How Welfare Units Can Improve Hygiene Standards at Construction Sites
Building sites are a constant hub of activity. Site work continues as scheduled, regardless of many intervening factors, such as bad weather.
Construction sites are often challenging environments containing dust, smoke, and sometimes hazardous substances. Although these tough conditions can be mitigated with the appropriate safety measures, there’s still the potential for unclean and unhygienic surroundings, which can carry a potential health risk. Keeping a construction site clean and hygienic at all times is as important as keeping it safe.
So, how can a site operations manager or project manager ensure proper construction site hygiene?
Welfare units are the ultimate solution to this problem. Site welfare units are not merely amenities offering comfort and convenience to on-site workers. They’re a key component of any building site as a dedicated space for workers’ well-being following the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) rules and regulations.
Hireforce’s welfare units offer numerous benefits in addition to maintaining and improving hygiene in a construction site. This blog explores how Hireforce’s range of welfare units can maintain and improve building site hygiene.
Potential Issues With Construction Site Hygiene
Let’s explore the potential problems in keeping construction sites clean and hygienic.
- Overlooking Site Hygiene
With looming deadlines and time constraints, project managers and site operations managers tend to overlook the cleanliness and hygiene aspects of the site.
- Inconvenient Portaloos
Portaloos or portable toilets only allow for quick toilet breaks and clean up. Considering the on-site conditions and the HSE rules, portaloos fail to offer workers the necessary welfare facilities.
- Shared Sanitary Facilities
Due to various constraints, some sites have shared toilets and washrooms, which can be inconvenient and may infringe upon workers' privacy.
- Irregular or No Waste Disposal or Waste Management
Many sites have washrooms and related facilities, but their waste isn’t effectively managed. The collected waste must be appropriately disposed of or cleaned by a waste management facility. If waste isn’t managed, the facility becomes unfit for use and may lead to unhygienic site conditions.
- Inadequate Facilities
Many construction sites have various hygiene amenities; however, they may be inadequate per HSE hygiene and safety rules. The HSE recommends one toilet for every seven workers working a 40-hour week with separate units for men and women.
Site welfare units can address and improve these pressing issues in construction site hygiene. Let’s explore how.
4 Ways Welfare Units Maintain and Improve Hygiene in Construction Sites
Welfare units are versatile, offering a variety of on-site amenities. They’re a space for workers to relax and recharge and can double up as meeting and training spaces.
Here are four ways site welfare units help with keeping a construction site clean and improving hygiene standards.
1. Clean Water and Hygiene Supplies
Welfare units play a key role in maintaining workers' personal hygiene and cleanliness. Something as basic and rudimentary as regular hand-washing can keep infections at bay, and this goes for site units, too. Welfare units offer a regular supply of clean water, soap and toilet paper for workers to use.
In addition to hot or cold running water, site units offer designated changing areas, drying facilities, and adequate storage for worker gear.
2. Regular Waste Management Service
A lot of waste is generated on building sites. Regular emptying and managing of waste from toilets and washrooms is a must on a busy project site. Whether it's our 6-person Ecosmart Welfare Unit or 16-person Ecosmart Welfare Unit with Office, we offer regular emptying services so that washrooms and toilets remain clean and fit for purpose at all times.
3. Healthy Employees
Construction sites mean a lot of smoke, soot, dust and chemicals from building and demolition activities. Combined with the stress of project deadlines, this can be detrimental to the mental and physical health of workers. While these activities can’t be controlled completely, you can prevent them from affecting your workers.
By hiring site units, you provide clean drinking water at all times and an appointed space to sit down and eat. Here, workers can take a break, rest and recharge before returning to work. Regular cleanliness and hygiene on site translate to healthy employees.
3. Boost Employee Happiness and Satisfaction
Although welfare units aren’t necessarily a glamorous addition to a construction project, they’re essential to boost worker morale. These units abide by hygiene and safety rules, and improving hygiene and cleanliness shows your workers how invested you are in their welfare.
Your workers will feel valued and happy, boosting morale and reducing the likelihood of walk-outs.
4. Maintain Company’s Reputation
When your workforce is happy and satisfied with their working conditions, they’re more likely to talk about the company in a good light. This positive word-of-mouth about your company adds to its reputation as a great workplace.
Maintaining and continually improving good hygiene standards can help establish a good reputation and terms with contractors, suppliers, and potential clients.
Get Hireforce’s Welfare Units and Comply With Site Hygiene and Safety Rules
Hygiene and cleanliness can’t be put on the back burner on construction sites. Don’t let site hygiene affect your project’s workforce, impact their productivity and derail your project schedule.
With the latest and best amenities, Hireforce provides 6 to 16-person EcoSmart welfare units to adhere to hygiene and safety rules and meet your site’s hygiene needs. Since 2012, as a dependable tool and equipment hire company, innumerable clients have put their faith in us to meet their welfare requirements.
Our expertise in this field fuels our determination to deliver exceptional services to all our clients.
Contact us today on 0345 3503793 to get in touch with one of our executives.