Facilities for Rest and Eating Meals
Resting From Work
Suitable and sufficient rest facilities must be provided at readily accessible places. Rest facilities are required for welfare reasons, health and safety reasons, or both.
Rest facilities necessary for health and safety reasons must include rest facilities in one or more rest rooms.
Canteens or restaurants may be used as rest facilities so long as there is no obligation to purchase food in order to use them.
Eating at the Workplace
Where food could become contaminated, whether eaten occasionally or regularly in the workplace, rest facilities must include suitable facilities to eat meals.
Where meals are regularly eaten in the workplace, suitable and sufficient facilities must be provided for workers to eat meals.
Eating facilities should include a facility for preparing or obtaining a hot drink. Workers whose time or place of work means they cannot obtain hot food in, or reasonably near to, the workplace should be provided with the means for heating their own food.
Good hygiene standards should be maintained in those parts of rest facilities used for eating or preparing food. Where necessary to avoid contamination of eating facilities by substances brought in on footwear or clothing, adequate washing or changing facilities should be provided in a conveniently accessible place.
Passive Smoking
Rest rooms and rest areas must include suitable arrangements to protect non-smokers from discomfort caused by tobacco smoke. Methods of achieving this include the prohibition of smoking or separate rooms or areas for smokers and non-smokers.
New or Expectant Mothers
Any pregnant women or nursing mothers at work must be provided with suitable facilities. These should be close to sanitary facilities and, where necessary, should include the facility to lie down.