Working on a site is hard work. Ensuring everyone on the site has the correct toilet and washing facilities is a requirement. A lot of jobs you may get will not have toilet facilities so it’s up to someone to hire quality toilets that are available for anyone on the site. We all know every good builder and tradesperson is fuelled on countless cups of tea, so give your team the facilities that they are going to need.
What Requirements Do I Have To Meet?
A lot of construction jobs will start at the foundations, meaning there will not be toilets already available at the site for you. If achievable you will need a welfare system that attaches to the mains water and drainage system, however if this is not practical, chemical portable toilets are recommended.
Facility cleanliness must be constantly maintained – daily cleans may not be adequate in some instances. They also must be well lit and ventilated, for obvious reasons!
When thinking about how many toilets you will require, consider how many members of the team you will have on site at one time. The ratio should be one toilet for every seven people working. Toilets do not need to be gender exclusive as long as the toilets are lockable and partitioned away from any possible urinals. If these conditions cannot be met, make sure that you provide fully separate toilets in different locations on the site.
Washing facilities should supply running hot and cold water, as long as this is practical is practicable. You need to provide sinks large enough for people to wash their hands, forearms and faces in. Forms of personal hygiene products such as soap and hand sanitizers should be available as suitable means of cleaning. Drying methods such as towels, hand tissues etc. are all needed. As with toilets, washing facilities should be ventilated and lit.
Other things to be aware of are supply adequate amounts of toilet paper, which can be somewhat difficult thanks to the current climate of panic buying! Portable toilets must be emptied at least weekly. Also, sanitary waste disposal should be provided in facilities with females working.
What Toilets are Available?
Different sites and staff sizes will require different types of toilets. Cost, size and practicality are factors that also must be taken into consideration in order to provide the best offering for your workplace.
Portable Toilets
The first toilet that comes to mind. Anyone working with a small team will benefit from the classic portable toilets. Coming in small and medium sizes, this choice will fit on sites with limited space. Easy to manage and easily accessible. Hot wash portable toilets are a choice that will allow you to comply with Health and Safety regulations if hot, cold and warm water is not readily available on-site.
Mains Connected Toilets
When possible, supplying mains connected facilities is an ideal solution. These toilets can easily be connected to an existing sewage system, allowing you to benefit from easy drainage. They can also provide hot and cold running water, helping you meet the requirements of washing facilities. Having this as an option will reduce maintenance as the drainage requires little to no management once initial installation is completed.
Meeting the basic requirements of welfare is a must and will prevent problems arising on any sites. Regardless of the size of your team, toilets in the workplace are something that should be provided. It’s up to you as the employer to understand what requirements and regulations you need to meet and how to achieve this on the site. Making an assessment of the needs of your team and the Health & Safety will give you a better understanding of how to tackle the issue of proper facilities on your site.
If you’re unsure of where to start with this, feel free to contact us and we can see how we can help you provide an adequate environment for your workforce. HALT Hire now has a dedicated portable toilet division, with hire starting from only £20 per week!
