Changing and drying rooms
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-16 weeks
Updated:
Providing changing rooms for colleagues is a legal requirement under The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
It is essential to provide changing (including shower) and drying facilities for men and women. Facilities for all gender identities should also be considered.
General requirements
The site establishment team must:
- Locate the facilities on the ground floor.
- Allow one metre squared minimum per individual for changing.
- Provide separate facilities for men and women.
- Provide air-conditioning and heating provision including dehumidifiers.
- Dehumidifiers must be adequate for the size of the space.
- Ensure either a two door entry so a āholding spaceā is created between the opening door entering the changing / drying room or there is a privacy screen so that the main changing area canāt be immediately seen on entry.
- Provide shower cubicles – minimum size 700mm x 700mm. If these are unisex, they must be lockable. If they are within a designated gender changing room, they should include privacy curtains. The number of showers required should be determined at the site setup and based on the number of colleagues on the project. Any derogation from this requirement must be sought directly from the Project Manager and Business Unit Head of SHEQ.
- Provide at least one cubicle/private gender neutral facility. This space can be multi-use as long as its lockable and has appropriate signage.
- Ensure changing rooms are provided with a wipe-clean floor.
- Have adequate hanging and drying space for the number of potential users.
- Ensure access to facilities are always available. Colleagues should not have to request a key to gain access.
- Ensure there is a suitable cleaning regime in place.
- Ensure there are segregated waste streams for recycling ā glass/plastic/food waste/cans within the changing rooms (refer to waste management section).
- Consider how corporate messaging is displayed, e.g. purpose and values.
- Ensure facilities are shielded from the view of colleagues or members of the public.
Lockers
The site establishment team must:
- Provide individual lockers which are bolted to the floor or wall/tied together.
- Ensure there is a seating provision adjacent to the locker space (a minimum of 300mm wide timber slatted and fixed to the floor). If pegs/hanging space is provided behind the seating provision then the width the seating provision must increase to a minimum of 500mm.
- Be a combination of wire mesh for drying and enclosed for personal effects.
- Enclosed area for personal effects must be lockable by the individual.
- Ensure sufficient lockers are accessible for any colleagues with a condition or impairment.
Washing facilities
Morgan Sindall Infrastructure has a legal duty to enable people to clean and maintain PPE.
The site establishment team must:
- Ensure provisions are made for washing and cleaning PPE. This could be via onsite washing facilities, or via a third-party cleaning company. Guidance can be sought from PPE providers and manufacturers on appropriate washing techniques.
- Ensure the washing provision is suitable for the number of individuals onsite and the tasks to be undertaken.
The site establishment team should consider:
- Shower doors with frosted glass instead of privacy curtains.
- Solid door with heavy duty closers for drying rooms in modular solutions.
- The location of the facilities relative to the canteen and toilets.
- Green foliage suitable for the drying room area.
- Showers suitable for colleagues with a condition or impairment.
- Washing facilities for reflection rooms ā Washing and ablution are an important part of some faithsā prayer rituals, and consideration of the provision of washing facilities and their location is key when maintaining dignity and respect for colleagues.
Reminder
Hygiene/Sanitary bins
Contrary to popular belief, sanitary waste is not classified as hazardous, medical or toxic waste, but as āoffensiveā waste. This means that a specialist collection service is not necessarily required. The Environment Agency reiterates this and states that low levels of sanitary bin waste can be ālegally discarded in the black bin waste streamā.
Disposable sanitary bins such as Binny Bins provide a viable option for projects instead of using specialist companies for sanitary waste disposal.
Adopting Binny Bins has a positive impact on the carbon footprint of your office/site by removing the need for additional waste collection journeys. This style of sanitary disposal also means that we can ensure this provision is provided in all welfare cabins in project locations such as by the Highway, as well as in our main office blocks.
Contact
| Accommodation Desk | T: 03456 004 099 E: accommodationdesk@morgansindall.com |
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