Ensure your construction site provides adequate toilet facilities... Illegal welfare facilities on hundreds of sites, CN survey finds

Nearly one in five building sites have no drinking water or separate gender bathrooms, a survey of 3,500 Unite members has found.

The survey of construction workers, seen exclusively by Construction News, found that many sites failed to meet the legal requirements for workplace welfare facilities.

Regulations state employers are required to provide drinking water as well as “adequate” toilet, washing and kitchen facilities.

The research suggested that more than one in six sites (17 percent) forced men and women to share toilets, with no separate facilities provided for women. The same proportion had no drinking water available.

Individual responses to the survey told of sites where 30 toilets were provided for 2,500 members of staff, while in another instance facilities were located a 10-15-minute walk away.

In total 18 percent of respondents said they believed workplace toilet facilities were “not adequate”, with 10 percent of sites failing to provide toilet paper.

The survey also found problems with cleanliness in relation to some kitchen and washing facilities.

Sixteen percent of respondents claimed their sites had no separate showers for women, 3 percent said showers and toilets were never cleaned, while in 8 percent of cases they were only cleaned weekly.

Cleanliness was also an issue when it came to canteen or mess facilities: 4 percent of respondents said these were never cleaned, while in 6 percent of cases these facilities were only cleaned on a weekly basis.

The HSE (Health & Safety Executive) state the following about providing 'adequate' toilet, washing and kitchen facilities:-

What toilet and washing facilities do I need to provide?

You have to provide adequate toilet and washing facilities for your employees. ‘Adequate’ means you have to provide:

- enough toilets and washbasins for those expected to use them - people should not have to queue for long periods to go to the toilet;
- where possible, separate facilities for men and women - failing that, rooms with lockable doors;
- clean facilities - to help achieve this walls and floors should preferably be tiled (or covered in suitable waterproof material) to make them easier to clean;
- a supply of toilet paper and, for female employees, a means of disposing of sanitary dressings;
- facilities that are well lit and ventilated;
- facilities with hot and cold running water;
- enough soap or other washing agents;
- a basin large enough to wash hands and forearms if necessary;
- a means for drying hands, eg paper towels or a hot air dryer;
- showers where necessary, eg for particularly dirty work.

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Original Source of this story by By Zak Garner-Purki, Construction News click here.

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