CELEX: 51990PC0275
Language: en
Date: 1990-07-23
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DIRECTIVE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MINIMUM SAFETY AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS AT TEMPORARY OR MOBILE WORK SITES

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,                         the selection of unsatisfactory architectural and/or
                                                                 organizational options or to poor planning of the works
                                                                 at the project design stage;
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Economic Community, and in particular Article 118a
thereof,                                                         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
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,               large-scale and/or dangerous works;
submitted after consulting the Advisory Committee on
Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work,
                                                                 Whereas, when a project is being carried out, a large
                                                                 number of occupational accidents may be caused by
In cooperation with the European Parliament,                     inadequate coordination, particularly where various
                                                                 undertakings work simultaneously or in succession at the
                                                                 same temporary or mobile work site;
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and
Social Committee,
                                                                 Whereas it is therefore necessary to improve coordi-
                                                                 nation between the various parties concerned at the
Whereas the communication from the Commission on its
                                                                 project design stage and also when the work is being
programme concerning safety, hygiene and health at
                                                                 carried out;
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 compliance with the minimum requirements
                                                                 designed to guarantee a better standard of safety and
Whereas, in its resolution of 21 December 1987 on                health at temporary or mobile work sites is essential to
safety, hygiene and health at work (2), the Council took         ensure the safety and health of workers;
note of the Commission's intention of submitting to the
Council in the near future minimum requirements
concerning temporary or mobile work sites;                       Whereas, moreover, self-employed persons may, through
                                                                 their activities on a temporary or mobile work site,
                                                                 jeopardize the safety and health of workers;
Whereas temporary or mobile work sites constitute an
area of activity that exposes workers to particularly high
levels of risk;                                                  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
Whereas more than half of the occupational accidents             the minimum safety and health requirements for the use
occurring on work sites in the Community are related to          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.
 ---pagebreak--- 28. 8. 90                               Official Journal of the European Communities                               No C 213/3
concerning the minimum health and safety requirements             — client(s) means any natural or legal person(s) for
for the use by workers of personal protective equipment                whom a project is carried out,
at the workplace (');
                                                                  — project supervisor(s) means any natural or legal
                                                                       person(s) responsible for the design and/or execution
Whereas this Directive is an individual Directive within               of a project, acting on behalf of the client(s),
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              — self-employed person means any person other than
health of workers at work( 2 ); whereas, therefore, the                those referred to in Article 3 (a) and (b) of Directive
provisions of the said Directive are fully applicable to               89/391/EEC whose professional activity is carried
temporary or mobile work sites, without prejudice to                   out wholly or in part on a work site in order to
more stringent and/or specific provisions contained in                 contribute to the execution of a project.
this Directive;
                                                                                          PRIOR NOTICE
Whereas this Directive constitutes a practical step                                          Article 3
towards the achievement of the social dimension of the
internal market with special reference to the subject              1.    Member States shall take the necessary steps to
matter of Council Directive 89/106/EEC ( 3 );                     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
Whereas, pursuant to Council Decision 74/325/EEC (4),             particular, this notice shall indicate the name(s) of the
as last amended by the Act of Accession of Spain and              person(s) responsible for coordinating the safety and
Portugal, the Advisory Committee on Safety, Hygiene               health of workers:
and Health Protection at Work is consulted by the
Commission with a view to drawing up proposals in this
field,                                                            — during the 'project design' stage,
                                                                  — during the 'project execution' stage.
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
                                                                  A copy of this notice shall be available at all times on the
                                                                  site.
                            SCOPE
                           Article 1                              2.     However, in the case of works the planned
                                                                  duration of which is less than 30 working days,
This Directive shall apply to temporary or mobile work            excluding those of the types listed in Annex III, Member
sites as defined in Article 2, to the exclusion of extractive     States may regard the forwarding of the 'prior notice' as
industries.                                                       optional.
                                                                  GENERAL SAFETY AND HEALTH PRINCIPLES TO BE
                        DEFINITIONS
                                                                                    TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
                           Article 2
                                                                                   At the project design stage
For the purposes of this Directive:
                                                                                             Article 4
                                                                  The project supervisor(s) shall take account of the
                                                                  general principles of prevention concerning safety and
— temporary or mobile work sites, hereinafter referred to          health set out in Article 6 (2) and (3) (a) of Directive
     as 'work sites' means any site at which building and          89/391/EEC during the stages of project design, study
     civil engineering works are carried out; a                    and preparation, in particular:
     non-exhaustive list of such works is given in Annex 1,
(l) OJ   No L 393, 30. 12. 1989, p. 18.                           — when architectural and/or organizational aspects are
O   OJ   No L 183, 29. 6. 1989, p. 1.                                  being decided, in order to plan the various works or
O   OJ   No L 40, 11. 2. 1989, p. 12.                                  work stages which are to take place simultaneously
(4) OJ   No L 185, 9. 7. 1974, p. 15.                                   or in succession,
 ---pagebreak--- No C 213/4                              Official Journal of the European Communities                                  28. 8.90
— when estimating the period required for completing              (e) shall take the necessary steps to ensure that no
     these various types of works or work stages.                      unauthorized person enters the site.
                                                                  2.     The implementation of the provisions in paragraph
                             Article 5
                                                                   1 shall not affect the principle of employers' responsi-
The person(s) indicated in the 'prior notice' as being            bility towards their respective workers.
responsible for coordinating safety and health during the
'project design' stage, as referred to in Article 3 (1),
shall:
                                                                                             Article 7
                                                                  When the work is being carried out, the principles set
(a) ensure that the          provisions of   Article  4   are     out in Article 6(1), (2), (3) and (5) of Directive
      implemented;                                                89/391/EEC shall be applied, in particular as regards:
(b) in the case of works coming under one or more of              — keeping the site in good order and in a satisfactory
      the categories listed in Annex III, draw up a safety             state of cleanliness,
      and health plan setting out the specific rules
      applicable to the site concerned;
                                                                  — choosing the location of workstations bearing in
                                                                       mind how access to these workplaces is obtained, and
(c) prepare documents adapted to the characteristics of                determining routes or areas for the passage and
      the project containing appropriate safety and health             movement of workers and equipment,
      information to be taken into account during any
      subsequent works.
                                                                  — the conditions under which various materials are
                                                                       handled,
             During the project execution stage
                                                                  — technical maintenance, pre-startup and regular
                             Article 6                                 checks on the operating efficiency of installations and
1.      The person(s) designated in the 'prior notice' as              equipment with a view to correcting any faults which
being responsible for coordinating safety and health at                might affect the safety and health of workers,
the site during the 'project execution' stage:
                                                                  — the demarcation and laying out of areas for the
(a) shall ensure that the employers           and,   wherever          storage of various materials, in particular where
      necessary, self-employed persons:                                dangerous materials or substances are concerned,
                                                                  — the conditions under which the dangerous materials
      — apply the principles set out in Article 7 in a
                                                                       used are removed,
          consistent manner,
                                                                  — the storage and disposal or removal of wastes and
      — take account, when required, of the safety and                 surplus materials,
          health plan required under Article 5 (b);
                                                                  — the adaptation, based on progress made with the
(b) shall adapt, where necessary, this safety and health               work, of the actual period to be allocated for the
      plan to take account of the progress of the work and             various types of work or work stages.
      any changes which have occurred;
 (c) shall organize the cooperation in matters of safety                         OBLIGATIONS OF EMPLOYERS
       and health provided for in Article 6 (4) of Directive
                                                                                             Article 8
       89/391 / E E C , ensuring that self-employed persons
      are brought into this process whenever necessary;            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
 (d) shall make arrangements to check that the working             measures in respect of their own workers that are in line
      procedures are being implemented correctly;                  with the minimum requirements set out in Annex IV.
 ---pagebreak--- 28. 8. 90                              Official Journal of the European Communities                             N o C 213/5
     OBLIGATIONS OF SELF-EMPLOYED PERSONS                        — the adoption of Directives on technical harmon-
                                                                      ization and standardization,
                          Article 9
In order to preserve the safety and health of all persons        — technical progress and changes in international regu-
present on the site, self-employed persons shall comply               lations and specifications or knowledge with regard
with the following mutatis mutandis:                                  to work sites,
                                                                 shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid
(a) the principles set out in Article 7 of this Directive;
                                                                 down in Article 17 of Directive 89/391/EEC.
(b) Articles 3, 4 (1), (2), (3), (4), (9) and 5 of Council
     Directive 89/656/EEC;                                                           FINAL PROVISIONS
                                                                                           Article 13
(c) Article 4 of Council Directive 89/655/EEC;
                                                                  1.    Member States shall bring into force the laws,
(d) the relevant provisions of Annex IV of this Directive.       regulations and administrative provisions necessary to
                                                                 comply with this Directive by 31 December 1993 at the
                                                                 latest. They shall immediately notify the Commission
                      INFORMATION                                thereof.
                         Article 10                              The provisions adopted pursuant to the                  first
Without prejudice to Article             10 of      Directive     subparagraph shall make express reference to this
89/391/EEC, workers and/or their representatives shall           Directive.
be informed of all the measures to be taken concerning
the safety and health of workers at the site. In particular,      2.    Member States shall communicate to the
they shall be informed of the measures relating to the            Commission the texts of the provisions of national law
implementation of Articles 6, 7 and 8 and, where                 which they have already adopted or adopt in the field
necessary, of the safety and health plan referred to in          governed by this Directive.
Article 5 (b).
                                                                  3.    Member States shall report to the Commission
                                                                 every five years on the practical implementation of the
         CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION                          provisions of this Directive, indicating the points of view
                                                                  of employers and workers. The Commission shall inform
                         Article 11
                                                                 the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic
Consultation and participation of workers and/or of               and Social Committee, and the Advisory Committee on
their representatives shall take place in accordance with         Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work.
Article 11 of Directive 89/391/EEC on the matters
covered by Articles 6 (1), 7 and 8 of this Directive.             4.    The Commission shall submit periodically to the
                                                                  Council, the European Parliament and the Economic
                                                                  and Social Committee a report on the implementation of
           AMENDMENTS TO THE ANNEXES                              this Directive, taking into account paragraphs 2 and 3.
                         Article 12
                                                                                           Article 14
Amendments of a strictly technical nature to Annexes II,
III and IV resulting from:                                       This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 213/6                             Official J o u r n a l of the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s              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)):
 ---pagebreak--- 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.
 ---pagebreak--- 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        ^ ^ ^ h u t s 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
                   r h e s t a b i l i t y a n d solidity referred t o m ^ ^ m u s t 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
 ---pagebreak--- 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.
 ---pagebreak--- 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.
 ---pagebreak--- 28. 8. 90                           Official J o u r n a l of the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s            N o 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.
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 213/12                           Official J o u r n a l of the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s               28. 8 . 9 0
           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.
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          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.