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Welfare

Hazard Related Topics

Introduction

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 make it mandatory to provide workers with suitable and sufficient welfare facilities for the use of all persons at work on all building sites. It may be possible by arrangement with the client that construction workers can use the facilities provided for the clients workers where construction is taking place on or adjacent to the clients premises. Where this is not possible then facilities must be provided as laid down in the Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Brief guidance on the major requirements are as follows but full guidance is contained in the ACoP to the above regulations.

Sanitary conveniences

  • Suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences should be provided, or made available, at readily available locations.
  • Rooms containing sanitary conveniences should be adequately ventilated and lit.
  • Sanitary conveniences and the rooms containing them should be kept in a clean and orderly condition.
  • There should be separate rooms containing sanitary conveniences provided for men and women, except where and so far as each convenience is in a separate room, the door of which is capable of being secured from the inside.

Washing facilities

Washing facilities, including showers if required by the nature of the work, or for health reasons, should be provided or made available at readily accessible places. They should be in the immediate vicinity of every sanitary convenience and in the vicinity of any changing rooms.

Washing facilities should include:

  • Hot & cold running water (which shall be running water as far as is reasonably practicable)
  • Soap or other suitable means of cleaning
  • Towels or other suitable means of drying

Washing facilities and the rooms containing them should be kept in a clean and orderly condition as well as being sufficiently ventilated and lit.

Separate washing facilities should be provided for men and women, except where and so far as they are provided in a room the door of which is capable of being secured from inside and the facilities in each such room are intended to be used by only one person at a time. (This will not apply to facilities which are supplied for washing hands forearms and face only.)

Drinking water

An adequate supply of drinking water should be made available at suitable and readily acceptable places.

Every supply should be conspicuously signposted.

Suitable and sufficient number of drinking vessels should be provided unless the water is in a jet which people can drink from easily.

Changing rooms and lockers

Changing rooms should be made available if:

  • A worker needs to wear special clothing for his work
  • He cannot for reasons of health or propriety be expected to change elsewhere

Men and women should have separate rooms, or separate use of rooms where necessary for reasons of propriety.

Changing rooms should be provided with seating and where necessary facilities to dry any special clothing as well as personal clothing and effects.

Lockers need to be provided where necessary to:

  • Lock away any special clothing not taken away.
  • Personal clothing that is not worn during working hours.
  • Personal effects.

Facilities for rest

Rest rooms and rest areas should be provided and include:

  • Adequate number of tables and seating with backs for the number of people likely to use them at any one time.
  • Arrangements for non smokers to be protected from tobacco smoke.
  • Suitable facilities (where necessary) to allow a pregnant or nursing mother to rest lying down.
  • A means for boiling water.
  • Be maintained at an appropriate temperature.

See Also

Relevant Legislation