Guide to the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application)

Regulations 2007
(b) the dimensions of the free unoccupied area at a workstation are
calculated to allow employees sufficient freedom of movement to
perform their work and, where this is not possible for reasons
specific to the workstation, the employee is provided with sufficient
freedom of movement near his or her workstation.
Sufficient space should be available to employees at their workstations to carry out
their work safely and comfortably.
Workplace
Each workstation should allow the employee adequate freedom of movement and
the ability to stand upright. When work must be carried out in cramped conditions,
the duration should be kept as short as possible and sufficient space provided
nearby to allow for freedom of movement
Regulation 18: General welfare requirements
18. An employer shall ensure that—
(a) every place of work is kept in a clean state and accumulations of dirt,
refuse, trade refuse and waste are removed by a suitable method as
frequently as necessary to maintain an appropriate level of safety
and health,
(b) the floor of every workroom is cleaned by a suitable method as
frequently as necessary to maintain an appropriate level of safety
and health,
The employer has a responsibility to ensure that any place of work is maintained in
a clean and hygienic condition and that any rubbish, dirt, refuse and waste is not
allowed to accumulate and is removed on a regular basis. Employers must also
ensure that the floor of any workroom is kept clean and that a suitable cleaning
regime is in place.
The choice of cleaning methods is determined by the:
• Effectiveness of the cleaning regime
• Suitability for the materials involved. An inappropriate method can
destroy a floor surface, including destruction of its anti-slip properties
• Nature of the contaminant, for example dry sweeping is not appropriate
for hazardous dusts.
(c) where any employees have in the course of their employment
reasonable opportunities for sitting without detriment to their work
or, where a substantial proportion of any work done by employees
can properly be done sitting,
(i) suitable facilities for sitting are provided and maintained for
their use, or
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