No C 213/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 8. 90 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Directive on the implementation of minimum safety and health 
requirements at temporary or mobile work sites (Eighth individual Directive within the meaning 
of Article 16 of Directive 89/391/EEC) 
COM(90) 275 final — SYN 279 
(Submitted by the Commission on 31 July 1990) 
(90/C 213/02) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 118a 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
submitted after consulting the Advisory Committee on 
Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work, 
In cooperation with the European Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas the communication from the Commission on its 
programme concerning safety, hygiene and health at 
work (l) provides for the adoption of a directive 
designed to guarantee the safety and health of workers 
at temporary or mobile work sites; 
Whereas, in its resolution of 21 December 1987 on 
safety, hygiene and health at work (2), the Council took 
note of the Commission's intention of submitting to the 
Council in the near future minimum requirements 
concerning temporary or mobile work sites; 
Whereas temporary or mobile work sites constitute an 
area of activity that exposes workers to particularly high 
levels of risk; 
Whereas more than half of the occupational accidents 
occurring on work sites in the Community are related to the selection of unsatisfactory architectural and/or 
organizational options or to poor planning of the works 
at the project design stage; 
Whereas in each Member State the authorities 
responsible for safety and health at work must be 
informed, at the project design stage, of the execution of 
large-scale and/or dangerous works; 
Whereas, when a project is being carried out, a large 
number of occupational accidents may be caused by 
inadequate coordination, particularly where various 
undertakings work simultaneously or in succession at the 
same temporary or mobile work site; 
Whereas it is therefore necessary to improve coordi­
nation between the various parties concerned at the 
project design stage and also when the work is being 
carried out; 
Whereas compliance with the minimum requirements 
designed to guarantee a better standard of safety and 
health at temporary or mobile work sites is essential to 
ensure the safety and health of workers; 
Whereas, moreover, self-employed persons may, through 
their activities on a temporary or mobile work site, 
jeopardize the safety and health of workers; 
Whereas it is therefore necessary to extend to self-
employed persons certain relevant provisions of Council 
Directive 89/655/EEC of 30 November 1989 concerning 
the minimum safety and health requirements for the use 
of work equipment by workers at work (J), and of 
Council Directive 89/656/EEC of 30 November 1989 
O OJ No C 28, 3. 2. 1988, p. 3. 
(2) OJ No C 28, 3. 2. 1988, p. 1. (3) OJ No L 393, 30. 12. 1989, p. 13. 
28. 8. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 213/3 
concerning the minimum health and safety requirements 
for the use by workers of personal protective equipment 
at the workplace ('); 
Whereas this Directive is an individual Directive within 
the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Council Directive 
89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of 
measures to encourage improvements in the safety and 
health of workers at work(2); whereas, therefore, the 
provisions of the said Directive are fully applicable to 
temporary or mobile work sites, without prejudice to 
more stringent and/or specific provisions contained in 
this Directive; 
Whereas this Directive constitutes a practical step 
towards the achievement of the social dimension of the 
internal market with special reference to the subject 
matter of Council Directive 89/106/EEC (3); 
Whereas, pursuant to Council Decision 74/325/EEC (4), 
as last amended by the Act of Accession of Spain and 
Portugal, the Advisory Committee on Safety, Hygiene 
and Health Protection at Work is consulted by the 
Commission with a view to drawing up proposals in this 
field, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
SCOPE 
Article 1 
This Directive shall apply to temporary or mobile work 
sites as defined in Article 2, to the exclusion of extractive 
industries. 
DEFINITIONS 
Article 2 
For the purposes of this Directive: 
— temporary or mobile work sites, hereinafter referred to 
as 'work sites' means any site at which building and 
civil engineering works are carried out; a 
non-exhaustive list of such works is given in Annex 1, 
(l) OJ No L 393, 30. 12. 1989, p. 18. 
O OJ No L 183, 29. 6. 1989, p. 1. 
O OJ No L 40, 11. 2. 1989, p. 12. 
(4) OJ No L 185, 9. 7. 1974, p. 15. — client(s) means any natural or legal person(s) for 
whom a project is carried out, 
— project supervisor(s) means any natural or legal 
person(s) responsible for the design and/or execution 
of a project, acting on behalf of the client(s), 
— self-employed person means any person other than 
those referred to in Article 3 (a) and (b) of Directive 
89/391/EEC whose professional activity is carried 
out wholly or in part on a work site in order to 
contribute to the execution of a project. 
PRIOR NOTICE 
Article 3 
1. Member States shall take the necessary steps to 
ensure that, before the commencement of works on their 
territory, the client(s) forward(s) to the authorities 
responsible for safety and health at work a 'prior notice' 
containing the information indicated in Annex II. In 
particular, this notice shall indicate the name(s) of the 
person(s) responsible for coordinating the safety and 
health of workers: 
— during the 'project design' stage, 
— during the 'project execution' stage. 
A copy of this notice shall be available at all times on the 
site. 
2. However, in the case of works the planned 
duration of which is less than 30 working days, 
excluding those of the types listed in Annex III, Member 
States may regard the forwarding of the 'prior notice' as 
optional. 
GENERAL SAFETY AND HEALTH PRINCIPLES TO BE 
TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT 
At the project design stage 
Article 4 
The project supervisor(s) shall take account of the 
general principles of prevention concerning safety and 
health set out in Article 6 (2) and (3) (a) of Directive 
89/391/EEC during the stages of project design, study 
and preparation, in particular: 
— when architectural and/or organizational aspects are 
being decided, in order to plan the various works or 
work stages which are to take place simultaneously 
or in succession, 
No C 213/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 8.90 
— when estimating the period required for completing 
these various types of works or work stages. 
Article 5 
The person(s) indicated in the 'prior notice' as being 
responsible for coordinating safety and health during the 
'project design' stage, as referred to in Article 3 (1), 
shall: 
(a) ensure that the provisions of Article 4 are 
implemented; 
(b) in the case of works coming under one or more of 
the categories listed in Annex III, draw up a safety 
and health plan setting out the specific rules 
applicable to the site concerned; 
(c) prepare documents adapted to the characteristics of 
the project containing appropriate safety and health 
information to be taken into account during any 
subsequent works. 
During the project execution stage 
Article 6 
1. The person(s) designated in the 'prior notice' as 
being responsible for coordinating safety and health at 
the site during the 'project execution' stage: 
(a) shall ensure that the employers and, wherever 
necessary, self-employed persons: 
— apply the principles set out in Article 7 in a 
consistent manner, 
— take account, when required, of the safety and 
health plan required under Article 5 (b); 
(b) shall adapt, where necessary, this safety and health 
plan to take account of the progress of the work and 
any changes which have occurred; 
(c) shall organize the cooperation in matters of safety 
and health provided for in Article 6 (4) of Directive 
89/391 /EEC, ensuring that self-employed persons 
are brought into this process whenever necessary; 
(d) shall make arrangements to check that the working 
procedures are being implemented correctly; (e) shall take the necessary steps to ensure that no 
unauthorized person enters the site. 
2. The implementation of the provisions in paragraph 
1 shall not affect the principle of employers' responsi­
bility towards their respective workers. 
Article 7 
When the work is being carried out, the principles set 
out in Article 6(1), (2), (3) and (5) of Directive 
89/391/EEC shall be applied, in particular as regards: 
— keeping the site in good order and in a satisfactory 
state of cleanliness, 
— choosing the location of workstations bearing in 
mind how access to these workplaces is obtained, and 
determining routes or areas for the passage and 
movement of workers and equipment, 
— the conditions under which various materials are 
handled, 
— technical maintenance, pre-startup and regular 
checks on the operating efficiency of installations and 
equipment with a view to correcting any faults which 
might affect the safety and health of workers, 
— the demarcation and laying out of areas for the 
storage of various materials, in particular where 
dangerous materials or substances are concerned, 
— the conditions under which the dangerous materials 
used are removed, 
— the storage and disposal or removal of wastes and 
surplus materials, 
— the adaptation, based on progress made with the 
work, of the actual period to be allocated for the 
various types of work or work stages. 
OBLIGATIONS OF EMPLOYERS 
Article 8 
In order to preserve the safety and health of all persons 
present at the site, under the conditions set out in Article 
6, employers shall, when implementing Article 7, take 
measures in respect of their own workers that are in line 
with the minimum requirements set out in Annex IV. 
28. 8. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities NoC 213/5 
OBLIGATIONS OF SELF-EMPLOYED PERSONS 
Article 9 
In order to preserve the safety and health of all persons 
present on the site, self-employed persons shall comply 
with the following mutatis mutandis: 
(a) the principles set out in Article 7 of this Directive; 
(b) Articles 3, 4 (1), (2), (3), (4), (9) and 5 of Council 
Directive 89/656/EEC; 
(c) Article 4 of Council Directive 89/655/EEC; 
(d) the relevant provisions of Annex IV of this Directive. 
INFORMATION 
Article 10 
Without prejudice to Article 10 of Directive 
89/391/EEC, workers and/or their representatives shall 
be informed of all the measures to be taken concerning 
the safety and health of workers at the site. In particular, 
they shall be informed of the measures relating to the 
implementation of Articles 6, 7 and 8 and, where 
necessary, of the safety and health plan referred to in 
Article 5 (b). 
CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION 
Article 11 
Consultation and participation of workers and/or of 
their representatives shall take place in accordance with 
Article 11 of Directive 89/391/EEC on the matters 
covered by Articles 6 (1), 7 and 8 of this Directive. 
AMENDMENTS TO THE ANNEXES 
Article 12 
Amendments of a strictly technical nature to Annexes II, 
III and IV resulting from: — the adoption of Directives on technical harmon­
ization and standardization, 
— technical progress and changes in international regu­
lations and specifications or knowledge with regard 
to work sites, 
shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid 
down in Article 17 of Directive 89/391/EEC. 
FINAL PROVISIONS 
Article 13 
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, 
regulations and administrative provisions necessary to 
comply with this Directive by 31 December 1993 at the 
latest. They shall immediately notify the Commission 
thereof. 
The provisions adopted pursuant to the first 
subparagraph shall make express reference to this 
Directive. 
2. Member States shall communicate to the 
Commission the texts of the provisions of national law 
which they have already adopted or adopt in the field 
governed by this Directive. 
3. Member States shall report to the Commission 
every five years on the practical implementation of the 
provisions of this Directive, indicating the points of view 
of employers and workers. The Commission shall inform 
the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic 
and Social Committee, and the Advisory Committee on 
Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work. 
4. The Commission shall submit periodically to the 
Council, the European Parliament and the Economic 
and Social Committee a report on the implementation of 
this Directive, taking into account paragraphs 2 and 3. 
Article 14 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 
No C 213/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 8. 90 
ANNEX I 
Non-exhaustive list of the building and civil engineering work referred to in the definition of temporary or 
mobile work sites in Article 2 (first indent): 
— excavation, 
— earthworks, 
— construction, 
— installation and removal of prefabricated elements, 
— landscaping and fitting out, 
— alterations, 
— renovation, 
— repairs, 
— dismantling, 
— demolition, 
— upkeep, 
— maintenance. 
ANNEX II 
Contents of the prior notice referred to in Article 3 
Date of notification : 
1. Exact address of the site: 
2. Client(s) (name(s) and address(es)): 
3. Type of project: 
4. Project supervisor(s) (name(s) and address(es)): 
5. Safety and health coordinator(s) during the 'project design' stage (name(s) and address(es)): 
28. 8. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 213/7 
6. Safety and health coordinator(s) during the 'project execution' stage (name(s) and address(es)): 
7. Date planned for start of work: 
8. Planned duration of works: 
9. Estimated maximum number of workers on the site: 
10. Planned number of contractors and self-employed persons on the site: 
11. Details of contractors already chosen: 
12. Estimated value of the works: 
ANNEX III 
List of works involving risks to the safety and health of workers for which, irrespective of their duration, the 
prior notice referred to in Article 3 (2) is required and for which the safety and health plan referred to in 
Article 5 must be prepared 
1. Works which, by their very nature, put workers seriously at risk from falling objects or dislodgement of 
materials, or of being buried or entrapped, or of falling or drowning. 
2. Works which, by their very nature, expose workers to a serious risk arising from the use or presence of 
chemical, physical or biological agents. 
3. Work carried out by divers having a system of air supply or by workers in caissons with a 
compressed-air atmosphere. 
4. Work involving the use of explosives. 
c^oC^B^ CO^fic^l]onrn^loi r^E^ron^^nC^ornrnLtn^nc^ ^ ^^0 
The obligations laid down in this Annex apply wherever required by the features of the worksite, the 
activity, the circumstancesoraha^ard 
t ^i^^^^T^^e^e^Df^eDe^t^n^e 
workers 
— must be protected against climaticconditions that may ^eopardi^e their safety and health, 
— must be protected, wherever this is technically possible, by means of collective measures 
against falling objects and falls fromaheight, 
— must not be exposed to harmful levels of chemical, physical or biological pollutants 
^ ability ar^sDti^ty 
materials,equipment and,more generally,and component which,when moving in any way,may 
affect the safety and health of workers must be stabilised in an appropriate and safe manner 
e^t ^^^huts and workshops in particulars 
f^ooms must haveastructure and stability appropriate to the nature of their use 
e^e^ ^^^^^r^^^^^^^^^^^^c^^^^^^^^r^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
mobile or fixed workstations which are elevated or situated below ground level must be solid and 
stable, account being taken of 
— the number of workers occupying them 
— the maximum loads which they may have to bear and their distribution 
— the external influences to which they may be exposed 
tf the supports andother components of these workstations are not intrinsically stable,they must 
be made stable by means of appropriate and safe attachment to avoid any sudden or unintentional 
movement of the whole, or parts, of these workstations 
rhestabilityand solidity referred tom^^must be subjected to suitable checks, especially if the 
height or depth of the workstation is changed 
^ Mstatt^UD^Dfe^e^ydistdbuUD^ system 
The installations must be designed and constructed so as not to present a fire or explosion 
hazard, persons must be adequately protected against the risk of electrocution caused by direct or 
indirect contact 
Che design, constructionandchoice of matenalandprotectiondevicesmust take account of the 
type and power of the energy distributed, external conditions and the competence of persons with 
aceess to parts of the installation 
28. 8.90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 213/9 
The site installations, especially those subject to external influences, must be regularly checked 
and maintained. 
Installations existing before the work commences must be identified, checked and clearly marked. 
4. Emergency routes and exits 
4.1. Emergency routes and exits must remain clear and lead as directly as possible to a safe area. 
4.2. In the event of danger, it must be possible for workers to evacuate all workstations quickly and as 
safely as possible. 
4.3. The number, distribution and dimensions of emergency routes and exits depend on the use, 
equipment and dimensions of the site and of the rooms and the maximum number of persons that 
may be present. 
4.4. Emergency doors must open outwards. 
Emergency doors should not be so locked or fastened that they cannot be easily and immediately 
opened by any person who may require to use them in an emergency. 
Sliding or revolving doors may not be designated as emergency exits. 
4.5. Specific emergency routes and exits must be indicated by signs in accordance with the national 
regulations implementing Directive 77/576/EEC (')• 
Such signs must be sufficiently resistant and be placed at appropriate points. 
4.6. Emergency routes and exits, and the traffic routes and doors giving access to them, must be free 
from obstruction so that they can be used at any time without hindrance. 
4.7. Emergency routes and exits requiring illumination must be provided with emergency lighting of 
adequate intensity in case the lighting fails. 
5. Fire detection and fire fighting 
5.1. Depending on the characteristics of the site, the dimensions and use of the rooms, the on-site 
equipment, the physical and chemical properties of the substances present and the maximum 
potential number of people present, an adequate number of appropriate fire-fighting devices and, 
where required, fire detectors and alarm systems must be provided. 
5.2. Non-automatic fire-fighting equipment must be easily accessible and simple to use. 
The equipment must be indicated by signs in accordance with the national regulations 
implementing Directive 77/576/EEC. 
Such signs must be sufficiently resistant and be placed at appropriate points. 
6. Ventilation 
6.1. Steps shall be taken to ensure that there is sufficient fresh air, having regard to the working 
methods used and the physical demands placed on the workers. 
If a forced ventilation system is used, it must be maintained in working order. 
Any breakdown must be indicated by a control system where this is necessary for workers' health. 
6.2. If air-conditioning or mechanical ventilation installations are used, they must operate in such a 
way that workers are not exposed to draughts which cause discomfort. 
(•) OJ No L 229, 7. 9. 1977, p. 12. 
No C 213/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 8. 90 
Any deposit or dirt likely to create an immediate danger to the health of workers by polluting the 
atmosphere must be removed without delay. 
7. Temperature 
7.1. During working hours, the temperature must be adequate for human beings, having regard to the 
working methods used and the physical demands placed on the workers. 
7.2. The temperature in rest areas, rooms for duty staff, sanitary facilities, canteens and first-aid 
rooms must be appropriate to the particular purpose of such areas. 
7.3. Windows, skylights and glass partitions should allow excessive effects of sunlight to be avoided, 
having regard to the nature of the work and local custom. 
8. Natural and artificial lighting of workstations, rooms and traffic routes on the site 
8.1. Workstations, rooms and traffic routes on the site must be provided with sufficient artificial 
lighting at night and when natural daylight is inadequate; where necessary, portable light sources 
that are protected against impact shall be used. 
8.2. Lighting installations for rooms, workstations and traffic routes must be placed in such a way that 
there is no risk of accident to workers as a result of the type of lighting fitted. 
8.3. Rooms, workstations and traffic routes where workers are especially exposed to risks in the event 
of artificial lighting must be provided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity. 
8.4. The approach roads and perimeter of the site must be signposted and marked so as to ensure that 
they are clearly visible and identifiable. 
9. Floors, walls, ceilings and roofs of rooms 
9.1. The floors of workplaces must not have dangerous bumps, holes or slopes and must be fixed, 
stable and not slippery. 
9.2. The surfaces of floors, walls and ceilings in rooms must be such that they can be cleaned or 
refurbished to an appropriate standard of hygiene. 
9.3. Transparent or translucent walls, in particular all-glass partitions, in rooms or in the vicinity of 
workstations and traffic routes must be clearly indicated and made of safety material or be 
shielded from such workstations or traffic routes to prevent workers from coming into contact 
with walls or being injured should the walls shatter. 
9.4. Access to roofs made of materials of insufficient strength must not be permitted unless equipment 
is provided to ensure that the work can be carried out in a safe manner. 
10. Windows and skylights 
10.1. It must be possible for workers to open, close, adjust or secure windows, skylights and ventilators 
in a safe manner. When open, they must not be positioned so as to constitute a hazard to 
workers. 
10.2. Windows and skylights must be designed in conjunction with equipment or otherwise fitted with 
devices allowing them to be cleaned without risk to the workers carrying out this work or to 
workers present. 
11. Doors and gates 
11.1. The position, number and dimensions of doors and gates, and the materials used in their 
construction, are determined by the nature and use of rooms or areas. 
28. 8. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 213/11 
11.2. Transparent doors must be appropriately marked at a conspicuous level. 
11.3. Swing doors and gates must be transparent or have see-through panels. 
11.4. If transparent or translucent surfaces in doors and gates are not made of safety material and if 
there is a danger that workers may be injured if a door or gate should shatter, the surfaces must 
be protected against breakage. 
11.5. Sliding doors must be fitted with a safety device to prevent them from being derailed and falling 
over. 
11.6. Doors and gates opening upwards must be fitted with a mechanism to secure them against falling 
back. 
11.7. Doors along escape routes must be appropriately marked. 
11.8. Doors for pedestrians must be provided in the immediate vicinity of any gates intended essentially 
for vehicle traffic, unless it is safe for pedestrians to pass through; such doors must be clearly 
marked and left permanently unobstructed. 
11.9. Mechanical doors and gates must function in such a way that there is no risk of accident to 
workers. 
They must be fitted with easily identifiable and accessible emergency shut-down devices and, 
unless they open automatically in the event of a power failure, it must also be possible to open 
them manually. 
12. Traffic routes — danger areas 
12.1. Traffic routes, including stairs, fixed ladders and loading bays and ramps, must be calculated, 
located, laid out and made negotiable to ensure easy, safe and appropriate access in such a way 
as not to endanger workers employed in the vicinity of these traffic routes. 
12.2. Routes used for pedestrian traffic and/goods traffic must be dimensioned in accordance with the 
number of potential users and the type of activity concerned. 
If means of transport are used on traffic routes, a sufficient safety clearance or adequate 
protective devices must be provided for pedestrians. 
12.3. Sufficient clearance must be allowed between vehicle traffic routes and doors, gates, passages for 
pedestrians, corridors and staircases. 
12.4. Where the use and equipment of rooms so requires for the protection of workers, traffic routes 
must be clearly identified. 
12.5. If the site contains danger areas in which, owing to the nature of the work, there is a risk of the 
worker or objects falling, these areas must be equipped with devices preventing unauthorized 
workers from entering them. 
Appropriate measures must be taken to protect workers authorized to enter danger areas. 
Danger areas must be clearly indicated. 
13. Specific measures for escalators and travelators 
Escalators and travelators must function safely. 
They must be equipped with any necessary safety devices. 
They must be fitted with easily identifiable and accessible emergency shut-down devices. 
14. Loading bays and ramps 
14.1. Loading bays and ramps must be suitable for the dimensions of the loads to be transported. 
No C 213/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 8.90 
14.2. Loading bays must have at least one exit point. 
14.3. Loading ramps must be sufficiently safe to prevent workers from falling off. 
15. Room dimensions and air space in rooms — freedom of movement at the workstation 
15.1. Rooms containing workplaces must have sufficient floor area and height to allow workers to 
perform their work without risk to their safety, health or well-being. 
15.2. The floor area at the workstation must be such as to allow workers sufficient freedom of 
movement to perform their work. 
If this is not possible for reasons specific to the workstation, the worker must be provided with 
sufficient freedom of movement near his workstation. 
16. First-aid rooms 
16.1. One or more first-aid rooms must be provided where the scale of the works, the types of activity 
being carried out and frequency of accidents so dictate. 
16.2. First-aid rooms must be fitted with essential first aid installations and equipment and be easily 
accessible to stretchers. 
They must be signposted in accordance with the national regulations implementing Directive 
77/576/EEC. 
16.3. In addition, first-aid equipment must be available at all places where working conditions require 
it. 
This equipment must be suitably marked and easily accessible. 
17. Sanitary equipment 
17.1. Changing rooms and lockers 
17.1.1. Appropriate changing rooms must be provided for workers if they have to wear special work 
cloths. 
Changing rooms must be easily accessible, be of sufficient capacity and be provided with seating. 
17.1.2. Changing rooms must be sufficiently large and have facilities to enable each worker, where 
necessary, to dry his working clothes as well as his own clothing and personal effects and to lock 
them away. 
If circumstances so require (e. g. dangerous substances, humidity, dirt), facilities must be provided 
to enable working clothes to be kept in a place separate from workers' own clothes and personal 
effects. 
17.1.3. Provision must be made for separate changing rooms or separate use of changing rooms for men 
and women. 
17.1.4. If changing rooms are not required, each worker must be provided with a place in which he can 
lock away his own clothes and personal effects. 
17.2. Lavatories and washbasins 
Special facilities with an adequate number of lavatories and washbasins must be provided for 
workers in the vicinity of workstations, rest rooms, changing rooms and rooms housing showers 
or washbasins. 
Provision must be made for separate lavatories or separate use of lavatories for men and women. 
28. 8. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 213/13 
17.3. Showers and washbasins 
17.3.1. Suitable showers in sufficient numbers must be provided for workers if required by the nature of 
the work or for health reasons. 
Provision must be made for separate shower rooms or separate use of shower rooms for men and 
women. 
17.3.2. The shower rooms must be sufficiently large to permit each worker to wash without hindrance in 
conditions of an appropriate standard of hygiene. 
The showers must be equipped with hot and cold running water. 
17.3.3. Where showers are not required under the first subparagraph of 17.3.1, adequate and suitable 
washbasins with running water (hot water if necessary) must be provided in the vicinity of the 
workstations and the changing rooms. 
Such washbasins must be separate for, or used separately by, men and women when so required 
for reasons of propriety. 
17.3.4. Where the rooms housing the showers or washbasins are separate from the changing rooms, there 
must be easy communication between the two. 
18. Rest rooms and/or accommodation areas 
18.1. Where the safety or health of workers, in particular because of the type of activity carried out or 
the presence of more than a certain number of employees as well as the remote nature of the site, 
so require, workers must be provided with easily accessible rest and accommodation facilities. 
18.2. Rest rooms and accomodation areas must be large enough and equipped with an adequate 
number of tables and seats with backs for the number of workers concerned. 
18.3. If there are no facilities of this kind, other facilities must be provided in which workers can stay 
during interruptions in work. 
18.4. Appropriate measures should be taken for the protection of non-smokers against discomfort 
caused by tobacco smoke. 
19. Pregnant women and nursing mothers 
Pregnant women and nursing mothers must be able to lie down to rest in appropriate conditions. 
20. Handicapped workers 
Workstations must be organized to take account of handicapped workers, if necessary. 
This provision applies in particular to the doors, passageways, staircases, showers, washbasins, 
lavatories and workstations used or occupied directly by handicapped persons. 
21. Miscellaneous provisions 
21.1. Workers must be provided at the site with a sufficient quantity of drinking water and possibly 
another suitable non-alcoholic beverage both in occupied rooms and in the vicinity of 
workstations. 
21.2. Workers must be provided with facilities enabling them to prepare and take their meals in 
satisfactory conditions.