What welfare facilities do I need to provide to my employees?

The law, Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, states that employers must provide ‘suitable and sufficient’ welfare facilities for the well-being of their employees while at work.

Welfare facilities cover such areas as toilets, washing, somewhere clean to eat and drink during breaks and changing facilities.  

The extent of the facilities you need to have in place will depend somewhat on the number of people you employ and the work they will be undertaking but as a guide you will need to provide:

• Enough toilets and washbasins for those expected to use them – including disabled toilets.
• Where possible, separate male and female facilities.
• Clean, well-lit and ventilated facilities.
• Supply of hot and cold running water.
• Supply of toilet paper, soap and means for drying hands – eg paper towels.
• An area for eating and drinking with a way of getting a hot drink e.g. kettle or vending machine.
• A way of heating food eg microwave if hot food can not be purchased near by.
• Supply of clean drinking water either tap or bottled.
• Changing facilities if the work involves wearing specialist clothing.
• Rest facilities for pregnant and nursing mothers.  

'Welfare at Work - Guidance for employers on welfare provision' (172KB) gives more information

Remember if your staff work at remote workplaces or on construction sites, you still need to make appropriate arrangements – eg chemical toilets, water containers etc.

Download 'Provision of welfare facilities at transient construction sites (29.11KB)

Download 'Provision of welfare facilities at fixed construction sites'(28.33KB)