manager will be charged separately at the applicable rate.
This requirement is particularly important for events involving multiple staffed attractions or where significant set-up, operating and pack-down periods result in an extended working day.
Split Shifts & Extended Working Hours
For longer events, we may recommend or require staff rotation or split shifts where this provides a more appropriate staffing arrangement.
For example, one member of staff may operate during the morning period and another during the afternoon or evening period.
Split shifts may be appropriate where an attraction is required for an extended period but continuous attendance by the same member of staff would not be suitable.
Where the combined set-up, event operation and pack-down period creates an extended working day, we may require additional staffing, staff rotation, split shifts, an Event Manager or other suitable arrangements.
Any additional personnel required will be charged separately at the applicable rate.
Where reasonably possible, additional staffing requirements and associated costs will be identified and agreed with the client before the event.
Client Responsibility
The client is responsible for ensuring that sufficient staffing is booked for their required operating period and desired level of continuous operation.
We will advise where the requested staffing arrangements are likely to require:
Any additional staffing required will be quoted and charged at the applicable rate.
Where a product is supplied unstaffed, the client is responsible for ensuring that a responsible adult is dedicated to supervising that individual piece of equipment throughout its operation.
If continuous or uninterrupted operation is important to your event, please make this clear when requesting your quotation or confirming your booking so that we can advise on and provide the appropriate staffing arrangements.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding staffing, welfare breaks or continuous operation, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss the requirements of your event.