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Posted By Simon Micklewright
I work in an office that is 3 meters by 4.5 meters. But so do 4 other people!!!! This is surely unacceptable, can anyone tell me what the law says on this. We are in the office 9 till 5pm. Help Sardines.
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Posted By Stewart Dean
Off the top of my head I think its 3 cubic square metres each! Check the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare ) Regs 1992 for more info.
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Posted By Debbie Walker
I believe the GUIDANCE figure you're looking for is actually 11 cubic metres per person for a room with no furniture in it!
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Posted By Steve Wood
11 cubic metres of unoccupied space, using a notional maximum of 3m ceiling height.
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Posted By Gary Levers
Guidance suggests you calculate the volume of the room (when empty)and divide it by the number of people normally working in there. You should have at least 11 cubic metres per person.
So in your case 3m x 4.5m x 3m high / 4people = 10.1m3 (anything over 3m high is classed as 3metres)
It will also depend on layout of office re desks, photocopiers, chairs etc etc
Just bear in mind that people should be able to move about freely without tripping over one another or articles, and that they must be able to leave the workplace quickly in an emergency, again without getting in each others way
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Posted By Gilly Margrave
Dimensions as quoted are in the ACOP (ACOP 77) to the Workplace Regs so have a bit more welly than just guidance.
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Posted By Ken Taylor
Unfortunately your office is not an exception to overcrowding and people are still planning for this today. Twice, in the past month, I have had to 'pull up' different architects who have produced drawings for new offices (with desks and chairs shown) that don't meet the ACOP - even though these dimensions were around under the former Factories Act 1961 and Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963!
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Posted By Simon Micklewright
Thanks for the responses everone,
So is my organisation breaking the Law here? My boss will love this one!
Thanks again
Simon
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Posted By Simon Micklewright
Sorry about this, but where can I obtain a copy of this ACOP, is there a free downloadable version anywhere?
Simon
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Posted By David Sinclair
Simon,
Not necessarily. Your employer will only be breaking the law if:
a. the office existed before 1 January 1993, it has not been modified, etended or converted, it was subject to Part 1, Schedule 1 of the Factories Act 1961 and the Schedule has been breached; or
b. it is not subject to 'a' (above), but there is insufficient floor area, height and unoccupied sace for the purposes of health, safety and welfare.
The key words in Regulation 10(1) (Room dimensions and space) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 are "shall have sufficient floor area, height and unoccupied space".
All that an employer has to show in order to comply with this Regulation is that there is "sufficient" space. If he can do that the figures of 11 cubic metres or 3.7 m2 of floor area are irrelevant.
In determining whether there is sufficient space, the enforcing authorities and the court will determine whether the room provided sufficient "unoccupied" space (irrespective of the room size) for the purposes of health and safety.
Unfortunately, the wording of this Regulation is so subjective, it is unlikely that a prosecution for a breach of Reg 10 would be successful.
Regards.
David
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Posted By Ken Taylor
You need to get a copy of publication L24 'Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare' from HSE Books (www.hsebooks.co.uk). It's not free (unless you subscribe to a database that includes it) and contains the Regulations and the Approved Code of Practice. Whilst non-compliance with the ACOP is not an offence in itself, it may be taken by the Court as proof of contravening the Regulations unless they can show that they have complied in some other way.
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Posted By John Webster
You might also like to look back at the thread:-
Conflicting guidance..which way to go?
posted by Barrie Hutton on Friday, 18 July.
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