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Sanitary, washing and drinking facilities
[ch 5: pages 82-83]Regulation 20 states that suitable and sufficient toilets must be provided, adequately ventilated and lit, kept clean and maintained in an orderly condition. The ACOP recommends that toilets should contain toilet paper in a holder or dispenser, have a facility for hanging coats and, where used by women, contain the means for disposal of sanitary towels.
Regulation 21 states that suitable and sufficient washing facilities must be provided, including showers where necessary due to the nature of the work or for health reasons. Washing facilities will be considered suitable if they are in the immediate vicinity of toilets or changing rooms, provided with a clean supply of hot and cold (or warm) water, soap, and towels, and are sufficiently ventilated, lit and kept clean and orderly.
Separate toilet and washing facilities must be provided for men and women, except where the facilities are provided in a room intended for the use of one person at a time and which can be secured from the inside. This last provision does not apply to washing facilities intended for the hands, forearms and face only.
The revised ACOP and guidance lists the minimum facilities that should be provided:
| Number of men/women | 1-5 | 6-25 | 26-50 | 51-75 | 76-100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of toilets and wash stations | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
An additional toilet and wash station should then be provided for every 25 (or fraction of 25) people over 100. Alternative arrangements for facilities only used by men are also set out.
The regulations also specify that an adequate supply of drinking water and cups must be provided (Regulation 22).
Unite victory over visiting drivers’ right to use employers’ toilets when making deliveries
General union Unite won a long-running campaign for the right for delivery drivers to use an employers’ toilets and washing facilities while making deliveries. In November 2017, the HSE announced it had reviewed its approach concerning access to welfare facilities for visiting delivery drivers, including guidance to duty holders. It has re-examined Regulations 20 and 21 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and will update its guidance to make clear that drivers must have access to welfare facilities in the premises they visit as part of their work.
More information about Unite’s campaigns, Better Loos 4 U and Welfare facilities: time for a toilet break, can be found on the website at: www.unitetheunion.org/unite-at-work/informationresources/healthsafetyresources/welfare-facilities-time-for-a-toilet-break.