Health, welfare and work environment requirements

Question 1

Regulation

Answer 1

• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 19992
• WHSWR 1992

Question 2

Welfare

Answer 2

• Sanitary conveniences
• Drinking water
• Clothing and changing facilities
• Rest and eating facilities

Question 3

Workplace environment

Answer 3

• Ventilation
• Heating and temp (particularly extremes)
• Lighting
• Workstations and seating
• Floors, stairways and traffic routes
• Adequate provisions for the needs of disabled workers

Question 4

Drinking water

Answer 4

• WHSWR 1992 Reg 22
• Require that an adequate supply of wholesome drinking water must be provided
• The supply needs to be accessible
• Vessels should be provided if not a fountain
• Supply outlets should be labeled ‘suitable for drinking’ or ‘unsuitable for drinking’ as appropriate

Question 5

Washing facilities

Answer 5

• WHSWR 1992 Reg 21
• Requires suitable and sufficient washing facilities, including showers where necessary due to nature of work
• Must be accessible
• Must be a supply of clean, hot and cold water
• Running water so far a practicable
• Soap and other means of cleaning
• Towels or other means of drying
• The rooms that contain these facilities must be kept, clean, ventilated, lit and maintained

Question 6

Sanitary Conveniences

Answer 6

• WHSWR 1992 Reg 20
• Requires accessible, suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences must be provided
• Must be adequate for the numbers and gender employed
• • Kept clean
• And maintained
• Separate conveniences for male and female must be provided unless the convenience is in a separate lockable room

Question 7

Accommodation for clothing

Answer 7

• WHSWR 1992 Reg 23
• Requires suitable and sufficient accommodation must be provided for personal clothing not worn at work
• And work clothing worn at work but not taken home
• Accommodation must be suitable secure when clothing not worn at work is being stored
• Be in a suitable location
• So far as reasonably practicable include drying facilities

Question 8

Facilities for changing clothing

Answer 8

• WHSWR 1992 Reg 24
• Where special clothing must be worn at work, or reasons of health or propriety a person cannot change in another room then suitable and sufficient changing facilities must be provided
• Separate facilities or separate use of facilities for male and female workers must be taken into account
• WHSWR 1992 ACOP recommends that
• Changing facilities should be readily accessible to workrooms
• Should contain adequate seating arrangements
• Sufficiently large enough to enable maximum numbers to use them comfortably and quickly at any one time

Question 9

Rest and eating facilities

Answer 9

• WHSWR 1992 reg 25
• Readily accessible
• Suitable and sufficient
• Suitable and sufficient seating for maximum users at any on time

Question 10

Seating

Answer 10

• Suitable seats should be provided for workers who have to stand up to carry out their work
• Should be provided for use during breaks

Question 11

Ventilation

Answer 11

• Provision of the circulation of fresh air in every occupied area of workspace
• The rendering harmless of all potentially injurious airborne contaminates e.g. dusts, fumes vapours and gases

Question 12

Heating

Answer 12

• The level of heating should be appropriate to provide physical comfort
• Where possible the individual should be able to adjust to achieve physical comfort

Question 13

Lighting

Answer 13

• Lighting and the task and workstation – should be designed to make the task the brightest part of the field of view
• Lighting the interior of the workplace – basic need is to provide sufficient and suitable light in circulation areas to allow movement of personnel
• Attention should be drawn to accident blackspots such as changes in floor level of flights of stairs
• Sudden changes of lighting levels should not occur between neighbouring zones
• Spinning machinery should be illuminated to prevent the occurance of stroboscopic effects

Question 14

Effects of extreme temperature

Answer 14

Health effect

Preventative measures

High temperatures

Heart strain

Heat stroke

Supply of drinking water

Supply of ventilated air

Regular health surveillance

Information and training on hazards

Low temperatures

Frostbite

Loss of limbs

Supply of thick, warm (thermal) clothing

Provision of hot drinks and external heating

Regular health surveillance

Information and training on the hazards