How does being on call out work?

[tomplumb83]

I was doing work for the emergency man for a year or so but decided its worth the bother for the little bits I get from it.
I wouldn't mind so much if I was on call for a set time, ie 1in4

 

[Millsy 82]

Check the contract that they have. I've worked for a couple that even if you are out all night you still have to do your 8.5 hour day next day!

I've worked for several companies that did call out and a lot of it was ****! 1 I used to get £10 per call so by the time I got there and back it worked out less than £5 per hour so I refused to go out to anything that wasn't a complete emergency ( water leaks and no heating in winter for elderly or vulnerable only any thing else they could wait until next day)

What villa tom said is right about 2 companies I worked for I used to phone everyone before I went out and ask when they reported the problem, if they said before 5 pm I wouldn't go out as I only did emergencies only.

As you can imagine it didn't go down well with the companies.

The other thing to check is bank holidays etc last year my call out fell on new year, Easter and both may bank holiday weekends, not necessarily the whole weekend but Saturday/ Sunday. So although I got 8 bank holidays a year they were all disrupted by call outs so if I wanted to go away for a long weekend I couldn't and of course nobody wanted to swap.

 

[stevetheplumber]

social housing the calls were supposed to be screened so you only went out for no heating for vunerable tenants and uncontrolable leaks unfortunately tenants know the rules as well so when you arrived at no heating at 11pm the vunerable baby was now round her mums to be replaced by her pot smoking boyfriend and his 3 mates and then you find theirs no credit on the meter
but then theres the genuine ones who are sorry to have called you out and realy nice
we were on a set fee for call out no matter how many its better on a retainer and x amount per call there was a bonus for 80percent completed jobs but impossible to get that as youll never have what you need
like a previous comment id always phone them first to ensure it was a true emergency
was once out all night with a major two inch main burstand just didnt go in the next day but they paid me my 8 hours
just go and try it ash ,your young so youll manage, everyone else on the company is obviously managing it just takes a while to learn how it all works
we used to do a full week on call so yours sounds a much better system usually if you have a particular weekend to do something youll find other blokes willing to take it over

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Sounds like you're working you nadgers if Ash.

 

[Nostrum]

It all depends on the firm and the contract you are on. I worked for a company that was quite fair, tried to shift jobs to the following day where possible. I actually earned very good money while doing it, especially in the summer, money for nothing.

I've heard of people getting the pee taken out of them though, basic using it as additional hours to book in servicing etc!

I think you're legally entitled to not have to work a certain amount of hours and a reasonable break in between, although a lot of companies will expect you to sign a waiver for those rights. I was one week on one week off for about 6 months! That was pretty crap.

Find out the ins and outs before making a decision, some are good and some are awful!

 

[buckley plumb]

I did call out when I first set up on myself subbing for a company the being on Stand by allowance covered first 2 calls a wk. Stressed me out had no life you end up phone watching

 

[stevetheplumber]

like most things the first few are stressfull but you adapt

 

[PlumbersMate]

If you're talking about Dyno call out Ash for me it's the only way you can make a decent wage. But be warned, you only get paid if you fix the problem, no money if you just go and turn a stopcock off for example. Least that's how it was when I was there

 

[parkesy_plumb]

what happened with call out was you worked on an "install" all day .. generally open vent cylinder replacements, then on call all night but the engineers that didnt finish during the day, you get all their work to do.

Terrible company dyno - and also told to sell all the time with "targets" to meet. Swap an open vent cylinder would be around £500/600 which you have to quote and sell to customer

 

[jefaz]

I work one day in 4 on call. Get time off the next day if you're out after 11. Bare in mind the European working time directive, this states (should you opt in) that you're entitled to 11 hours consecutive rest between work shifts.

 

[PlumbersMate]

I work one day in 4 on call. Get time off the next day if you're out after 11. Bare in mind the European working time directive, this states (should you opt in) that you're entitled to 11 hours consecutive rest between work shifts.

Jefaz is it you who works for National Grid? I want some of it lol

 

[jefaz]

Jefaz is it you who works for National Grid? I want some of it lol

It is mate. Well NGN.

 

[armyash]

I work one day in 4 on call. Get time off the next day if you're out after 11. Bare in mind the European working time directive, this states (should you opt in) that you're entitled to 11 hours consecutive rest between work shifts.

Opt in or opt out?

 

[PlumbersMate]

It is mate. Well NGN.

Don't suppose you have a contact for London/Herts please

 

[jefaz]

I know SGN were taking on a little while back. Only CCN1 needed. I know NGN will be employing loads in the coming years as they're trying to get the 55's who were on the old BG pension to go. I'll have a word with a lad at work,he worked for SGN before moving back home to work for us!

 

[jefaz]

In my man. Opted in!!

 

[newcastle phill]

Used to hate it with British Gash.
Couldnt wait to give it away - even paid a lad once to do my 7 nights of standby