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For your employees' well-being you need to provide:

• toilets and hand basins, with soap and towels or a hand-dryer
• drinking water
• a place to store clothing (and somewhere to change if special clothing is worn for work)

Consider the needs of employees with disabilities. They must be able to easily access these facilities. See disabled access and facilities in business premises.

Workplace toilet and washing facilities

You have to provide adequate toilet and washing facilities for your employees. You must provide: 

• enough toilets and washbasins for those expected to use them - people should not have to queue for long periods to go to the toilet
• where possible, separate facilities for men and women, failing that, rooms with lockable doors 
• clean facilities 
• a supply of toilet paper and, for female employees, a means of disposing of period products
• facilities that are well lit and ventilated
• facilities with hot and cold running water
• enough soap
• a basin large enough to wash hands and forearms if required
• a means for drying hands, eg paper towels or a hot air dryer
• showers if needed, eg for particularly dirty work

If possible, you should provide flushing toilets and running water. You can hire portable welfare cabins which are purpose built and contain toilet facilities and a canteen etc. If this is not practical, as a last resort you can consider alternatives such as chemical toilets and water containers. Relying on public toilets is only suitable for a very small number of temporary workplaces. 

How many toilets per person in the workplace?

The following tables show how many toilets and wash basins you should provide per number of employees.

For mixed use or female only:

Toilets used by men only:

(Source: HSE's )

Ensure you consider the needs of employees with disabilities when planning toilet facilities.

Meal break and rest facilities

There should be a seating area for workers to use during breaks. It needs to be clean, hygienic and located where food will not get contaminated. There should be washing facilities nearby. There should be a way for staff to heat food or water for hot drinks. You must provide drinking water.  

If 'reasonably practical' you must provide rest facilities for pregnant or nursing mothers. 

You don't need to provide a smoking room. Smoking indoors is banned in almost all enclosed workplaces. See workplace policies on smoking drugs and alcohol. 

Changing and clothing storage facilities 

If the work activity requires your employees to wear specialist clothing (overalls, a uniform, thermal clothing etc), then you must provide changing rooms. If you provide a changing room, it should: 

• be readily accessible
• contain, or lead directly to, clothing storage and washing facilities
• provide seating
• provide a way to hang clothes - eg a hook or peg 
• ensure the privacy of the user

You should provide separate changing facilities for men and women.

Try to prevent employees' own clothing getting dirty or wet. Provide separate storage for clean and contaminated clothing which:

• allows wet clothing to be hung up to dry out during the course of the day
• is well ventilated
   

You have a legal duty to ensure a healthy working environment for your staff. You must make sure there is:

• good ventilation - a supply of fresh, clean air drawn from outside or a ventilation system - see ventilation in the workplace
• a reasonable working temperature - see safe working temperatures
• lighting suitable for the work being carried out
• enough room, space and suitable workstations and seating
• a clean workplace with appropriate waste containers

Safe working environment

To keep your workplace safe you must:

• properly maintain your premises and work equipment
• keep floors and traffic routes free from obstruction - see avoid trips and slips in the workplace 
• have windows that can be opened and also cleaned safely
• make sure that any transparent (eg glass) doors or walls are protected or made of safety material

Working environment risks

Consider some of the following ways to reduce work environment risks:

• Computer health and safety at work - consider equipment, training and workstation design to prevent injuries for computer users. Task design and breaks are also important. 
• Personal protective equipment can help reduce the harm from the working environment risks such as heat, noise and vibration.
• Manage the risks of diseases, allergens and infections in the workplace by providing the correct toilet and washing facilities. Consider equipment and procedures for high-risk work. 
• Consider the health and safety for people working outdoors. You are responsible for a safe and healthy working environment, even if it is off-site. 
• Ensure your employees work safely at height or in a confined space. Use the right procedures and equipment to reduce risks. 
   

Employers have a legal duty to ensure that working environments are a 'reasonable temperature'.

What is a reasonable working temperature?

The law does not state specific temperatures that are considered reasonable. You must determine what reasonable comfort will be in the particular circumstances. 

Best practice dictates the working environment should usually be at least 16°C, or 13°C for strenuous work (unless other laws require lower temperatures). There is no advice for specific limits on high temperatures. 

Thermal comfort at work

The temperature of the working environment affects workers' comfort and safety. This should form part of your health and safety risk assessment. 

A person suffering from may experience muscle cramps, lack of concentration and severe thirst. This can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. 

In cold environments, employees may lose concentration or take short cuts. Cold temperatures can lead to frostbite and hypothermia. 

You must take steps to control the risks of extreme temperatures. This could involve providing personal protective equipment or redesigning tasks. 

Working in hot conditions

Employers must ensure that staff have access to drinking water. In hot conditions, employees may need to drink more water than usual - you should encourage this. You must also ensure the working environment has adequate ventilation.

Consider the following measures to help your staff stay comfortable in hot conditions:

• supply cold drinks
• relax dress codes so employees can wear cooler clothing
• provide air conditioning or fans 
• allow employees to work in the shade
• reschedule strenuous work
• provide adequate breaks to let employees cool down and drink water

If your staff work outside they may be at particular risk of certain hazards in hot weather. Consider shade, rest breaks and sun safety. Wearing a hat, suitable clothing and sunscreen can help protect the skin from ultraviolet (UV) damage. See health and safety risks for people working outdoors. 

Working in cold conditions 

The steps you can take to ensure thermal comfort when working in the cold include:

• provide adequate workplace heating, eg portable heaters
• reduce draughts
• provide insulating floor coverings or special footwear when employees have to stand for long periods on cold floors
• provide protective clothing for cold environments
• provide enough breaks to allow employees to get hot drinks or to warm up in heated areas
   

Your business has a legal duty to provide a healthy working environment for your workers. This includes ensuring good ventilation. This means a fresh, clean air supply should be drawn from outside or a ventilation system.

Good ventilation is widely recognised to reduce the risk of airborne transmission, particularly in enclosed areas.

You should look at ways to improve your ventilation system and increase the supply of fresh air where you work.

What is the risk of poor ventilation?

Respiratory infections can spread through airborne particles and droplets that enter the respiratory system.

Tiny airborne particles can remain in the air for longer and can travel further than droplets. In poorly ventilated spaces, airborne particles can remain in the air for hours, leading to viral particles spreading between people.

See identifying poorly ventilated areas and how to take an assessment of fresh air in the workplace.

Mobile and home-based ventilation measures

Close contact providers who operate on a mobile basis, including working in other peoples’ homes, may wish to ask clients to prepare their premises in advance of appointments. You should consider and discuss the best ways in which to work safely for both yourself and your clients.

Steps to improve ventilation in your clients' premises include:

• opening doors and windows
• keeping trickle vents open (usually found at the top of window frames) and ensuring vents are not blocked
• regular airing of a room for short periods, eg 10 minutes per hour can be effective at reducing concentrations of virus in the air
• leaving extractor fans running in bathrooms and kitchens with the door closed

Ventilation in vehicles

Enclosed vehicles including cars, vans, and buses can also be high-risk. It is important that vehicles used by your business are well-ventilated.

See ventilation in vehicles used for work purposes.