SITE WELFARE GUIDANCE UPDATE

Clients and contactors must ensure site welfare meets the standard

HSE guidance on the standard of welfare facilities required under CDM 2007 Schedule 2 has been updated.  

The information sheet is for all dutyholders involved in construction work and provides guidance on the minimum welfare facilities that must be provided or made available to workers on construction sites

Clients duty to ensure welfare adequate 

The previous guidance was contained in two information sheets for fixed and transient sites.

These have been replaced by the single document: Provision of welfare facilities during construction work (CIS59).

The project client under CDM 2007 must now ensure that the contractors engaged have made arrangements to provide adequate welfare facilities for construction workers.

The client does not have to provide the facilities but must ensure that construction work (including demolition) does not start until suitable welfare facilities are in place. Key points are:

  • Everyone who works on any site must have access to adequate toilet and washing facilities, a place for preparing and consuming refreshments and somewhere for storing and drying clothing and personal protective equipment.
  • If mobile teams work at a number of locations over a few days (e.g. road repair and cable-laying gangs), facilities can be provided at a central location accessible within a reasonable distance or time.
  • Decisions and action on welfare facilities need to be taken at an early stage of project planning.
  • The pre-construction information prepared by the client should include the arrangements for welfare provision and on notifiable projects the client must ensure the construction phase does not start unless he is satisfied that there are arrangements for welfare facilities to be provided.
  • Contractors must maintain the facilities throughout the life of the project.

Summry of standards required by CDM 2007

Toilets

These should be suitable and sufficient, ventilated, lit and kept in a clean and orderly condition. Washing facilities must be provided in the immediate vicinity of every sanitary convenience, whether or not provided elsewhere.

Washing facilities

General washing facilities must be suitable and sufficient, kept clean / orderly and with basin(s) or sink(s) large enough for people to wash their face, hands and forearms.

The facilities should include:

  • clean hot and cold, or warm, running water;
  • soap or other suitable means of cleaning; and
  • towels or other suitable means of drying.
  • showers where the nature of work is particularly dirty or there is a need to decontaminate

Drinking water

Drinking water must provided or made available at readily accessible and suitable places. Cups are required unless the supply is in a jet from which persons can drink easily.

Changing rooms and lockers

Changing rooms are needed where a worker has to wear special clothing for the purposes of his work and cannot be expected to change elsewhere.

The rooms must be provided with seating, means of drying and keeping clothing and personal effects secure.

Facilities for rest

Rest rooms or rest areas are required equipped with tables and seating (with backs) sufficient for the number of persons likely to use them at any one time.

There should be arrangements for meals to prepared and eaten plus means for boiling water. Any room must be maintained at an appropriate temperature.

This article was posted on 22nd March 2010 in ALL LATEST NEWS, welfare.
PP Construction Safety H&S Assistance and Consultancy service.

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