 |
answer text |
<p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question
in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with
the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Workplace (Health, Safety and
Welfare) Regulations 1992 cover a wide range of basic health, safety and welfare issues
and apply to most workplaces. These Regulations require for suitable and sufficient
sanitary conveniences to be available at readily accessible places. The attached documents
the <em>Workplace Health Safety and Welfare Approved Code of Practice and Guidance</em>
(L24) and <em>Welfare at Work – Guidance for employers</em> (INDG293), which are guidance
to help dutyholders comply with the regulations, say:</ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">provision
must be made for any worker with a disability to enable them to have access to facilities
which are adjusted for their use as necessary; and</ins></li></ul><p><ins class="ministerial">
</ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">that toilets used by women should be provided
with suitable means for the disposal of sanitary dressings.</ins></li></ul><p><ins
class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">There are no equivalent
requirements for men.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">These
regulations do not apply to non-workplaces; however, the Ministry for Housing, Communities
and Local Government’s building regulations are applicable to public buildings and
the advice is:</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">Statutory
guidance supporting Part M of the building regulations, includes a sanitary waste
disposal bin in accessible toilets. All building other than dwellings in scope, including
offices and all public buildings would require as a minimum one accessible toilet
where a stoma bag can be safely disposed of.</ins></li></ul><p><ins class="ministerial">
</ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">Building Regulations come with statutory
guidance on the layout of wheelchair-accessible unisex toilets. These toilets offer
private space for anyone needing to attend to a medical need and are not exclusively
for use by ambulant disabled people. The guidance for accessible WCs includes a sanitary
waste disposal bin with a lid and a wash hand basin. The layout and content of these
spaces are controlled in all newly built offices and public buildings.</ins></li></ul><p><ins
class="ministerial"> </ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">The statutory guidance
given in Approved Document M (Access to and use of buildings) also points to the British
Standard BS8300-2:2018 “Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment. Buildings.
Code of practice”. This independent best practice standard was updated in January
2018 with further information describing best practice in a range of toilets for people
treating a medical condition.</ins></li></ul><p> </p>
|
|
