Choosing the right welfare facilities for your construction site

It’s essential that any construction site has the right welfare facilities available for use by all employees. Whether the construction site is large or small, and wherever it happens to be located, the right welfare facilities are highly important – both for employee wellness, and to ensure the efficiency of the site in general.

What are welfare facilities?

Welfare facilities are, quite simply, any facilities that are designed to take care of basic human needs. We all have our essential requirements – namely eating, using the toilet, and resting. Welfare facilities are designed to allow a space to take care of those needs; whether it be relieving oneself or having a lunch break.

Why do you need them?

Quite simply, because your construction site is going to be a miserable place to work without them. Would you want to work somewhere that didn’t provide toilet facilities? Or somewhere dry and clean for you to sit down to have your break? Construction can be a dirty business, especially through the cold winter months, so it’s essential to provide employees somewhere warm and dry to eat, drink, rest, and relieve themselves.

What are you going to need?

Every construction site is different, so your individual needs are going to vary from site to site. There are, however, some basic welfare facilities that you should always consider.

Toilets

Possibly the most basic of human functions, and one that it’s not really an option for you to cater to. If you want employees working on your site you’re going to need to provide somewhere for them to answer nature’s call.

There is a wide selection of toilets available depending on the needs of your site. You can, for example, just have a basic bank of urinals. Or you can have more technically advanced toilet cubicles that offer large capacity general waste tanks, complete with mains-connected hot water supplies and soap dispensers to ensure proper personal hygiene.

Comfort spaces

A comfort space is a general-purpose welfare unit that can be used for a number of different purposes. They can, for example, be a break room, a canteen, or an office – whatever the needs of your construction site dictate.

The cabins themselves can fit a number of people depending on the size you choose, with larger cabins offering space for around 12 people. They can also come with a number of features such as hot water supply, microwave and kettle, seating space, etc. Many can also offer layout customisation, for example, a choice between “open plan” or “office”.

Showers

Construction sites can get very dirty, especially in winter when there’s a lot of mud and grime. Shower units can be had either as a dedicated shower block, or as a part of a comfort unit cabin.

This offers workers who get dirty the opportunity to clean themselves, and it also makes sense through the winter months as working outside can lead employees to get chilled to the core. Shower units can be hooked up to the mains water supply, which ensures a reliable supply of hot water, as well as the appropriate wastewater storage.

How to choose the right facilities

If you’re still unsure about the right welfare facilities for your construction site, the best thing you can do is to get in touch with a specialist supplier. They’ll have the experience to tell you which bases you’re going to need to cover, and what options are available to you.

Speaking with a specialist will help you get a feel for the budget you’ll require, as well as the best selection of welfare facilities for your needs.