Whose turn is it to clean the toilets?

A recent report the by HSE, following a month long programme of spot-check inspections, found that, despite many years of guidance and regulation, 40% of sites visited failed the inspection for one reason or another. Findings and results were:

• Poor standards/dangerous practices at 40% of sites visited (691 of 1748)
• On 360 (one in five) sites, practices so poor that enforcement action needed
• 313 prohibition notices issued
• 235 improvement notices issued
• The most common issues identified related to work at height and falls (42%), failure to control dust (12%), insufficient welfare (12%) and asbestos (10%)
• In total 35% of notices were served for health issues (asbestos, dust, noise, vibration, welfare, manual handling)

The one issue that surprises in these figures is the 12% of sites where insufficient welfare facilities were cited as a reason for the failure. Not necessarily an issue high on people’s Health and Safety agenda, but still one that can result in a problem, if you get it wrong. So what does a contractor need to do to provide adequate welfare facilities for their employees?

Well the majority of requirements are common sense as usual and could be best decided by asking yourself would I be happy using these facilities? There are however a few specifics that need addressing and they are detailed in the HSE Construction Information Sheet number 59 which should answer all questions you may have. In addition C&D’s Demolition Awareness course will help you plan for what is required.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis59.pdf

As the HSE say “Good facilities can positively benefit health and well-being and can help to prevent dermatitis.”