As per OHS Regulation 20.3.2, where there will be 25 or more workers present at any time during the project, Polygon must ensure enough flush toilets and handwashing facilities are readily available.

Exception

OHS 20.3.2 does not apply to our stand-alone Sales Centre construction projects as there will not be 25 or more workers present at any time during these projects. The same goes for a Sales conversion project in a completed phase of a community.

Number of facilities

To ensure that our construction sites are an inclusive environment, once there are more than 10 workers on site it will be assumed that more than one gender will be present at any time. With that assumption, and referencing OHS Guideline G4.85(1)-1, the following number of facilities are recommended.

For example, if a project is averaging 165 workers per day then 9 toilets are recommended, with a stand-alone handwash facility and at least one of the toilets separated for female use.

Female facilities

This type of washroom should provide for the preparation and disposal of menstrual products and should not have a urinal present. A facility with a urinal can be converted by covering the urinal and posting signage that it is for female use. The number of female workers regularly present in the workplace with also affect the number of facilities. For example, 1 separate female toilet for up to 9 female workers, 2 separate female toilets for 10 to 24 female workers, and so on.

Flush and/or chemical toilets

A site can provide a mix of flush and chemical toilets depending on a variety of circumstances. For example, at this time there is no flush toilet design that can fit in a construction hoist so chemical toilets may be used on levels of a construction project that are accessible via construction hoist.
However, where a flush toilet cannot be provided the onus is on Polygon to demonstrate why it is not practicable in each circumstance. And while cost is relevant it determining whether or not something is practicable, there is a clear presumption in favour of flush toilets ahead of cost.

Readily available

If the number of flush toilets is limited, especially if there is only 1 available on site, it must be available to all workers during regular working hours.

Location

Effort should be made to provide a washroom facility within 60 m (200’) of any regular working area of the project.

Maintenance

In general, rented washroom facilities should be serviced at least 2 times per week by the rental company.

To ensure they are provided with the necessary supplies, Polygon should keep a supply of paper towel, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and handwashing soap on hand to supplement if any facility runs out before it can be serviced by the rental company.

Inspection

Polygon will perform an inspection of all washroom facilities at least 1 time per week and keep the record of that inspection for at least 30 days. This inspection can be documented using the Inspection Record for Washroom Facilities worksheet.

Misuse

The Guideline from WorkSafeBC states that all workplace parties using a washroom facility have an obligation to ensure the ongoing cleanliness and functionality of the facility. This extends from the General duties of workers (WCA Section 22) where every worker must take reasonable care to protect the worker's health and safety and the health and safety of other persons who may be affected by the worker's acts or omissions at work.