A Guide To Providing Toilets At Work
Having adequate washroom and toilet facilities is a key aspect of any workplace. If you want to get the best from your employees, they need to have access to clean office toilets and washing facilities with adequate running water so they are healthy and productive.
This blog post looks at 10 things you need to know about the legislation and other considerations around providing adequate office toilets and sanitary facilities.
10 Things You Need To Know About Providing Toilets At Work
There are a lot of things to consider when you are planning washroom facilities in your workplace. These include:
- legislation and regulations
- hygiene standards
- accessibility
- maintenance
Regulatory Guidelines
In the UK, The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and the Health and Safety Executive govern washroom facilities in the workplace whether that’s an office building, hospital, or building site. These regulations clearly identify employers’ obligations and the minimum requirements so that they know what they have to provide for their employees and workers know what they can expect and how to get redress if their workplace doesn’t have appropriate facilities.
Occupancy Considerations
The size and gender distribution of your workforce will determine how many flushing toilets and washbasins you need to provide under the legal requirements of the 1992 regulations. The more people in your office or facility, the more toilets you will need to provide. The minimum number will vary depending on whether they are mixed-use facilities, female or male toilets.
Hygienic Standards
The regulations also cover the state of the facilities. It’s common sense that toilet facilities need to be clean and hygienic so that germs aren’t passed between employees leading to the spread of illness and infections. However, the regulations provide the legal framework for this stating that toilet and washing facilities need to be in a clean and orderly condition, and the rooms they are in need to be adequately ventilated and have appropriate lighting.
Calculating Requirements
When you’re calculating the number of toilets per person in your workplace, you will need to look at the demographics of your teams. Consider whether you are going to provide separate facilities for men and women or whether you intend to have mixed facilities with both urinals and toilets. When you’re deciding where to put your washroom facilities, consider things like your office space, foot traffic, and whether you need to provide public toilets as well as facilities for your staff.
Accessibility Standards
A key consideration is making sure that your toilet facilities are accessible. How you do this will depend on the office space available, the number of staff you have, and who will be using them. There need to be facilities in readily accessible places so that those with mobility difficulties can use them as easily as those without. If you have a small workforce and space is limited, the solution may be to make all of the facilities accessible.
Maintenance and Upkeep
A key consideration when you are installing facilities in shopping centres, office buildings, a leisure centre, or any other workplace is that they need to be easy to keep clean and maintain to a good standard. Clean toilets help to protect the health, safety, and welfare of your staff and the public who use your facilities so use flooring and wall coverings that are easy to clean and make sure each cubicle has enough space to allow for the floor to be accessed around each toilet.
Privacy and Comfort
Whether the toilet and washbasin are in a separate room or together, you need to ensure that the facilities provide users with enough space to get in and out easily and provide them with privacy. Female toilets should have sufficient sanitary conveniences so that period products can be disposed of safely. As well as toilet and washing facilities, consider how people will dry their hands whether that’s providing paper towels or an air dryer.
Gender-Neutral Facilities
Look at how adaptable your facilities are and consider whether they can be used by all genders. A male washroom that contains urinals, as well as separate toilet cubicles or changing rooms, won’t be accessible to everyone if the female toilet is out of order. Gender-neutral facilities mean that anyone can use them which will alleviate problems if some facilities become blocked or can’t be used.
Emergency Procedures
As with all facilities in a workplace, you will need to consider how emergency procedures can be carried out. Accessible facilities in particular will need to be equipped with appropriate equipment to alert staff if someone falls or becomes ill which includes being able to gain entry through a locked door by approved personnel.
Employee Feedback
One of the most important things to consider with any workplace facilities is to ask the views of the people who are going to be using them. Employee feedback will help you ensure the washroom facilities meet everyone’s needs. Providing a mixture of different options will suit the different ways people want to use sanitary appliances.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many toilets per person in an office building
The recommended ratio varies depending on whether they are mixed, male or female only but typically ranges from 1 toilet per 5-15 people.
Is it illegal for a workplace to not have toilets?
Yes, there is a legal requirement for employers to provide adequate toilet facilities for their employees unless it’s unreasonable for them to do so in certain circumstances which include time constraints and physical limitations such as the size of the space.
How many toilets should a workplace have?
The number of toilets each workplace should have depends on things like the size and gender of the workforce, the layout of the office, and industry standards. A general guideline is 1 toilet per 5-15 employees.
Toilets not working at work, can I go home?
If toilets are not working at work, it’s essential to report the issue to the relevant authorities or management. Employers are required to provide toilet facilities with running water (these can be permanent or portable) and they must be suitable for everyone including those with disabilities. If toilet facilities aren’t available for extended periods of time, employers should provide access to nearby public facilities as a last resort. Employees can’t be forced to take annual leave due to there being no toilets and whether they can go home will depend on company policies and the relevant legislation.
How many toilets per person at work?
The ideal number of toilets per person in a work environment varies, but a common recommendation is around 1 toilet for every 5-15 employees. Factors such as office size, gender distribution, and local regulations influence this ratio.
Get in touch for Office Washroom Renovations
The condition of a workplace’s washroom facilities is an indication of how highly staff are regarded and how well they are taken care of by a business or organisation. Staff won’t use facilities that aren’t clean and don’t work properly which can affect their health and well-being at work.If your washrooms need a revamp, get in touch with our team of experts. We will guide you through the whole process from the initial design to installation to help you create a space that is functional, hardwearing, and stylish that meets the needs of everyone, and is achieved within your budget and time scales.