What Happens Without Adequate Welfare Facilities on Construction Sites?

The construction environment is dirty and it involves manual activities that are often risky. This calls for different and adequate welfare facilities to improve the workers' environment. Which in turn raises the question on what welfare facilities are required on-site to enhance the workers' security as they carry out different activities. Apart from establishing what welfare facilities are required on-site, the question of the adequacy of the facilities arises. It is the role of the site owners to contact contractors to make sure that the workers have suitable welfare facilities available to them. These welfare facilities include; sanitary areas, changing accommodation, meal preparation facilities, drinking water, washing areas, and temporary housing.

The knowledge on the requirements for construction site welfare facilities encourages to demand and embrace welfare facilities provided to employees as they carry out their duties. Some construction site owners ignore these requirements and they fail to meet the minimum welfare facilities needs on construction sites. The employees are directly affected in such situations as their productivity and efficiency are reduce when they work in environments with no welfare facilities available at work. The employers are also affected as the reduced productivity and inefficiency of the employees directly affect the results of the construction work.

In view of this, different legal standards are set to cater to the needs of the workers as the employers are obliged to provide different welfare facilities as discussed below.

Toilet and washing facilities on the sites

In situations where there are no toilets at work, the employees fail to embrace hygienic conditions as they seek other means to enhance their welfare. The employees end up promoting pollution and outbreak of diseases like cholera which not only affects them but also the surrounding communities.

Legally, welfare facilities in construction should be equipped with enough water, basins, soap, and hand drying materials. The adequacy and number of these facilities on a site depend on the number of employees. High numbers of employees require more facilities while low number requires less number of facilities. They should be divided on the gender basis to avoid inconveniences. They should be maintained clean to minimise the chances of harming the employees. Since the law considers no toilet facilities at work illegal, the employees have the right to report such situations.

Mealtime and Drinking Water facilities

Construction activities include lunch and other breaks. The law requires that the employers provide construction welfare facilities including meal areas to be used by the employees during these breaks. The areas should be kept hygienic to minimise the chances of contamination. Also, drinking water at work rights should be observed by employers.

Temporary Facilities

These needs can be met through permanent or temporary facilities on the construction sites. Some of the temporary facilities that can be used include; water cans, portable and chemical toilets. Depending on the circumstances under which the employees are working, these facilities can be hired.

Changing and Storing Facilities

In situations where employees need to change into special clothes like overalls, uniforms and thermal clothes, employers should provide changing and storage facilities. These areas should be easily accessible and private, as well as have seats and areas to hang clothes. They should be divided based on gender to avoid inconveniences.

Condition of the Construction Facilities

Apart from providing construction site welfare facilities, their condition should be considered by employers. They should always monitor them to ensure that they are in perfect conditions that cannot jeopardise the welfare of the workers. In the case of hiring, they should go for companies that offer quality facilities and services to comply with the legal requirements. You should ensure that the company in question is conversant with what welfare facilities are required on site. If you are stuck on where to hire quality welfare facilities, you should consider Welfare 4 Hire in both the short and long-term spheres.

For more information about our construction site welfare facilities for hire, please get in touch with a member of our team today.