I am not a safety officer, but I am Tech IOSH. I am self exployed as a junior crane slinger, with the emphasis on junior as I've only recently started working in the field.
Last week I got a contract to work in a large factory, the pre-work induction for contractors was quite interesting and only lasted 1.5 hours. I didn't notice until I'd left the induction that the welfare facilities were not mentioned once. I needed a toilet after the induction and I asked the instructor where there was a toilet, to my surprise I was told there was one next door, as I hadn't noticed it going in. The instructor left and I went to look for the toilet. It turned out to be a solitary chemical toilet that stank something horrible.
During the days work I obviously needed the toilet again, I'm 60, I asked other contractors and they basically said that toilets were few and far between, 'just jimmy behind a container or use the one down by the induction room' (over a quarter of a mile away by now).
I never found a place to wash my hands or drink any water on my first day, I did find a tent selling food and drink, but nowhere to sit or wash my hands. I thought this can't be right.
My second day on the job in this large factory, with hundreds of contractors on site and I find out that there are contractors cabins at one end of the site, but only for those in particular companies, nothing for 'other contractors'. I was shown a place near to where I was working by other crane contractors, but was later told on leaving it, that it was private, don't come back. So I was not a happy bunny.
So I finished the second days work and my contract ended. So now thinking about it, who should I contact regarding welfare facilities on such a site? The company that provides the cranes, the company that hires the cranes, the company that has contractors and cranes to do the work required to keep the factory running?
I'd like to work there again, as it's heavy industry, so I obviously don't want to get blackballed by complaining, so how should I proceed should I proceed, I don't want to simply report them to the HSE who as we all know are under staffed and under budget.