Welfare provision

Suitable welfare facilities are to be provided at project commencement taking into account anticipated peak worker numbers and must be maintained until completion.

Welfare facilities must include:
• Canteen c/w easy care surface tables and seating with backs
• Drying/changing room with lockers
• Toilets
• Sanitary bins in female or unisex toilets
• Office and meeting room
• Drinking water (mains supply where possible)

Provide separate male and female toilet and washing facilities whenever possible.

All provided welfare facilities must be regularly cleaned the frequency of which needs to consider the nature of work and site conditions daily cleaning may not be enough.

Toilet paper, soap, paper towels etc. can quickly run out make sure this does not happen and provide sufficient spare supplies.

All provided welfare facilities need good ventilation, heating, and lighting.

Smoking and vaping is prohibited in all enclosed workplaces smoking/vaping is only permitted in designated areas.

Provide flushing toilets connected to mains water and drainage whenever possible. Otherwise, use toilets with a built in water supply and drainage tanks.

Portable chemical toilets may only be used as a last resort, and then only for short duration use up to one week maximum in any situation. Hand sanitisers in chemical toilets are inadequate, alternative hand washing provision must be provided.

Portable chemical toilets are not to be used as the solution for supplementary/satellite toilets where required in addition to permanent facilities on more remote parts of larger sites. A Garic type ‘Solar Loo’ or similar is an acceptable alternative for satellite facilities otherwise provide toilets as above.

A general 150m walking distance rule of thumb needs to be applied to ensure toilet facilities are readily accessible with additional satellite facilities provided as necessary. This includes travel down from scaffolds etc. Careful consideration is required for high rise construction and multilocation refurbishment projects. Adequate signage needs to be displayed indicating the nearest toilet facility.

Suitable welfare must be provided for transient (short duration or multi location) construction projects. This may be either static, portable or towable welfare units or within a vehicle.