Indicator 3.9.7

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System

Water Type

Feed Dependent

Species

Indicator 3.9.7

by Contact on 8 October 2026

Requirement

Indicator applicability: any person aged 18 and above. The UoC shall ensure that all employees are granted breaks during work shifts. Where this is defined by applicable legal requirements or any collective bargaining agreements in place, these shall be followed.

How Do I Interpret This Requirement?

  • The amount, length and frequency of rest breaks that employees are entitled to can be specified by:

    • collective bargaining agreements in place

    • national laws.

    • The UoC should ensure that rest breaks are clearly agreed upon and set out for employees.

  • Rest breaks:

    • provide employees with essential rest during the workday

    • help reduce fatigue, which can also reduce the risks of accidents or errors

    • may also accommodate personal needs, like restroom or prayer breaks.

    • Ensuring clean and hygienic facilities for breaks is vital in workplaces with potential hygiene risks due to factors like chemicals, noise, or pollutants, where employees cannot leave the premises during breaks.

  • Management should consider climate conditions when they plan breaks and rest times. In very hot temperatures, employees will need:

    • more frequent access to breaks,

    • breaks taken in the shade where possible

    • access to drinking water.

  • This requirement refers to rest time when an employee can be asked to work, only if:

    • they agree to work during their rest time

    • the rest time is made up at a different time.

  • There can be situations where an employee is on standby, which is when:

    • the employee is required to be on-site, even if they are not required to be working for that period of time

    • the hours that they are required to be on-site are counted as working hours

    • they must be fully compensated.

  • Examples of when employees may be on standby includes any time spent at the UoC where they could be at the direction of the company to perform a work-related task. For example:

    • an employee waiting for the arrival of a delivery of feed, which they will help to unload

    • an employee who is responsible for feeding the fish and in between feeds, they are waiting at the site for the next feeding time.

  • There can also be situations when an employee is on-call, which is when:

    • the employee is not required to be on site

    • the employee is required to be reachable and available during a defined period of time

    • this time of being available is not counted as normal working hours

      • this time should be compensated in some way.

  • Examples of when employees may be on-call can include:

    • an employee who is at home overnight, but is available to be called in case there is an emergency on the site and they are called into the site.

Evidence of Implementation

  • contracts

  • any collective bargaining agreements that are in place.

Auditors Should Confirm

  • employees understand the pattern of rest breaks that they are entitled to;

  • rest breaks are adequate for the needs of the employees in their context.