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Maintaining clean amenities is just as important as keeping your site nice and tidy. Employers have a duty to provide adequate workplace amenities/facilities, including toilets, that are in good working order, clean, safe and accessible. 

When planning amenities on your site, consult with your workers to understand what will be needed. Getting them involved will give you the opportunity to provide information, training and instruction on things like keeping the site amenities clean and reporting any problems.

Portable Toilets

More often than not portable toilets are not maintained in a safe or hygienic way. Employers must make sure that toilets are cleaned and serviced regularly, making sure they are safe to use, just like any other on-site machinery.

Toilets should also: 

• Be completely enclosed, to ensure privacy
• Be provided with a door that can be locked from the inside
• Have enough water for flushing and washing hands 
• Stocked with toilet paper, rubbish bins and hygienic means to dispose of sanitary items
• Supplied with soap or a suitable alternative such as alcohol based sanitiser

Don’t forget, the toilet should be easy to access in all weather conditions and be placed on  stable, flat ground to ensure it can operate properly.

Drinking water

Clean drinking water must be supplied to workers by installing site water taps as early as possible. If the mains have not been connected, provide workers with drinking water in containers, coolers or flasks. 

Meal and shelter facilities

Workers should have a clean and sheltered area for meals and rest breaks. A garage or a similar sheltered area can be used or a vehicle cab if there is no other reasonably practicable option, so long as basic requirements for worker rest can be met.

Not meeting these requirements can lead to a risk of infection, disease, psychosocial harm or infringements/enforcement from the Regulator. Planning is key to ensuring you and your team have what you need in place from start to finish.

As always, if you have any questions please give our team a call on 0800 555 339 or contact us.