Workplace welfare is central to employee wellbeing and a matter that all workers should be aware of.
Welfare means health, happiness and wellbeing. Workplace welfare refers to the facilities and benefits employers provide their staff to ensure they can work in a healthy, safe, and satisfying environment. In the UK, workplace welfare is a legal requirement. Employers have a legal obligation to provide their workers with proper welfare at work provisions, from toilets to adequate PPE, ensuring a safe and supportive work environment.
To help you understand your rights, we explain what workplace welfare includes and the welfare at work provisions you should expect. We’ll also look at what happens when employers fall short of their responsibilities, and how Injury Lawyers 4u can help if your employer fails in their duty of care.
What does workplace welfare include?
Workplace welfare covers the essential facilities and services that employers are required to ensure employees can work in a healthy, safe and comfortable environment. These provisions include:
- Clean and accessible toilets: Adequate, well-maintained toilet facilities must be available for all employees.
- Drinking water: Workers must have access to clean, fresh drinking water at all times.
- Proper ventilation and temperature control: Workspaces should be adequately ventilated and maintained at a reasonable temperature.
- Rest areas and break spaces: Employees should have a designated space away from their work area for breaks and meals.
- Changing rooms and lockers (if needed): Where employees need to change clothing, such as into a uniform or protective gear, appropriate facilities must be provided.
- Washing facilities (where necessary): Proper handwashing and hygiene facilities must be available. Showers should be provided in roles where needed, such as in construction, manufacturing or healthcare.
- Adequate lighting: Work areas must be sufficiently lit to ensure employee safety (slips and trips are the most common cause of workplace injuries).
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Appropriate protective equipment must be provided where needed, and employees must be trained on how to use it properly.
In addition to supplying these provisions, employers have a duty of care to ensure all workplace facilities are kept clean, accessible and in good working order at all times.
What are your employer’s legal responsibilities?
Under UK health and safety laws, employers must provide adequate welfare facilities to ensure a safe and comfortable working environment that supports employee wellbeing. Their legal responsibilities and duty of care include:
- Conducting risk assessments: Employers must regularly assess workplace conditions to identify risks and take action to reduce them, including meeting welfare needs.
- Ensuring hygiene and safety standards: All welfare facilities must meet legal hygiene and safety requirements.
- Providing specific welfare provisions: Employers must offer appropriate facilities and support for workers with specific needs, such as pregnant employees, nursing mothers and those with disabilities.
- Displaying a health and safety law poster: This must be clearly visible in the workplace to inform employees of their rights and protections.
- Maintaining first aid facilities and emergency plans: Employers must provide first aid kits, ensure staff are trained in first aid, and have clear emergency procedures in place.
Failing to meet these responsibilities can have serious consequences. It may put employees’ welfare and safety at risk and could result in legal action, such as an accident at work compensation claim.
What happens when employers fail to provide proper workplace welfare provisions?
Failing to provide adequate workplace health and safety welfare provisions is a breach of an employer’s duty of care. This can lead to a range of issues for employees, including:
- Increased risk of accidents and illnesses: A lack of proper facilities and focus on worker safety can make workplace hazards more common and serious, leading to accidents and workplace illnesses.
- Stress and discomfort: Poor welfare conditions can negatively impact morale, increase stress levels, and reduce overall wellbeing, which may harm employee performance and satisfaction.
- Legal measures and fines: Employers who do not comply with health and safety regulations may face enforcement action, financial penalties, and personal injury claims from affected employees.
For example, a car repair centre in Sheffield was ordered to pay over £10,000 by the Health and Safety Executive for failing to provide clean and suitable toilet facilities. The site had no hot or cold running water, no soap, and no toilet paper, putting employee health and hygiene at risk.
Can you claim compensation for poor workplace welfare?
You may be able to claim compensation if your employer’s failure to provide proper welfare facilities has led to an illness or injury. For a claim to be valid, you’ll need to demonstrate the following:
- Failure to meet legal welfare standards: Your employer must have failed to meet their duty to provide adequate workplace welfare facilities.
- Proof of harm: You’ll need to show that the poor conditions directly caused or contributed to your illness or injury.
- Supporting evidence: This could include medical records detailing your condition, as well as workplace documents such as incident reports, risk assessments or complaints raised.
If your claim is successful, compensation can cover direct financial losses like medical bills and lost income. It may also include damages for the pain, suffering and impact on your daily life caused by the incident.
What to do if your workplace welfare is inadequate?
If you believe your employer is failing to meet the required standards for workplace welfare, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and others:
- Raise the issue with your employer: Report any missing or inadequate facilities to your line manager or HR department. Give clear details of the problem and how it’s affecting you.
- Keep a record: Take photos, make notes, and keep a log of any complaints you’ve made. If your health has been affected, note down symptoms and how your work environment may have contributed.
- Seek legal advice: If your employer fails to act, you can consult a solicitor to explore your legal options. You can contact Injury Lawyers 4u for a free, no-obligation consultation. If you’ve suffered an injury or illness, our compensation calculator can give you a rough estimate of what your claim may be worth.
- Contact the Health and Safety Executive (HSE): The HSE can investigate and take action against non-compliant employers for failures in workplace welfare and health and safety provisions. A legal advisor can help you raise issues effectively with the HSE.
How can Injury Lawyers 4u help?
If you’ve suffered due to poor workplace welfare, especially if it has led to an illness or injury, we’re here to help. Our legal team can assess your situation and advise you on whether you have grounds to make a compensation claim.
At Injury Lawyers 4u, we have decades of experience in handling workplace welfare cases, especially those that result in illness and injury. With our no-win, no-fee promise, you won’t pay us anything unless your claim is successful.
Don’t put up with poor workplace conditions – take action today
Every employee has the legal right to work in a safe, clean and comfortable environment that meets their welfare needs. If your employer has failed in their duty of care and it has caused you harm, it’s time to act.
Get in touch with Injury Lawyers 4u today. Call us on 0333 400 4445 or fill in a contact form and one of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.