Member Article

40% of businesses do not provide employees with adequate staff room for work breaks

A survey of more than 1,000 workers by on-site accommodation provider Bunkabin found that almost 40% of businesses do not provide employees with an adequate staff room for work breaks, while 8% of companies are breaking the law by not having toilet facilities.

This means that many UK businesses have been found in breach of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, overseen by the Health & Safety Executive. According to the regulations, employers are required to provide enough toilets for those expected to use them, including separate facilities for men and women where possible.

Luke Rothwell, Director at Bunkabin, told Business Up North: “It is shocking to think that there are employees not being provided with access to clean water, let alone basic facilities like toilets and an area to rest. While it may be difficult for industries that work outside, like the construction and agriculture sectors, to provide the same facilities as an office, it is not impossible.

“Employers have a legal duty to ensure that adequate facilities are in place for the welfare of the workforce. This includes access to adequate toilet and washing facilities, a place for preparing and consuming refreshments and somewhere for storing and drying clothing and personal protective equipment.”

The results also reveal that 28% of workplaces feature toilets that are not separate and lockable, 11% of businesses do not have the right number of toilets for their workforce, and 6% of businesses with a staff room do not have access to clean water.

I10% of employees rated their staff room as bad or very bad, while 67% of workers said they believed their employer could do more to improve facilities, with many suggesting that staff rooms should be larger, cleaner and more comfortable.64% of participants also said they were good or very good, while almost half (47%) said more could be done to improve the facilities. Cleanliness was the main suggestion for how toilets can be improved.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon James .