Welfare Facilities
Welfare facilities across all Company offices, workshops, and yard areas must be adequate and meet the requirements of the Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992.
Who is Responsible?
Principal Contractors must ensure suitable welfare facilities are provided and maintained for the duration of the construction phase.
What does that mean?
Schedule 2 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) sets out the minimum welfare requirements and standards required on site. This includes
Toilets
Washing facilities (inc. clean hot and cold, or warm, water)
Changing, eating and rest areas
The type and number of facilities required will depend on the size and nature of the work. Additional facilities (such as showers) may be necessary to control risks from hazardous substances such as cement, lead, or micro-organisms. Separate facilities may also be required for men and women.
Further information can be found here
Why is this important?
Providing adequate welfare facilities is both a legal requirement and essential for worker wellbeing. Failure to comply may place workers at risk and could result in enforcement action and legal consequences for the Company, as shown below.
A West Midlands construction company was fined for repeated welfare failures across four sites, including no access to clean water and inadequate rest facilities.
Despite enforcement action and advice from HSE inspectors, the issues continued.
The company was fined £15,858 and ordered to pay £3,858 in costs.
Further information on welfare is also available on the HSE website here.