Word Constructions ~ For all your business writing needs

 

Word Constructions Home Page

eBooks by Word Constructions

the Word Constructions Blog

Articles by Word Constructions

About Word Constructions

Services offered by Word Constructions

Contact details for Word Constructions

links fo interest and use

 

 


For free monthly writing and business communications tips and information,
subscribe to our newsletter.

 


  Workplace Refit Considerations Report

     The refit is going to impact heavily upon staff facilities, thus this issue needs to be carefully dealt with.

     There are two main issues:

    1. Keep production rates steady.
    2. Keep the factory a safe place to work in for all.

    Overview

    Currently, staff are serviced by a canteen to eat in, a recreation area to relax and exercise in and toilet and change room facilities.

    The canteen will be unavailable for the entire refit and the other areas will be unoperational for a period of six weeks. To date, no other arrangements have been implemented for these facilities during the refit.

    Suggested Solutions

    From the builder specifications, it is apparent that the staff facilities can be closed and reopened during the early stages of the overall project. Thus, it is possible to reduce the time without facilities to three weeks of production time by starting the project in those areas over January shut down.

    For the remaining three weeks, there must be toilet facilities available at all times. It has been suggested that we share facilities with our neighbouring businesses, but this is impractical and unacceptable by OH&S standards. The hiring of portable toilets is the only viable option.

    The following points need to be considered in arranging this hired equipment:

    1. With staff on a rotating roster, there will be fewer staff on site at any given time compared to normal so not all toilets need to be replaced.
    2. Work staff will need facilities available during the January close down, even if we don’t.
    3. Delays in building works are common, so it may be best to hire the toilets for longer than we anticipate needing them.

    Given that staff will have nowhere else to eat, obtain drinking water, relax and so forth, it may be worth hiring a marquee for the front lawn. This will provide a sheltered area for staff to eat in and could contain divisions to allow change areas as well. The portable toilets should be located beside or within the marquee so that staff can access all facilities without having to face bad weather.

    The exercise equipment and floor can be declared unavailable for the three weeks as they are not as critical to staff safety and well being.

    It would also mean that no time allowances would be required for staff to travel off site for lunch facilities. Once the toilet and recreation areas are operational again, the recreation area could become the temporary canteen or the marquee could be retained as a canteen and storage area.

    Once the temporary staff areas are established, safety considerations such as fire and first aid equipment must also be incorporated into the arrangements.

    Recommendation

    We need to provide services for our staff despite the works being carried out on the building.

    Although we could provide toilets as a minimum, the marquee will serve to maintain current standards and keep staff motivated to work during the changes. I recommend having a marquee erected and toilets hired at the end of January, ready for reopening of production.

     

 

 

www.wordconstructions.com.au
© 2007-15, Tash Hughes