As summer continues, we’ve experienced temperatures hitting astronomic highs, with July being the hottest on record reaching 38.1C. Granted with the weather getting this sufferable you may be drinking water a lot more lately to stay hydrated. Have your employees been feeling the same, acting more sluggish?
In this article, we discuss your legal rights and what employers need to know about employee welfare.
What is the water law?
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 state employers must provide fundamental welfare rights, such as drinking water, to employees. People who work outdoors undertaking physical labour certainly need to drink water more frequently. But, even an ordinary office worker needs their fair share of water to carry on doing their best job.
The water provided to employees must be clean, ready and free from any form of contamination. The last thing you want is your workforce eliminated because of mouldy plumbing.
There is a slight difference when the customer is involved, which applies to licensed vs unlicensed premises.
Licensed vs unlicensed
Any licensed premise in the UK is required by law to provide “free potable water” to their customers upon request. Not every business in the UK requires a license; if you’re unsure, use the license finder tool to find out whether you need one.
Both the human rights act and the UK Governments interpretation for the human right to water should apply to everyone without discrimination, which means being physically and economically accessible. You shouldn’t overcharge people for water.
With that being said, unlicensed businesses in the UK aren’t required to supply free drinking water. That means anything from sports stadiums, leisure centres, swimming pools, salons, theatres etc. As long as your business remains unlicensed, you aren’t legally required to supply free drinking water. However, while that remains true for your customers, you still have to provide access to drinking water for your staff.
Water Cooler
Drinking water is a must for any environment. When the weathers, hot-cold or snowing your workers should be able to rely on the water systems. Our quality service will take the hassle out of maintaining your water supply, including dispenser, delivery, fitting and even twice yearly servicing.
Our coolers and boilers provide an instant and constant supply of high-quality drinking water, with options for chilled, sparkling or hot. Choose between the option o bottled to mains-fed dependant on your preference.
Get a free 7-week trial and see the benefits for yourself!
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