The Importance of Providing Welfare Facilities On-Site

Providing accommodation and welfare facilities on a project site requires an understanding of a worker’s needs and how to meet them. These include rest and social needs, hygiene provisions and practical requirements, like safe storage for their belongings. Depending on the circumstances, you may have to provide different welfare facilities to maintain compliance with the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) regulations. Avoiding these responsibilities brings serious legal consequences, so it is essential that you look after your workers and other site inhabitants properly.

In the following guide, we have outlined the different types of welfare facilities that you may be required to provide on your site and the circumstances under which they may be necessary.

What are the on-site welfare requirements?

Depending on the function of your site, its location and how long its inhabitants will be occupying the site, you will need to consider different welfare options. For example, if the inhabitants are staying there for less than a day, they will need access to shelter and toilets, but may not require showers or sleeping quarters. However, if they are residing there for a longer duration - multiple days or even weeks - they will require additional facilities.

As well as providing these facilities, it is also the responsibility of the organiser to ensure they are kept in working order and are cleaned regularly. Access water from facilities should be running and drinkable.

The following list details welfare facilities that may be necessary for your site:

Toilets

Flushing toilets and sinks with hot and cold running water should be provided on sites of all sizes, regardless of how long the inhabitants will be staying. They should be connected to drainage systems, be properly ventilated and have sanitary product disposal for female inhabitants. Soap and towels should also be provided, and can be easily overlooked - check with your portable accommodation provider whether they offer these amenities, if not, you will need to do so yourself.

Washing facilities

All sites should provide somewhere for individuals to freshen up. This can be as simple as faucets with hot and cold running water and a sink large enough to wash your face in, but for longer stays or sites where work is conducted outdoors or in dirty environments, showers will be necessary. The HSE states that washing facilities should be located next to toilets and changing areas, and that close proximity to sleeping cabins is also recommended. However, if these facilities are used for decontamination or excessively dirty washing, they should be kept separate from all other facilities. They should also be sufficiently ventilated and lit.

These facilities should be stocked with washing supplies, such as soap and towels. Again, it is the organiser’s responsibility to ensure these are in place.

Changing rooms

Lockable private changing rooms allow inhabitants to comfortably change after washing or spending time in bad weather. They should be placed near cleaning facilities, unless they are to be used for changing out of contaminated clothing, in which case they should be separate from other facilities and located next to decontamination showers.

Changing facilities should be lockable and should have temporary storage space for the users’ belongings. They should also have heaters and space to dry wet clothes. They can be separated according to gender for the comfort of employees, if necessary.

Sleeping and rest facilities

For longer stays, places for inhabitants to sleep and relax must be considered. Dedicated sleeping cabins are a convenient way to ensure that everything someone might need in one place, allowing them to retreat to a comfortable space to rest and escape the elements.

Sleeper cabins come in different sizes and configurations, meaning they can provide a comfortable place to sleep, work, wash, prepare food and more. Depending on your circumstances, you may wish to provide the site’s inhabitants with larger sleeping cabins that offer more functionality, or smaller ones with the addition of a communal dining and recreation cabin.

Cabins for rest should be well-insulated, with heaters for the winter and good ventilation for hotter weather. They must have electrical ports and be waterproof. Beds should be comfortable and appropriately sized for their purpose.

The cabins at Bunkabin meet all of these requirements, with options for additional functionality.

Why is it important to provide welfare facilities?

It is mandatory to provide welfare facilities for workers. Beyond this, workers who are able to access facilities and comfortably meet their needs will be happier and, subsequently, more productive. Affording workers the means to rest and recover on-site will reduce their need to leave the area, and prevent them from having to commute. This is especially relevant to sites that are located in remote areas.

With cabins from Bunkabin, you will be able to implement all of the welfare facilities that you may require on a site. With our service, we will be able to easily install portable cabins for you and ensure they are in working order before your operations begin.

Contact us today to ensure you have the best welfare facilities. Call 0345 456 7899 or fill out an online contact form.