In this guest writer feature, Welfare Hire’s HR manager Rachel Ward discusses the role welfare equipment can play in employee health, safety and wellbeing onsite.
It’s no secret that rail construction sites can be challenging and even dangerous environments. In addition to the risks associated with working alongside or near a live line, staff must contend with adverse weather conditions, long hours, time away from loved ones, and hazardous materials.
And poor employee wellbeing will inevitably impact an organisation’s bottom line; a report by wellbeing and performance experts GoodShape found that rail and bus workers took over 52.3 million days off work due to illness between 2021 and 2022, costing the transport industry an estimated £7.7 billion.
It’s no silver bullet, but the right welfare equipment could help employers to reduce health risks onsite. It’s also key to creating a more comfortable and inclusive working environment, in which employees can take adequate breaks, connect with colleagues, and receive essential support and training.
How welfare equipment can reduce health risks onsite
For employers, welfare equipment isn’t just a nice-to-have – the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states that construction workers must be able to access toilets and washing facilities onsite. Flushing WCs (as found in Welfare Hire’s high-end units) are preferable, particularly for longer-term projects.
These basic amenities are essential, both for the comfort of workers, and to reduce health risks on rail construction sites. HSE urges employers to provide clean hot and cold or warm running water, soap, and towels or similar. It might sound like a simple measure – but with access to adequate washing facilities, workers will be able to practice good hand hygiene, preventing the spread of bugs. If they are working with hazardous substances (including cement and lead), it’s also essential that they wash their hands properly before eating to avoid contamination. We advise that, before employers invest in a welfare unit, they check it’s equipped with on-demand hot running water.
And contamination isn’t the only occupational health risk their workforce faces. Dehydration, adverse weather conditions, extreme temperatures, fatigue, and even falling material are issues to consider. The right unit will serve as a safe space in which workers can rest, escape the elements, access drinking water, and eat regular meals – all key to maintaining good physical health onsite. Network Rail also recognises the role these amenities play in fatigue management, suggesting that employers “provide good quality welfare facilities” in its Fatigue Reduction guide for people managers.
Finally, HSE states that onsite workers must have access to changing and drying rooms, which will enable them to put on and remove any special or protective workwear in privacy (and avoid contaminating other items of clothing.)
Creating a space for health screenings and training
Some organisations have taken their H&S strategy one step further, actively monitoring the physical and mental health of frontline employees. By carrying out standard checks (including blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure tests) onsite, employers can help staff to identify issues before they develop or worsen. Mental health checks are equally important, ensuring that onsite workers have a chance to share their concerns and access the support they need.
In order to carry out these tests and checks, organisations need a safe, fully equipped space onsite. While some are using specially designed vans, welfare units can serve a similar purpose. With comfortable seating and tables for up to 10 people, Welfare Hire’s mobile Eco10Li and ECOXi are a case in point. Equipped with USB ports, a separate office, and catering facilities, they could also be used to deliver essential H&S training –a challenge on busy, noisy construction sites.
Ultimately, the right welfare equipment could help employers to create a space for important conversations – around health, safety, best practice, and wellbeing.
Welfare equipment for better employee mental health onsite
And facilitating conversations about mental health has never been more important; in 2021, the Office of Rail and Road reported that the rate of suicide in the rail industry is 1.6 times higher than in other sectors.
While the issue is a complex one, making rail construction sites more comfortable and inclusive can help. This means ensuring that frontline employees have access to the right facilities – including clean toilets and private changing rooms. Providing a comfortable, heated indoor space (ideally with catering facilities and enough power points to go around) will also encourage onsite staff to take regular, restorative breaks – particularly important on a busy site.
These breaks also give employees a chance to connect with their colleagues – something that, according to one recent study, can help combat feelings of loneliness. And, given that many construction workers feel unable to discuss their mental health (which charity Mates in Mind attributes to a traditionally ‘macho’ onsite culture), encouraging them to open up and break the stigma is key. A safe, private space can support these efforts.
Ultimately, welfare facilities are an important piece of the employee wellbeing puzzle, particularly in rail construction – and it pays to opt for the best. You’re investing, not just in an item of equipment, but in the health, safety, and welfare of your team.
Find out more about Welfare Hire’s solutions here.
