Posted By Michael
Try Reg 11 of the Workplace regs

Posted By CW
From memory (and it is a few years ago) I think the minimum space between desks is 72"

Posted By Ashley Wood
The fire legislation states 11 Sqm per worker. I believe that the H&S is around 7 or 8 Sqm per worker. As a side, how many people are you putting on a floor?

Posted By M1ke
Thanks for all the responses so far. Gilly I have looked at the link to a previous topic and from that it suggests where workers are back to back the minimum is 1800mm. Apart from the thread is this information 'officially' written anywhere.

Posted By Gilly Margrave
I forgot to mention The Metric Handbook is also available on line if you subscribe to IHS.

Gilly

Posted By P.R
Gilly,

I cant find metric handbook on IHS!

Regards

Posted By Bob Youel

Don't forget disabled areas; as the risk assessment comes from the point of 'likehood' - so if it is likely that a disabled person may work there space etc must be allowed

Posted By AHS
The ACOP 11m cubed is ambiguous regarding the furniture element somewhat allowing Employers off the hook.

Posted By Gilly Margrave
Hi IHS,
Lets be a bit careful with the maths here. 11 metres cubed is not the same as 11 cubic metres - the former being 121 cubic metres.

Gilly ;)

Posted By Bob Thompson CMIOSH
in simple terms the calculation is as follows.

ceiling height below two metres length times breadth divided by 4.6 will give you the maximum occupancy

for ceilings above 2.4 meters same calculation but divided by 3.7.

However this does not take into account subsidiary equipment or suitability of the space.

as previously stated risk assessment is the key. the advice I give is to work out the maximum possible occupancy, then draw a scale plan with cut out desks and furniture to scale. See if you can get them to fit and still provide a reasonable working environment. It is far easier than tying to move desks etc once you are in.

Regards Bob

Posted By Merv Newman
I do have a couple of photos on file which could illustrate a presentation :

The first, which I hope is posed, is of two office workers back to back. One has (how can I put this in a politically correct manner ?) an extremely well developed waist structure (?)

The second appears to show about 100 employees in a Japanese call centre. Each has no more personal space than is taken up by their chair. Call of nature ? Wait for the bell and file out in alphabetical order.

Copies available on e-mail request

Building regs can give you a guide but be prepared to adapt to the individual morphology of your employees. And some people who use wheelchairs can need a really BIG turning circle.

Merv

Posted By M1ke
Thanks to all for all the good responses.

Today our Senior Managers after reading these responses and gathering additional info have decided to leave ourselves to plan our own area... for which we have done. Ps we even have space for a Christmas tree!!

Cheers,

Mike

Posted By Steven John Bateson
I've noted some errors in the dimensions previously provided. You asked what the law requires so I checked Redgraves health and Safety. You can also access copies of all Acts and Regulations on the Home Office web site (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk). As stated previously WHSWR 1992 reg 10 (1) holds the answer - 'every room where persons work shall have sufficient floor area, height and unoccupied space for the purpose of Helath, Safet and Welfare' but this isn't much help in practical terms. However, reg 10(2) goes on to specify more exact details for what is required of structures or parts of structures in existance when the regs came into force [leaving reg 10(1) to apply to all new structures or extensions]. 10 (2) references Schedule 1, part 1 which provides some more specific detail: a minimum of 11 cubic metres per person, including 4.2m or less height (not 2.4m as stated earlier). Thus, if your building is post 1992 it should have equal or greater space (where a need arrisises) than the requirements specified for pre-1992 work spaces and should not have less under ANY circumstances i.e. whether pre or post 1992. Hope this helps, regards, Steve

Posted By Granville Jenkins
SJB is correct in his response - take the 11m3 divide it by your ceiling height in metres and you have the minimum desking space per person, this space does not account for circulation space and filing/storage cabinets. As a general rule it tends to work out at around 4m2 per person plus around 2-4m2 for circulation space and storage.

I have just carried out a minor alteration to accommodate 4 people and the space works out at approximately 7m2 per person including storage and circulation space. I was involved in other accommodation moves and one particular office came in at 15m2 per person including circulation and storage, the excessive use of space was caused by the shape of the office, circulation routes and desk layouts that would allow staff to work in teams - end result - the staff were extremely happy with their new surroundings! It just goes to show that there is no simple rule of thumb that can work where you say allow 4m2 per person then divide the floor area by 4 to see how many people you can accommodate and then cram people into the offices because your figures show that you can get x number of people into an office and x number of people are going to fit in, regardless of what others may try to tell you!

Regards
Granville