Welfare provision

You would think the right to use the loo, and have a place to wash and eat would be observed in UK construction sites; it often isn't.

A week long safety blitz of London construction sites conducted by HSE in 2002 revealed that although construction workers have the right to welfare provision it didn?t follow that those facilities were either available or in a suitable condition for use. Enforcement action was taken against almost two-thirds of the 223 sites visited and 110 prohibition notices were served. Unsafe work was stopped on nearly half the sites visited for issues such as a failure to provide proper fall protection and a lack of welfare facilities. A further 11 improvement notices were issued, most for inadequate welfare facilities.

Restroom facilities are often unsatisfactory. In 1999 Bovis was fined £15,000 for its dirty habits. On a £15 million contract, it wanted 80 workers on 12-hour shifts to share just four toilets, described in court by HSE as 'totally inadequate' and 'only suitable for 10 men working a 40-hour week.'

Dave Smith, a safety rep with UCATT, was fired by Tarmac offshoot Schal for making a stink about 'pigsty' toilets. Not his conclusion, but the views of all 150 workers on the site, who signed a petition condemning the loos.

Not getting to go when you need to can cause health effects including:

Urinary tract infections (UTIs);
renal damage;
constipation;
abdominal pain;
diverticuli;
haemorrhoids;
bowel distension; and
incontinence.

HSE states the availability of welfare facilities, location and maintenance need to be considered at the planning and preparation stages of every construction project. Where the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 apply, welfare provision needs to be considered in both the pre-tender and construction phase health and safety plans. Matters to be considered when planning the welfare provision include:

The work to be carried out and the health risks associated with it;
the duration of the project and number of different locations;
the number of people working at different locations; and
the distance from welfare facilities.

Under the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996, Regulation 22, it is the duty of any person in control of a construction site to take steps to provide:

Sanitary and washing facilities;

an adequate supply of drinking water;
rest facilities; and
facilities to change and store clothing.

There is an important additional duty in this Regulation. Anybody in control of a site has to ensure that there are reasonable welfare facilities available at readily accessible places. This does not necessarily mean, for example, that the main contractor has to provide these facilities, but they should check that others who have duties make this provision.

Sanitary and changing facilities must be made available for both sexes.

Rest facilities must:

take into account the requirements of pregnant or nursing women;
be suitable for preparation and consumption of food;
provide the means for boiling water; and
provide suitable arrangements to protect non-smokers from tobacco smoke.
Drinking water must be clearly marked as such and drinking vessels should be provided. Washing facilities must provide hot and cold water (ideally running), towels and soap and be properly ventilated.

Good washing facilities are crucial to construction health and safety because good hygiene can minimise the risks of a range of health and safety problems. There should be clean, dry, sheltered, heated facilities with access to fresh water because construction workers work with aggressive chemicals, in unfavourable weather conditions and can be exposed to serious bio and other hazards.

For example:

Exposure to cement, plasterboard and oils (such as mould release oils, fuels or lubricants) can cause allergic dermatitis or skin irritation.
Physical abrasions: those who work with hand tools or with contact with dust can experience reduced protection to the skin.
Work in hot or cold weather can cause skin dryness and cracking and make the skin more vulnerable to chemical or other irritants. Cold can exacerbate the effects of vibration.
Excessive sunlight exposure can lead to sunburn, heat stroke, heat stress and heightened risk of skin cancer.
Winter work can put workers at risk of low body temperature, infection and in extreme cases conditions including trench foot and frostbite.
Contact with soil can lead to a risk of tetanus, Weil?s disease or other conditions.