4 on 4 off schedule
The 4 on 4 off schedule has four crews working four 12-hour shifts followed by four days off, an 8-day cycle. In the common version two crews work days and two work nights; the maker also has a version that rotates between days and nights.
| Crew | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew A | D | D | D | D | ||||
| Crew B | N | N | N | N | ||||
| Crew C | D | D | D | D | ||||
| Crew D | N | N | N | N |
Cycle of 8 days, 4 crews, 42 hours a week on average. D = day shift, N = night shift, 24 = 24-hour shift.
How the 4 on 4 off schedule works
- Four shifts on, four days off, repeating every 8 days.
- Crews A and C share days, crews B and D share nights, four days apart.
- Your days off move through the week, so weekends off come and go.
- For days and nights in turn (4 days, 4 off, 4 nights, 4 off), choose "4 on 4 off, rotating days and nights" in the maker.
Pros
- Every block off is four days long.
- A simple pattern that is easy to remember.
- 42 hours a week on average.
Cons
- Four 12-hour shifts in a row.
- Work days fall on different weekdays every week.
- Fire services sometimes use a 10/14 variant (10-hour days, 14-hour nights), which needs two shift lengths; this maker uses one.
Similar schedules
-
Panama
4 crews, 12-hour shifts, 2-2-3 rhythm, days and nights swap every two weeks.
42 hours a week on average
-
Pitman (2-2-3)
4 crews, 12-hour shifts, 2-2-3 rhythm on fixed days or nights.
42 hours a week on average
-
4 on 4 off, rotating days and nights
4 crews, four days, four off, four nights, four off.
42 hours a week on average
Other schedules: 24/48, 48/96, Kelly, 4/10 (four tens), 9/80
Frequently asked questions
- What is a 4 on 4 off schedule?
- A rotation of four 12-hour shifts followed by four days off, for four crews. Two crews cover days and two cover nights, so the job is staffed around the clock.
- How many hours a week is 4 on 4 off?
- 42 hours a week on average: four 12-hour shifts every 8 days.
- Does 4 on 4 off rotate between days and nights?
- It depends on the employer. The common version keeps crews on days or nights; some sites rotate through 4 days, 4 off, 4 nights, 4 off. Both are in the maker.
Get your roster from a photo, PDF or screenshot instead
Not on a fixed rotation, or does your schedule come as a picture of the board or a PDF each month? Calendar Vision reads it and puts every shift in your calendar.