Rich,
It all depends on your contract and working rule agreement with your employer.
The guys on the site I run are entitled to a 1/2 hour break after the first 4 hours, then a 10 minute break every 4 hours thereafter. Not exceeding working past midnight.
There is a new Ec directive that defines the maximum times.
<font color="blue"> Rest breaks daily and weekly
What entitlement is there to rest breaks during the working day?
A worker has the right to a break of 20 minutes if required to work continuously for more than six hours. The break should be taken during the six hour period and not at the beginning or the end of it.
The breaks do not have to be paid unless the employment contract provides for this.
What rights do workers have to daily and weekly rest periods?
A worker is entitled to an uninterrupted rest period of 11 hours between each working day and one uninterrupted weekly rest period of not less than 24 hours in each 7 day period. The weekly rest period can be taken as either 2 periods of at least 24 hours in each 14 day period or 1 uninterrupted period of no less than 48 hours in each 14 day period.
</font>
There are exlusions to this though, so I would check your contract of employment before tackling your employer if you have issues. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile_smoking.gif