I've done blue collar work (construction was one) without much slacking at all, stops just to light a cigarrette o drink a beer, but it was mostly a continuous stream of little tasks. It made sense to not rush but neither stop, so it 'flows': you're never to tired and keep "the engine" warm.
It was a minor work: building a wall, over two or three days, in an individual's house. It was considered basic hospitality to offer some beverage to workers (sherry or beer) on top of the negotiated pay.
As the king you should know local customs, shouldn't you? ;-)
I wouldn't recommend including this kind of perk in the official builders guild code. But honestly, at that rate of physical activity with sudoration and deep breath, alcohol had little noticeable effect and for a very short time.
Also I was doing pawn work (not sure how to translate to English) that's very simple and not dangerous.
Edit: I did work for months delivering beer to bars and little shops with a truck. That was also very continuous work: you were either downloading beer cases or barrels from the truck, very physical work or driving or filling the invoices... to complete the route on time, you could stop very little. Of course nothing that could be called slacking and no alcohol. But mostly everybody got wasted Friday afternoons after work.
