Health, Safety and Welfare

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations relate to the suitability of all workplaces for all members of the workforce including those with disabilities. These regulations relate to premises with employees and not those with only self employed persons.

So what is a suitable workplace?

There are specific requirements laid down in the regulations to define suitability. Find out about Health, Safety, Welfare and References

Health

Ventilation

Every enclosed workplace must be ventilated with fresh/purified air
Any plant used for providing effective ventilation must be fitted with an alarm to warn of any failure

Temperature

Temperatures during working hours must be reasonable.
The approved code of practice gives a sedentary minimum temperature of 16 degrees Celsius in workrooms and 13 degrees Celsius where there is severe physical effort, unless lower maximum room temperatures are required by law.
Any form of heating or cooling must ensure that the workplace is not affected by fumes, gas or vapours which are likely to be injurious to health or offensive.
Suitable thermometers in sufficient numbers are to be provided and maintained for employees to establish the temperature in any workplace inside a building.

Lighting

Lighting must be suitable and sufficient to allow the work activity to be carried out safely
As far as reasonably practicable lighting should be natural
Where there is potential danger due to failure of any artificial light source, suitable and sufficient emergency lighting is required

Cleanliness and Waste Materials

Floor, wall and ceiling surfaces inside buildings must be capable of being kept sufficiently clean.
All workplaces and their furniture, furnishings and fittings must be kept clean which includes keeping them free from any effluvia from drains or toilets and keeping them free of waste materials apart from what is kept in suitable receptacles.
Waste materials must be placed in suitable receptacles and must not accumulate on the premises.

Room Dimensions and Space

Every workplace must have:

sufficient floor area
height
unoccupied space

to allow people to get to and from workstations with ease.

Workstations and Seating

Workstations must be arranged to be suitable for any person who is likely to work there and for any work likely to be done there.
Where a substantial part of the work must be done sitting a suitable seat must be provided.
For those workstations outside buildings there must be protection from adverse weather so far as is reasonably practicable and so arranged that persons at the workstation are not likely to slip or fall.
The arrangement must enable anyone to leave it swiftly or receive assistance in an emergency.

Safety

Maintenance

The workplace, equipment, devices and systems must be:

clean
maintained in an efficient state
good working order
in good repair

Condition of Floors and Traffic Routes

Floors and traffic route surfaces must be constructed so that they are suitable for the purpose for which they are used. This means having no hole or slope, or being uneven or slippery, so as to expose persons to risks to health or safety.
Floors and traffic routes should be kept free of obstructions which may present a hazard or impede access.
Floors must have effective means of drainage where necessary.
Except where a traffic route would be obstructed suitable and sufficient handrails and guards must be provided.
Arrangements should be made to minimise risks from snow and ice.

Falls or Falling Objects

Suitable and effective safeguards are required against any person falling a distance likely to cause personal injury or being struck by a falling object likely to cause personal injury.
Any tank, pit or structure where there is a risk of a person falling must be securely covered or fenced.
Secure fencing should be provided wherever a person may fall 2m or more.
As a minimum fencing should consist of a top and lower guardrail with the top rail being no less than 1100mm above the surface.
Any fixed ladders provided to gain access to elevated storage or pits must be of sound condition and securely fixed and extend at least 1100mm above the landing.
Materials and objects must be stacked in a manner that they will not fall and cause injury.
This includes ensuring that racking is strong, and stable enough to hold any load placed on it.

Windows and Transparent or Translucent Doors, Gates and Walls

Windows
doors
gates
walls
partitions glazed wholly or partially so that they are transparent or translucent

must where necessary for health and safety be of safe material and appropriately marked.

Windows, Skylights and Ventilators and the Ability to Clean Them

Windows, skylights and ventilators that can be opened are required to be designed so that they cannot be:

opened
closed
adjusted

in a way that causes danger to anyone.

They must not be capable of remaining open in a dangerous position.
Windows and skylights are to be designed or constructed so that they can be cleaned safely taking account of equipment or devices fitted to the window, skylight or building.

Organisation etc of Traffic Routes

The safe circulation of pedestrians and vehicles in the workplace must be organised.
Traffic routes must be suitable for the use made of them, sufficient, in the right places, and big enough.
This means that traffic routes must be arranged so that:

vehicles using them do not endanger those at work nearby
there is sufficient separation of vehicles and pedestrians at doors and gates
where both use the same route there is sufficient separation between them

Examples of achieving the necessary organisation include:

one way systems
avoidance of sharp / blind bends
separation of vehicles and pedestrians
warning signs
suitable warning devices on vehicles
speed limits / road humps
provision of pedestrian crossings etc.

Doors and Gates

Doors and gates must be suitably constructed to include fitting with any necessary safety device. This means particularly that sliding and powered doors must not cause injury by falling on or trapping people.

Powered doors and gates require suitable features to prevent injury and should be operable manually unless they open automatically if the power fails.

Any door or gate that can be pushed open from either side must provide a clear view of both sides of the space when closed.

Escalators and Moving Walkways

These must:

function safely
be equipped with any necessary safety devices
be fitted with a suitable number of identifiable and accessible emergency stop devices

Welfare

Sanitary Conveniences and Washing Facilities

Sanitary conveniences must be suitable, sufficient and in readily accessible places for all persons at work.
The room containing them must be adequately lit and ventilated and be kept clean and orderly.
Washing facilities should have running hot and cold or warm water with soap and a means of drying hands available.
In some cases it may be necessary to provide showers if required for health reasons or by the nature of the work.
If these facilities are to be used by members of the public, provision of facilities must be increased to allow staff to use them without undue delay.
Special provision should be made, if necessary, for any worker with a disability to have access to facilities that are suitable for his or her use.

Table 1 (below) shows the minimum number of sanitary conveniences and wash stations that should be provided. Where separate conveniences are to be provided for men and women, etc, a separate calculation must be made for both groups.

Number of people at work	Number of WCs	Number of wash stations
1 to 5	1	1
6 to 25	2	2
26 to 50	3	3
51 to 75	4	4
76 to 100	5	5

Table 2 (below) may be used as an alternative to column 2 of Table 1 with respect to men only.

Number of men at work	Number of WCs	Number of urinals
1 to 15	1	1
16 to 30	2	1
31 to 45	2	2
46 to 60	3	2
61 to 75	3	3
76 to 90	4	3
91 to 100	4	4

NB An additional water closet and washing station must be provided for every 25 (or less) people above the 100

Drinking Water

An adequate supply of wholesome drinking water must be provided which is available to all employees in accessible and suitable places i.e. not where contamination is likely and drinking vessels must be supplied unless a water jet is installed where persons can drink easily.

Changing and Clothing Facilities

Facilities for the accommodation and changing of clothing must be provided where an employee's own clothes are not worn for work and for special clothing worn at work but not taken home.

Such facilities must be provided in a suitable location, allow for drying clothing where necessary and avoid any risk to health that may be associated with contaminated clothing.

Facilities for Rest and to Eat Meals

Suitable and sufficient rest facilities must be provided which are large enough to accommodate the maximum number of staff likely at any time.
These areas must be in accessible locations and allow food to be eaten where appropriate without becoming contaminated.
Suitable rest facilities must be provided for any pregnant women or nursing mothers.

References

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations (LEGUK)
L 24 Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare - Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations (HSE)
HSG 202: General Ventilation in the Workplace - Guidance for Employers (HSE)
HSG 38: Lighting at Work (HSE)
HSG 132: How to Deal with SBS - Sick Building Syndrome - Guidance for Employers, Building Owners and Building Managers (HSE)
HS(G)155: Slips and Trips - Guidance for Employers on Identifying Hazards and Controlling Risks (HSE)
HSG 194: Thermal Comfort in the Workplace - Guidance for Employers (HSE)
INDG 63: Passive Smoking at Work (HSE)
INDG 173: Officewise (HSE)
INDG 223: A Short Guide to Managing Asbestos in Premises (HSE)
INDG 225: Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls at Work (HSE)
INDG 238: Gas Appliances - Get them Checked - Keep them Safe (HSE)
INDG 244: Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare - A Short Guide for Managers (HSE)