Why four crews and 42 hours
A 24-hour operation needs 168 hours of cover a week. With two 12-hour shifts a day and four crews sharing them, each crew covers a quarter: 42 hours a week on average. That is why every pattern below, however different it looks, comes out at 42 hours over a full cycle. Individual weeks vary, often between 36 and 48 hours, which matters for overtime rules that look at a single week.
The patterns side by side
| Pattern | Cycle | Most shifts in a row | Longest break | Days and nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-on-4-off | 16 days | 4 | 4 days | Rotates every block |
| DuPont | 28 days | 4 | 7 days | Rotates within the cycle |
| Panama 2-2-3 | 14 days | 3 | 3 days | Fixed days or fixed nights |
| Pitman (rotating) | 28 days | 3 | 3 days | Swap every 2 weeks |
| Continental 2-2-4 | 8 days | 4 (2 days then 2 nights) | 4 days | Rotates every cycle |
4-on-4-off
Four day shifts, four days off, four night shifts, four days off, repeating every 16 days. It is easy to remember and gives regular four-day breaks. The downside is four nights in a row and a cycle that does not line up with the week, so your weekends off drift. Over a year a crew works about 182 or 183 shifts.
DuPont
A 28-day cycle: 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, then 7 days off. The seven-day break every four weeks is the big attraction, and some people plan holidays around it without using leave. The price is a busy middle of the cycle and only one day off between some blocks. Because the cycle is exactly four weeks, the same weekdays line up every month.
Panama and Pitman (2-2-3)
Both use the rhythm 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off over two weeks. You never work more than three shifts in a row, and every other weekend is a three-day weekend (Friday to Sunday). The names are used loosely: many employers call the fixed version, where crews always work days or always nights, “Panama”, and a version where crews swap between days and nights every two weeks “Pitman”. Others use the names the other way round, so always compare the actual sequence with your roster.
Continental 2-2-4
Two days, two nights, then four days off, repeating every eight days. The quick rotation means you never do more than two nights, and the four-day break comes round often. It suits people who prefer short runs, though the switch from day to night after two shifts can be tiring. “Continental” is also used for some 8-hour patterns, so the name alone is not enough.
To see any of these on a real calendar, with your crew’s shift counts per month and an .ics file for your phone, try the shift calendar generator.
Frequently asked questions
Which 12-hour shift pattern has the most weekends off?
Panama and Pitman (2-2-3) give every other weekend off as a three-day weekend. 4-on-4-off and continental patterns drift against the week, so weekends off come at irregular intervals.
Are 12-hour shifts worse for health than 8-hour shifts?
Research links long shifts and runs of nights with more fatigue, especially late in a shift. Patterns with fewer nights in a row and good breaks reduce this. Follow your employer’s fatigue policy and local working-time rules.
Why do my weekly hours change if the average is 42?
The cycle length rarely matches seven days, so some weeks contain more shifts than others. Over a full cycle it averages out to 42 hours.
What is the difference between a rotating and a fixed shift?
On a fixed shift you always work days or always nights. On a rotating shift you move between them on a set pattern, such as every block in 4-on-4-off or every two weeks in Pitman.