ENSURE YOU MEET CONSTRUCTION REGULATIONS WITH OUR WELFARE CABINS

Welfare facilities on construction sites are now written into law and enforced. Staff must have the basics of hygiene, rest, and privacy when working at a job site. And this law goes further if the workers need to sleep and eat on-site. Comfortable living conditions for on-site workers make a happier workforce and increased productivity. Worker facilities, such as living quarters and areas to wash, reduce stress. And with less stress comes less absenteeism due to illness, and better health and safety records. WHAT ARE CONSTRUCTION REGULATIONS? CDM regulations have put welfare facilities on construction sites into the headlines. These provide for basic hygiene and privacy of site workers. These regulations look into the duration and remoteness of the project and the number of staff working on a project. The client, and the contractor, are duty-bound to provide these facilities with a good standard of hygiene to compliment them. And these facilities must be a set distance from the main site and constructed before any other work to the project. Lodgings and hygiene centres are a primary concern for the welfare facilities on construction sites. These buildings must enter into the planning phase. Additions or changes to the project should not affect these rest areas. Welfare facilities on construction sites include but limited to: Toilets Washing Facilities Potable Water Changing Rooms and Lockers Rest Facilities Toilets Toilets are a fundamental piece of site equipment that should be a priority. Toilets need to be in good working condition, with a way to wash the user’s hands after they have finished using it. Toilets need to be an insufficient number to cater for the size of the crew and well ventilated. The waste needs dealing with in a way that preserves the hygiene of the site and any environmental concerns. These toilets must have lights that supply a decent illumination, inside and out. The toilets also need a regular cleaning schedule to uphold the hygiene directive, which specifies that the units are clean and tidy. Men and women should have separate toilets where possible. If it is not possible to split genders, there must be a lock on the door to guarantee a level of privacy. Washing Facilities Subject to the isolation of the site and the workers’ duties, there are certain levels of washing facilities that workers must have access to. The basics of them are: Clean running water; hot and cold. Cleaning agents such as soap, and in some cases, shampoo. A hygienic method of drying hands. A shower, if the nature of the work demands a greater level of cleaning after finishing a shift. Again, these facilities should divide genders where possible. And where it is not possible, each facility must have a lock to secure a level of privacy. Potable Water There must be an adequate level of safe drinking water on-site that is easy for all workers to access. The water, and the vessel that supplies it, must stay clean and free from contaminants. Workers must have access to a sanitary way of drinking the water, such as disposable cups. Drinking water from a jet is an alternative way of supplying drinking water without supplying cups. But, for water fountains, the supply needs regular checking, and the machine kept hygienic. Another one of many vital welfare facilities on construction sites. Changing Rooms and Lockers Some workers need to change into safety clothing, which is not allowed to leave the site. If this is the case, workers must a place that they can change into these clothes, while leaving their normal clothes at the facility. Workers also need privacy to change and a place to store personal effects in a secure fashion. And when it comes time to get back into their clothes, there should be a place where the work clothes can air and dry. Rest Facilities There are statutory timelines of when workers need to take breaks and rest periods. In these rest periods, there should be an area with enough seating and eating space to accommodate an average-sized team. These rest areas need to stay clear and clean, with heating supplied if needed. And there should be either a way for workers to make food and hot water or give them access to a caterer. When working in remote locations, sleeping facilities of the same standards will need erecting. WHY DO WE NEED HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES? The reasons are two-fold: Hygiene and basic amenities for sanitation will reduce the likelihood of disease and illness spreading around a site. Sickness can lead to more accidents and higher levels of absenteeism. A happy worker will have more energy and focus; average production levels will increase, and the project times decrease. And if the worker does not need to leave a site to reach these requirements, there is less time wasted on travelling to a place that can. These regulations are in place to meet the construction site rules and regulations. But the CDM guidelines are an advantage to those employers that make them available to their employees. EasyCabin supplies premium hygiene and resting solutions for construction sites and even events. If you liked this article — then you can find out more here!