Workplace Requirements

Employees have a legal right to minimum facilities at work.  Employers also have obligations to customers.

There must be enough working space for people to move around with ease. The volume of room divided by the number of people working in it such be at least a certain level expressed in cubic metres. If the nature, space and shape of the room makes it difficult to move around, further space must be given.

Lighting must be sufficient to enable people move around. The workplace should maintain an adequate temperature,  ventilation and source of fresh air. If ventilation is impossible through windows and doors, mechanical ventilation must be provided and maintained.

There are no absolute temperature requirements but law recommends that workplaces with little physical activity should normally be at least 16 degrees while work places with physical activity should be at least 13 degrees Celsius.  If work is operated in very hot or cold positions these must be considered as part of the regular risk assessment process.

There is legal obligation to provide adequate washing and toilet facilities. They must be separate for men and women unless there is a lockable room intended for use by one person at a time. They must be clean, well lit and ventilated.  Toilet paper and sanitary disposal facilities must be provided.  They must have hot and cold running water and soap. There must be a hand basin and a method of drying hands.  Showers are mandatory where the nature of the business makes showering necessary.

There is a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments to physical features on a building, to remove barriers for access to disabled employees, customers and visitors. See our separate note in this regard. Toilet facilities for disabled persons must be adequately designed to allow unrestricted access, including wheelchair access with necessary special facilities such as grip handles, accessible sinks, hand dryers etc.

There are rules in relation to the number of toilet and  wash stations depending on the number of employees.  The larger number of employees, the larger the number of toilets and wash stations required. The rules differ slightly between whether there is male only or mixed male and female employees.

It is a legal obligation to provide facilities to eat and drink. Where employees regularly each at the workplace they are entitled to an accessible area in which they can eat food if it is likely to be contaminated elsewhere.

There should be chairs and tables, hot drink facilities and a way of heating food, if hot food is not readily available.  Work stations can be counted as eating facilities if they are clean and there is a suitable surface on which to eat food.

Easily accessible drinking water must be supplied free of charge together with cups to drink from and if the water is from a drinking fountain food and drink facilities must be kept clean and maintained.

All enclosed work spaces must be smoke free. This includes vehicles and previously designed smoking rooms. It is necessary to display no smoking signs at every public and staff entrance. Failure to prevent smoking on a premises can lead to substantial fines.  A smoking free policy should be drawn up which outlines obligations under the Smoke Free regulations.

Rest areas should be accessible to disabled employees and should large enough to accommodate the maximum number of staff expected to use them at any given time. They should contain seats,  back rests and tables.  There should be a place where no protective equipment is required.

A staff canteen can be counted as a rest area provided there is no obligation on staff to purchase drink or food to use it.  Rest areas are necessary for pregnant women or nursing mothers. They should be close to toilet facilities, if possible.  They should have necessary space and furniture for staff to be able to lie down.

It is necessary to display safety information for employees and customers.  In addition to notifying employees via the staff book, signs should be put up to remind employees regarding specific hazards.  Typical examples would be emergency exits.  Safety signs may be required  near stairs, lifts, escalators etc.

A sign should be put up directing people to the location of the nearest first aid facilities or equipment. There is an obligation to identify barriers to access for disabled people and where possible to remove them.

If work carried out by staff involves changing into special clothing then a sufficiently large changing room should be provided.  It should be accessible, contain clothes storage and washing facility, seating, means of hanging and be private.  It should prevent staffs’ personal clothing coming into contact with dirty or wet clothes.

Employers are obliged to look after the health safety and welfare of their remote workers.  If employees are working in places where there are no plumbing or water supply, it may be necessary to provide chemical toilets and washing facilities such as portable loos. If employees are working at home it is necessary to carry out a risk assessment to identify hazards they may face.

Risks facing home workers including handling loads, using electrical equipment at home, using substances that may be hazardous outside a controlled environment and working with VDU’s.  This is particularly important in relation to disabled persons and expectant mothers.

There are specific obligations on employers in respect of working at height and working in confined spaces.  These must be assessed as part of the business general risk analysis.

Employers, self employed and controllers of work places have a duty to ensure that all work at height is properly planned, that those working at height are competent and supervised, that the risk of working on a near fragile surface are controlled and that equipment for working at heights is properly inspected and maintained.

Working at height must be avoided where possible and equipment must be used to prevent or minimise the consequence of falls, where working at height is the only option.

Roofs, working platforms and walkways must be safe and stable. They must support the weight of workers who need to use them and equipment and materials that are needed.  Platforms must be put in firm ground or on a stable structure to prevent them from moving. Risks caused by third parties by falling objects must also be minimised.

There are specific obligations in respect of work carried out under enforced and confined space where there is a reasonable foreseeable risk of serious injury. Detailed regulations must be observed.

Confined spaces are spaces which are substantially enclosed, and there is a reasonably foreseeable risk of serious injury from hazardous substance or conditions within the space or nearby.  It can include silo, storage tanks, vessels, drains, sewers, vats, industrial chambers and poorly ventilated rooms.

Risks can arise from lack of oxygen, poisonous gas fumes, fire, explosion, temperatures.  Consideration must be given to whether working in the confined space is absolutely necessary.  If it is then, better planning management or a different approach may alleviate risks.

It is necessary to appoint supervisors, verify competence, check the size of the entrance, ventilation, air, providing special tools, breathing apparatus, working in teams. Appropriate emergency procedures must be put in place, in case there is an incident.