Sanitary facilities at a workplace must be in accordance with Parts F, P and Q of the National Building Regulations.

Compliance Obligations?

In addition, if you have less than 11 persons employed on one premises, you may make arrangements in writing for the employees to use closets and washbasins on an adjoining premises provided that the requirements listed in regulation 2(2)(a)-(b) are met.

Every employer must:
• Make toilet paper available free of charge to all employees;
• Provide every water closet pan with a seat;
• Supply a towel to every employee for his/her sole use or disposable paper towels, or hot air blowers or continuous cloth towels at washbasins;
• Provide toilet soap or a similar cleansing agent free of charge.

You must, under the circumstances contemplated in Table 4 of Part P of SABS 10400 (this table sets out the requirements for the provision of sanitary fixtures based on the type of occupancy, the fixtures required and the exceptions that may apply) provide showers for your employees and ensure that there is hot and cold running water for washbasins and showers, that the walls of the showers are smooth and impermeable and that the floor is slip-free and sloped for effective drainage.

In each room in which there are closets, urinals, showers or washbasins, you must:
• Provide a conspicuous sign outside the entrance to such room to indicate the gender of the persons for whom the room is intended;
• Ventilate the rooms in accordance with Part O of the National Building Regulations;
• Provide the necessary partitions or doors in order to provide privacy; and
• Ensure that water feeding to showers or washbasins which is not obtained from the water supply system of a local authority, complies with SABS 241.

This regulation stipulates that there should be safekeeping facilities for employees at the workplace.

Compliance Obligations?

You must provide employees, excluding office workers, with a personal facility for safekeeping for their clothes or personal items.

You must ensure that every employee stores his/her clothing and other personal items in his/her facility for safekeeping.

If you have employees for whom showers are prescribed or who need to undress, this regulation applies.

Compliance Obligations?

There must be separate changing rooms for males and females and the change rooms need to comply with Part C of SABS 10400 (Dimensions).

An employer must comply with the requirements set out in regulation 4(2)(a)-(i).

This regulation specifies what the requirements are with regard to dining rooms.

Compliance Obligations?

If your employees may be exposed to or handle any of the things listed in regulation 5(1)(a)-(d), then you must provide a separate dining-room or eating place on the premises which must be in accordance with Part C of SABS 10400 (dimensions).

You must provide tables and chairs in every dining room for the maximum number of employees who will be using the dining room at one time.

You must ensure that a dining-room is not connected directly by means of a door or any other opening with any room in which there is exposure to a Hazardous Chemical Substance or Hazardous Biological Agent or in which untanned hides or skins are treated, processed or stored.

You must not store any material, tools or other goods that are not related to the use of a dining room in such room and you must make sure that every dining room is naturally or artificially ventilated in accordance with Part O of the National Building Regulations.

This regulation details prohibitions against smoking eating and drinking in a dining room facility.

Compliance Obligations?

You should ensure that conspicuous signs or notices are placed in the work place that prohibits smoking, eating or drinking.

This regulation requires drinking water which complies with SABS 241 (now SANS 10241) is available to employees.

Compliance Obligations?

You must make an adequate supply of drinking water available and any taps or pipes that contain water that is not fit for human consumption must be clearly and conspicuously marked.

This regulation details what the requirements are with regards to seats.

Compliance Obligations?

You must (where possible provide an ergonomically sound seat for every employee whose work is performed whilst seated.

You must provide seating facilities for and allow an employee whose work is normally performed standing, to take advantage of any opportunity for sitting.

This regulation stipulates minimum requirements for the condition that rooms and facilities must be kept.

Compliance Obligations?

You must ensure that all rooms and facilities are in a clean, hygienic, safe, whole and leak-free condition and in a good state of repair.