Facilities at work

D

declanja

Registered User
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Can anyone advice as to minimum standard of facilities employers should provide in the workplace. Areas such as facilities for meals, personal lockers, desk room etc.
 
Professional working in shared office with poor facilities. Management slow to improve conditions. Cannot find anything on web. Where can I access this information?
 
Is this any good : [broken link removed]

Here is a better link : [broken link removed]
 
Thank you for all your help. My chief gripe at present is lack of facilities re tea or meals. My employer will pay subsistence while out of office for five hours but not while in office. Yet, there are not any facilities to eat within the office. This seems unjust to me. I am told an employer does not need to provide this. Is this true?
 
I'm pretty sure that employers are under no obligation to provide facilities for breaks/meals etc.
 
I think you'll find it's completely up to the discretion of the employer. In my varied career, the facilities have varied from a kettle (employee owned) plugged in under a desk, to a full canteen with subsidised meals.

Generally - it's a fringe-benefit rather than an entitlement.
 

Extract from the General Application regulations 2007 SI299, a right not a privilege.

General welfare requirements.​
18.​
​
​
An employer shall ensure that—
(a) every place of work is kept in a clean state and accumulations of dirt, refuse, trade
refuse and waste are removed by a suitable method as frequently as necessary to maintain an appropriate level of safety and health,
(b) the floor of every workroom is cleaned by a suitable method as frequently as necessary to maintain an appropriate level of safety and health,
(c) where any employees have in the course of their employment reasonable opportunities for sitting without detriment to their work or, where a substantial proportion of any work done by employees can properly be done sitting,
(i) suitable facilities for sitting are provided and maintained for their use, or
(ii) if this is not practical, they are otherwise ergonomically supported,
(d) an adequate supply of potable drinking water is provided and maintained at suitable points conveniently accessible to all employees,​

​
(e) suitable and adequate facilities for boiling water and taking meals are provided and maintained for the use of employees, or that employees have reasonable access to other suitable and adequate facilities for the taking of meals, and
(f) the taking of meals by employees is prohibited at any location in the place of work where there is likely to be a risk to safety, health or welfare.​
 
Point (e) above seems to imply that there should be a break room...that's it. A kettle is not expected, just drinking water.
 
In my office, there is a canteen, but you are not allowed bring in your own food.
So if you want to eat your own food, there is nowhere to eat it, other than at your desk. There is no fridge or microwave, so it's not easy to keep cold food fresh, and hot food hot.
I have my own kettle, so at least I can make tea.
 
I think Pique318 is correct, just an area to eat is required. Drinkable water and a Jacks!
 
General welfare requirements.
18.​
An employer shall ensure that—
(e) suitable and adequate facilities for boiling water and taking meals are provided and maintained for the use of employees, or that employees have reasonable access to other suitable and adequate facilities for the taking of meals,

I suggest that as it a requirement to supply them or make other arrangements, a long walk 3 times a day to the local coffee shop is acceptable.
Construction workers and factory works fought long and hard to get these basic facilties, office and service areas should not allow there conditions replicate the site conditions of 20 years ago.
​
 
Caveat said:
That doesn't sound right to me ?!
Click to expand...


If it makes a difference, the lunch which the canteen provides is completely free. I dont like the food though (cold, greasy etc), so I bring my own lunch.
The canteen is shared between a few different companies, and isn't owned by my company, so they say you cant bring in your own food, since that would be like bringing your own food into a restaurant.
I did ask for a meal room to be made available, but the only space was a small area outside the men's toilets, so I'd rather eat at my desk! :)
 
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