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Guide To Your Evidence 2022 Tcm25 486431
Guide To Your Evidence 2022 Tcm25 486431
EVIDENCE
GUIDE TO YOUR EVIDENCE
To become a Guinness World Records title holder is no easy task, and achieving the best in your field is
only the beginning, now you have to prove it!
In order for us to verify your achievement we require a number of pieces of evidence, this will vary
depending on the record category you are applying for but this Guide To Your Evidence will direct
you on your path to attempting an official Guinness World Records title and, hopefully, to becoming a
Guinness World Records title holder – so we can say you are OFFICIALLY AMAZING.
Page 2
CONTENTS
Cover Letter 6
Photographic Evidence 9
Video Evidence 10
We understand that there may be certain record attempts for which collecting all of the above is not
possible; in these instances you MUST contact your Records Manager before making your attempt to
determine if it will be possible to proceed with your application despite not being able to supply the
necessary evidence.
If you have been requested to submit a piece of evidence that is not listed above or below, please contact
your Records Manager if you are unsure on how to proceed with gathering that piece of evidence.
Log Books (for record attempts lasting long or extended periods of time) 16
Page 3
CONTENTS
Remember that a failure to include the required documentation will ultimately delay the
outcome of your application or lead to its rejection.
WITNESS STATEMENT TEMPLATE 27
Page 4
HOW TO SEND YOUR EVIDENCE FOR REVIEW
The only way to send your evidence in for review is by uploading electronic files directly to your
application. Each file MUST be uploaded individually and cannot be compressed (e.g. by ZIP, exe
file).
1) Log into your account on the Guinness World Records website, select the relevant application,
and scroll down to the Evidence section.
2) Click on ‘Upload Evidence’ and follow the on-screen instructions. If you are uploading any ‘sensitive’
personal data as part of your Evidence, you will be asked to provide GWR with your consent at
this point.
3) Double-check the Specific Guidelines and evidence requirements for your chosen record category
to ensure you have included all required items.
4) When you have finished uploading all of your evidence and you are sure you have included all
necessary items, click on ‘Submit Evidence’ to send your evidence in for review. Please note that
your evidence is not in the queue for review until you complete this step. Do not click ‘Submit
Evidence’ until all required evidence files have been uploaded, as this will close the evidence
upload option. Until then you can select ‘Save Evidence’ and continue at a later time.
5) All evidence must be uploaded directly and cannot be sent via file transfer websites, YouTube
(or similar), or by post. The file-size limit for uploads is 1GB, so please make sure you are not
uploading files larger than this. For larger files (such as video evidence – further details below) we
recommend breaking them down into smaller segments.
• Organisation is key! If the Records Management Team is not able to understand your submission
adequately enough for an efficient review, we will come back to request that you organise the
documents in a more comprehensible way and resubmit. This will delay the ultimate response on
the result of your application.
• Where possible, please provide your evidence in English.
• Use descriptive file names. These should correspond as closely as possible with the names
Guinness World Records uses to refer to the documents, e.g. Cover Letter, Witness Statement.
• To the extent possible, photos should be labelled clearly with what is shown in that photo. E.g.
“Photo 1 – construction” and “Photo 2 – final measurement.”
• Similar documents should be grouped together where possible.
° Steward statements can be scanned en-masse and uploaded as a single file rather that
uploading each statement separately.
° When submitting evidence for a multi-venue record attempt, each venue’s evidence should
be uploaded as a single scan labelled with the name and/or location of that venue.
Page 5
COVER LETTER
• You will find a template for the Cover Letter at the end of this guide.
• Please note all measurements must be given in metric units unless specified otherwise in
your record guidelines.
• Who broke the record and should be listed in our database as the record holder, including their
nationality
• What the final measurement of the record attempt was
• When the attempt took place, including date and time
• Where the attempt took place, including venue, city and state
• How the record was achieved and how it was measured
• Why you decided to attempt this record, and any background of the event
• A detailed list of the items of evidence you have provided for review
Page 6
WITNESS STATEMENTS
• You will find a template for the witness statements at the end of this guide.
• Contact details must be filled out. It is likely Guinness World Records will contact these witnesses
to confirm details of their statements. Without valid contact details, a witness statement will not
be accepted.
• All fields of the witness statement must be completed in detail, including the final section
(“What did you see/measure/evaluate as a witness?”). All details of the event including precisely
how the record was measured, who performed the measurement, confirmation that guidelines
were understood and adhered to, and any other relevant information. Simply stating the final
measurement is not sufficient.
• Statements must be completed by the witnesses themselves, in their own words. It is not
acceptable to prepare a statement for the witnesses in advance of the attempt for them to sign.
Nor is it acceptable for witnesses to prepare one joint statement together, as their separate,
independent verification is essential. Any statements which are clearly pre-prepared or which are
identical to one another will not be accepted.
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WITNESS STATEMENTS
• Any attempt that lasts more than 4 hours. There must always be two independent witnesses
present at the attempt, but in order to ensure that the witnesses are as focused as possible,
they must work in shifts of no longer than 4 hours at a time throughout the attempt. However,
it is permitted for the same witnesses to return after a break of 4 hours. All witness statements
must clearly indicate the times the witnesses were present and what they observed during their
shift. The final two witnesses at the attempt are responsible for reviewing the statements of
previous witnesses to determine the final record outcome/total, which they must include in their
statements.
• Epic journeys, voyages and expeditions e.g. fastest place-to-place or longest journey by a
particular mode of transport. These records require two witnesses to be present at the start as
well as at the finish of the journey.
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PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE
These images also allow us to celebrate your record-breaking achievement. Your record attempt has
a much better chance of appearing in the renowned Guinness World Records book or on our website
www.guinnnessworldrecords.com if you supply us with interesting, high-quality photographs.
• Show variety - Include photographs from various angles and positions, and ones taken at different
stages of the record attempt (start, during, end)
• Show a sense of scale - If your record involves a large gathering of people or a large object, you
need to capture its large scale in your image
• Capture the action - Aim to capture the participants in action and in the act of attempting the
record
• Bring the record to life - All record entries on our website may be accompanied by a suitable
cover image. These must be landscape format in size 780 x 497.
Page 9
VIDEO EVIDENCE
° For ‘longest marathon’ record attempts, we understand that it may be necessary to change
batteries or tapes during the attempt, and for this reason you should have a second camera
to film while the first camera is not running.
° With attempts longer than one hour, you should make sure to mark significant moments in
the attempt. You can provide us with a list of the times in the video when these moments
occur.
• The camera must focus clearly on the record attempt so that it is possible to accurately observe
and judge the record attempt.
• The video must clearly show the measurement of the record, e.g. participants being counted
for a mass participation record, the weighing process for a large food item, or a running count of
the number of push-ups performed.
• Make sure to include all parts of the attempt relevant to the record guidelines. For certain
attempts, such as large food items, this may be preparation that takes place prior to the actual
measurement of the record.
• It is also recommended to provide a brief introduction to the attempt at the beginning of the
video, including your name or the name of the organisation attempting the record, Application
Reference number, record being attempted, and an introduction to the independent witnesses
present at the attempt.
• Make sure to remove all background music so that audio of the record attempt can be heard.
• Where possible, please film in landscape format, especially when using a phone.
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VIDEO EVIDENCE
Additional footage
Please also upload additional video footage to tell the story of the entire attempt, such as:
• Timelapses of the set-up / creation process (for large items, mass-participation events, etc)
• Failed practice attempts
• Celebrations after achieving the record
• Self-guided tours of collections showing items in situ and any personal favourites
This will increase the likelihood of your record featuring on our popular social media channels.
• MPEG 4
• MOV
• HEVC
• MKV
• 3GPP
• Aspect Ratio: 4:3 or 16:9
• Frame rate: 25 fps or 23.98 or 29.97
• Phone filming: Horizontal – not vertical
• Please do not submit footage in 4K resolution.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are using an iPhone for images or video, please go to your camera settings
and select ‘Most compatible’ to ensure we can use your footage. Apple introduce new formats regularly
and they may not work in our systems.
Any evidence files larger than 1GB will not upload successfully. Please break down longer videos into
smaller files (rather than lower the resolution) with a 5 second overlap and upload the files one-by-one,
with each file clearly named in order (e.g. video 1, video 2, video 3, and so on).
Page 11
SPECIFIC EVIDENCE
TIMEKEEPER STATEMENTS
When is a timekeeper’s statement needed?
We require two timekeepers’ statements to be submitted for ALL of our time-dependent records,
including those based on duration (e.g. longest marathon performing an activity) as well as those
which take place within a specific time frame (e.g. most in one minute). Please note the presence of
two timekeepers are in addition to your independent witnesses. The only exceptions we have are for
attempts at ‘most times to do X in Y time frame’ records where the time frame is one hour or more. In
these circumstances it is acceptable to have the witnesses act as the timekeepers.
If the record is for the ‘Fastest time to’, then the attempt must be timed by two timekeepers with
stopwatches accurate to 0.01 seconds. If the two times vary, then the higher must be given as the
official time.
If the record is for ‘Most times to do X in Y time frame’, then the specific time frame for the attempt (e.g.
one minute) must be timed accurately by two timekeepers with stopwatches accurate to 0.01 seconds.
The timekeepers must give a clear start and finish signal to the person attempting the record.
If the time frame is in excess of one hour, the witnesses can act as the timekeepers (see above) but they
must explain how they accurately kept the time during the record attempt.
On occasions where the independent witness is acting as a timekeeper, one statement will suffice but
must include the details required for both the independent witness statement and the timekeeper
statement.
If you are unsure whether you are required to submit timekeepers’ statements, please contact
your Records Manager. Timekeeper statement templates can be found at the end of this guide.
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SPECIFIC EVIDENCE
TIMEKEEPER STATEMENTS
Who would qualify as a timekeeper?
A timekeeper for a record attempt should have experience keeping time. A prime example of this is
someone from a local athletics club. Further examples would be sporting referees, sports coaches and
PE teachers.
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SPECIFIC EVIDENCE
SURVEYOR STATEMENTS
When is a surveyor statement needed?
A surveyor statement is required to be submitted for ALL of our large manufactured items, structures,
sculptures, long chains of items and mosaics categories. This statement must confirm the physical
dimensions of your construction as per your Specific Guidelines. Surveyors may also required for any
other record titles which require precise measurements, such as attempts over a set distance (100 m,
etc).
Our record categories involving the creation of an item are generally – but not always (please refer
to your Specific Guidelines) – measured in terms of their physical dimensions. For this reason, a
qualified surveyor must be present to inspect the completed item and take its physical dimensions
in the presence of two independent witnesses, who must also confirm in their statements the
measurements witnessed. The measurement process must also be captured in video evidence.
All measurements must be made in metric system unless specified otherwise in your record guidelines.
If you are unsure whether you are required to submit a surveyor’s statement please contact
your Records Manager.
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SPECIFIC EVIDENCE
STEWARD STATEMENTS (MASS PARTICIPATION ONLY)
What is a Steward?
For a mass participation record (i.e. any record based on the number of participants) it is essential
that the final total is the exact number of people successfully completing the activity that is the subject
of the record attempt, not simply the number of people attending the event. For this reason, we require
Stewards to supervise groups of 50 or fewer participants, in order to disqualify any attendees who do
not successfully take part in the record attempt.
Stewards are required for all mass participation records that require active participation by those
involved or which take place at ticketed stadium events. Your record guidelines will indicate if stewards
are required for the record you are attempting.
Please note that stewards must be independent and meet the following criteria:
• You will find a template for the steward statements at the end of this guide.
• Contact details of each steward, should Guinness World Records need to contact them to verify
any details
• Dates/times the steward was present at the attempt
• Counting method for organising participants into groups
• Number of participants in their group
• Number of participants disqualified from their group and reasons for disqualification
• Confirmation that guidelines were provided and understood
If you are unsure whether you are required to submit Steward Statements, please contact your
Records Manager.
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SPECIFIC EVIDENCE
LOG BOOKS
When is a log book needed?
A log book is required for attempts that last more than one hour (including journeys, voyages and
expeditions, which may last for extended periods of time). For these types of record attempts, it is
important for Guinness World Records to have a minute-by-minute account of what is achieved at what
point in the attempt, in order to review in conjunction with video footage. This is especially important
when documenting a ‘longest marathon’ record, as these logs will detail completed activity and rest
breaks, to ensure that guidelines are followed throughout. In all cases, the independent witnesses
are responsible for maintaining the log books. With journeys, voyages and expeditions, the individual,
team and/or support teams are responsible for maintaining the log book throughout the attempt.
• You will find a template for the activity log book at the end of this guide. This template
must only be used for “longest marathon” records.
• Templates for any other record attempts which surpass one hour must be created by you.
If you require further information please contact your Records Manager.
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SPECIFIC EVIDENCE
SPECIALIST WITNESS STATEMENTS
About Specialist Witness Statements
We advise that for all Guinness World Record applications, when sourcing your independent witnesses
you find experts in the field who possess the expertise to enable them to accurately confirm our
guidelines have been adhered to. However, Guinness World Records monitors a wide array of records
and understands that there may not be established experts in the field for all record categories.
Your Specific Guidelines will also provide some guidance as to who can act as this specialist witness,
(e.g. a rugby coach may be required for the ‘fastest throw of a rugby ball’). A specialist witness must be
present throughout the record attempt and submit a witness statement as part of the evidence.
If you are unsure whether you require a specialist witness, please contact your Records Manager.
The specialist independent witness statement must be submitted on letter-headed paper and include
the following:
Please refer back to the section on the independent witness statement to ensure all other
aspects of the witness statement have been met.
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SPECIFIC EVIDENCE
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL STATEMENT
When is a medical professional statement needed?
Several types of records may require a statement to be submitted from a medical professional in order
to verify your application:
Human anatomy: For all our record titles that are based on anatomical measurements, we require
the measurements to be undertaken by a medical professional in the presence of two specialist
independent witnesses. A statement from the medical professional must be submitted confirming the
measurements. Please refer to your Specific Guidelines for details of the measurements that must be
taken. The medical professional must be fully qualified (such as a general practitioner or a physiologist)
and proof of their qualifications must be submitted alongside their statement. For records of this
nature, the medical professional statement will not act as a replacement for an independent specialist
witness statement.
Medical records: We monitor a small number of records that are based on the medical history of
an individual (e.g. survival after an operation, or the dimensions of a removed organ). These record
categories are not pro-actively attempted and therefore specialist independent witnesses cannot
be present for the duration of your attempt. For records of this nature, we require statements from
medical professionals who were present at the time, or have access to the relevant documentation.
Your Specific Guidelines will indicate to you when a statement from a medical professional is required
and will also provide some guidance as to who this should be, this will be specific to your record
category. For these records, at least two statements from medical professionals should be submitted
and will act as replacements for the specialist independent witness statements. We understand that
medical professionals will not be independent in the same way as standard independent witnesses
and therefore we suggest submitting more than two medical professional statements where possible.
Medical mass participation records: A statement from a medical professional is also required for all
mass participation medical records to verify that the activity in question is being performed correctly
and accurately. In these instances, the medical professional is acting as a specialist independent witness
and should follow all guidance as outlined earlier in this document.
If you are unsure whether you require a medical professional statement then please contact
your Records Manager.
• Name and contact details of the attending medical professional and associated medical
practice.
• Proof of their qualifications – a photocopy of their professional qualification and/or medical
licence number must be submitted alongside the statement.
• An explanation of their role in the event.
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SPECIFIC EVIDENCE
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL STATEMENT
• An overview of their expertise in the field.
• Confirmation of all details required as per the record and category guidelines - including
the event location, date, time, relevant procedure(s) undertaken, measurement(s), record value
calculations, type(s) of devices / measurement equipment used and supportive documentation
attesting to the medical event / procedure claimed.
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SPECIFIC EVIDENCE
VETERINARY PHYSICIAN STATEMENT
When is a veterinary physician statement needed?
A veterinary physician statement is required to be submitted for ALL of our animal record categories.
This statement must confirm that the animal is a full-grown adult (normally this will be over one year of
age unless specified otherwise) and is healthy.
A small number of our animal record categories require a more detailed veterinary physician statement.
Your Specific Guidelines will indicate to you when this is required, but the two main examples have
been provided below. In these examples only one veterinary physician statement is required, but must
still confirm that the animal is a full-grown adult in addition to the information outlined below:
Records based on animal sizes: For all our record categories that are based on the physical
measurements of the animals, we require that the measurement(s) be undertaken by a qualified
veterinary physician in the presence of two independent witnesses. The veterinary physician will not
act as a replacement for your two independent witnesses.
Records based on an animal’s age: We monitor a number of records that are based on the age of
an animal. In these instances, the record categories are not pro-actively attempted and therefore
independent witnesses cannot be present for the duration of your attempt. For records of this nature,
we require statements from qualified veterinary physicians who have access to relevant documentation
and can attest to the age of the animal using scientific methods (such as dental examination). In this
example the veterinary physician statement will not act as a replacement for an independent witness
statement.
If you are unsure whether you are required to submit a veterinary physician statement please
contact your Records Manager.
• Name and full contact details of the attending vet and veterinary practice
• Proof of their qualifications – a photocopy of their professional qualification and/or veterinary
registration/licence number must be submitted alongside the statement.
• An explanation of their role in the event
• An overview of their expertise in the field
• Confirmation of all details required as per the record and category guidelines - including the
event, location, date, time, measurement(s), record value calculations, age, Breed/species of the
animal, details of livestock passport(s) and types of devices/measurement equipment used.
Page 20
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT MY EVIDENCE
The selection of appropriate evidence is your responsibility. Before attempting any record you should
carefully read and understand the exact evidence requirements of the record title you are attempting.
You should prepare and make arrangements to gather this evidence in advance and carefully consider
the type of materials you intend to submit. Do not assume that you can collate evidence after the
event. For GWR, having complete and accurate evidence is as important as the record attempt itself.
Above all, keep your materials as clear and organized as possible.
No. We understand these items can be very large, valuable and often perishable. We therefore do not
require these actual items to be sent to us. However, we do recommend keeping hold of your items
and the equipment used to measure them, as well as copies of any witness statements, etc. GWR may
require further information or evidence to complete verification of your record attempt.
Media coverage is not a compulsory evidence requirement. Should you wish to share media coverage
(newspaper, online, TV or radio) GWR would be happy to review them, but this is not compulsory.
There is a one year expiry date from the date of your attempt. You will receive an automatic email
alerting you that the application is due to expire/has expired.
Upon receipt of your evidence documents, the review process may take up to twelve weeks. This process
can on occasion take longer when the evidence review requires the input of external specialists, when
evidence is missing, or during exceptionally busy times. We appreciate your patience and understand
this is a tense time awaiting the outcome of your attempt.
Yes. If you have a specific deadline you are working towards, or you just can’t take the suspense, you
may want to opt for Priority Evidence Review. You can find more details on our website (https://www.
guinnessworldrecords.com/contact/priority-products-enquiry).
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Once your evidence has been submitted, you can upgrade to Priority Evidence Review. To do this, log
into your account, select your application and upgrade to Priority Evidence Review. This service is not
available on all applications. If the option does not appear for you, this means it will not be possible to
upgrade your review.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You can check the status of your application at any time by logging into your account through our
website at www.guinnessworldrecords.com/account/login and selecting your application.
We advise you check and clarify any points of the guidelines you may be unsure about. This will help to
reduce the chance of your application being rejected. You can submit an enquiry directly to the Records
Management Team through your account by selecting your application and using the Correspondence
function. This field will send your question directly to your Records Manager for review, and their
response will appear in the same area of your application once it is ready. You will be notified by email
when a response has been sent.
The only way to contact our Records Management Team is by sending a correspondence on your
application. You can do this by logging-in at www.guinnessworldrecords.com/account/login,
selecting your application and using the Correspondence area at the bottom of the page. This will send
a message directly to your designated Records Manager. GWR will respond within two weeks but aim
to provide responses much quicker.
You can find out the current world record details by logging onto your account, at www.
guinnessworldrecords.com/account/login, selecting your application where you will find details of
what the current record or ‘minimum’ to beat is.
No. Each application is associated with just one record. If you plan to attempt multiple records you
must make a separate application for each record. You only need to register your account once. To
make a new application, log on with your existing username and password through our website at
www.guinnessworldrecords.com/account/login and select ‘Apply for a Record’.
Each Guinness World Records account can have a maximum of 15 open applications at any given time.
Page 23
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes! We welcome and encourage you to reattempt the record. Many of our applications come from
people who regularly challenge records. However, please note that GWR will evaluate only one set
of evidence per application. This means that if you submit evidence for a record attempt and the
application is rejected, you must create a new application for your next attempt.
Page 24
COVER LETTER TEMPLATE
3) Current Record or ‘minimum’: (prior to your record attempt, e.g. 453.59 kg. Details of the current record/minimum can be found on your application)
4) Your Attempt Results: (after your record attempt e.g. 680.39 kg. Please write in metric terms unless specified otherwise in your record guidelines.)
5) If successfully approved by GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™, the new record holder would be:
Signed by:
Location of attempt:
Video of the record measurement
Start/End Date of attempt: / /
(dd/mm/yyyy) / / Photographs of the record
First Name:
Last Name:
Date: / / (dd/mm/yyyy)
STEWARD STATEMENT TEMPLATE
1) Declaration:
I, have acted as a steward of the Guinness World Records™ attempt for the record:
Name: Email:
Telephone:
City: Country:
State/Province/Region:
4) When were you present for the record attempt? 7) How many of these participated fully, as per the specific
(include dates and times) guidelines of the record?
5) What was your role as a steward? 8) How many participants did you have to disqualify, and
why were they disqualified?
I am willing to be contacted by Guinness World Records to discuss any details regarding this record claim.
1) Declaration:
I, declare that I am not associated with, or related to, the record organizers
or participants, nor have anything to gain from the final outcome of the attempt. Therefore I have acted as a witness of
the Guinness World Records™ attempt for the record:
Organisation: Telephone:
Venue:
City/Town:
Country:
Sign here :
(All signatures must be handwritten)
Date: / / (dd/mm/yyyy)
TIME KEEPER STATEMENT TEMPLATE
1) Declaration:
I, declare that I am not associated with, or related to, the record organizers
or participants, nor have anything to gain from the final outcome of the attempt. Therefore I have acted as a witness of
the Guinness World Records™ attempt for the record:
Organisation: Telephone:
3) Please describe your role on the day including details of 5) Final measurement:
the equipment you used to time the attempt
Venue:
City/Town:
Country:
Sign here :
(All signatures must be handwritten)
Date: / / (dd/mm/yyyy)
ACTIVITY LOG BOOK TEMPLATE FOR ‘LONGEST MARATHON’ RECORDS ONLY
Activity
Activity Sequence:
Completed hours & Accumulated Rest
Start time (hh:mm) Finish time (hh:mm)
minutes (hh:mm) (mm)
Witness 1 Witness 2
Rest
Rest Sequence:
Witness 1* Witness 2*
*Please note that witnesses cannot work for longer than 4 hours.
*Please note that witnesses cannot work for longer than 4 hours and can only return after 4 hours break.
ACTIVITY LOG BOOK TEMPLATE FOR ‘LONGEST MARATHON’ RECORDS ONLY
Activity
Activity Sequence:
Completed hours & Accumulated Rest
Start time (hh:mm) Finish time (hh:mm)
minutes (hh:mm) (mm)
Witness 1 Witness 2
**Pleasenote
**Please note that
that youyou only
only accrue
accrue 5 minutes
5 minutes rest rest
timetime
after every completed hour
each uninterrupted hourofofactivity.
activity completed.
Rest
Rest Sequence: 2
Start Finish
19:30 19:45
Witness 1 Witness 2
Activity
Activity Sequence: 1
Completed hours & Accumulated Rest
Start time (hh:mm) Finish time (hh:mm)
minutes (hh:mm) (mm)
12:00 16:30 4:00 20
Witness 1 Witness 2
Rest
Rest Sequence: 1
16:30 16:35
Witness 1* Witness 2*
Activity
Activity Sequence: 2
Finish time Completed hours & Accumulated Rest
Start time (hh:mm)
(hh:mm) minutes (hh:mm) (mm)
16:35 19:30 2:55 10 min**
Witness 1 Witness 2
Rest
Rest Sequence: 2
Start Finish
19:30 19:45
Witness 1 Witness 2