Personal work space ?

[somerset]

In our office since revision we have 5 sorters on ips first thing in the morning, We have 10 ips frames , now DOM wants everyone on ips first thing in morning for half an hour !
We are all stood next to each other . one foot apart . Trying to sort mail.
I have heard somewhere in H and S rules in workplaces that there is meant to be a certain amount of space per square foot for each person ?
Can any boffin on here find out the law on this one ?

[fishtank]

I have heard somewhere in H and S rules in workplaces that there is meant to be a certain amount of space per square foot for each person ?

That concerns overall size of the building in relation to employee numbers not as far as i'm aware how close you have to work to someone.
Otherwise the floor of the stock market wouldn't look like this.....

[bunkerland]

I have heard somewhere in H and S rules in workplaces that there is meant to be a certain amount of space per square foot for each person ?

That concerns overall size of the building in relation to employee numbers not as far as i'm aware how close you have to work to someone.
Otherwise the floor of the stock market wouldn't look like this.....

Stock market? Are you sure that's not just RM managers queuing for the pie shop!

[ldsposti]

i think it comes under space constriants, i did read about it a couple of years back will look it up and reply on here.

[POSTMAN]

I'm sure i've read something regarding this on here,but it was yonks ago.
There has to be some sort of ruling i guess.

[Judgee]

In our office since revision we have 5 sorters on ips first thing in the morning, We have 10 ips frames , now DOM wants everyone on ips first thing in morning for half an hour !
We are all stood next to each other . one foot apart . Trying to sort mail.
I have heard somewhere in H and S rules in workplaces that there is meant to be a certain amount of space per square foot for each person ?
Can any boffin on here find out the law on this one ?

Been doing that for years in my office. On my section we have 16 sorting frames for up to 27 sorters... gets kinda cosy. Bit of a pain in the summer but at least you keep warm in the winter when the heating is on the blink!

[stokes11eg]

Yip- in line with Eoropean laws, there is a legally required 'personal' worspace laid down, but I cannot remeber what it is! I think it is about 6 square feet, but am not sure--will try and find out for sure, but it was introduced in the early ninties.

[SpacePhoenix]

AFAIK it's 1 person per frame

[stokes11eg]

The minimum laid down under EU legislation is 11.1 cubic mteres per person.the old u'k law was forty square feet, which equates to much the same. According to R/M some years ago, when I raised this question, they reckoned that you needed a distance of four feet! At he very least, you should be able to turn and move around freely.

[fishtank]

The minimum laid down under EU legislation is 11.1 cubic mteres per person.the old u'k law was forty square feet, which equates to much the same. According to R/M some years ago, when I raised this question, they reckoned that you needed a distance of four feet! At he very least, you should be able to turn and move around freely.

Stokes...that relates to the ratio between staff and the size of the building.....not your own personal 11.1 cubic metre bubble that no-one else is allowed to enter.
Many jobs require you to work in even closer proximity to others than ours.

[stokes11eg]

Sorry cannot agree with you on this one. So many other factors are taken into account here, furnishings in the building, etc. Even the way our chairs are placed for example--there has to be a minimun amount of space between those-if they are pushed under the bench, you may be O'K space wise, but once pulled out for use, that could be another matter. in general. we are entitled to around nearly 3.75 square meters personal space in the work place. (this includes the moving around space, which most emplo.yers seem to forget about)

[POSTMAN]

Surely you should not be touching the person next to you in ANY workspace.

[fishtank]

Surely you should not be touching the person next to you in ANY workspace.

...there goes another thread heading to the naughty room.

[brothermagrew]

THE LAW
Regulation 10 of the Workplace Health, Safety, and Welfare Regulations requires every workroom to
have sufficient floor area, height, and unoccupied space to ensure health, safety, and welfare. The
associated Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) requires enough space for people to move freely and
with ease to workstations and within rooms, with each room (excluding meeting rooms, lecture halls,
and kiosks, etc.) having at least 11 cubic metres per person.

Note for the purposes of doing this calculation, ceiling height is only counted up to a maximum of 3
metres. Also note that 11 cubic metres is the bare minimum and may be insufficient depending on the
room layout and furniture, etc. within the room.

Employers must implement the ACOP and if prosecuted will be found guilty unless they can
demonstrate that they have implemented the regulation in some other way.
The Health and Safety Executives guidance to this regulation confirms that sufficient unoccupied floor
space is required which 11 cubic metres may not give. Rooms may need to be larger or have fewer
people working in them depending on the room layout, the type of work, and what else is stored in
them.

Sections 2(2)(d) of the Health and Safety at Work Act requires the provision and maintenance of access
to and egress from a place of work which is safe and without risks.
Under the Management of the Health and Safety at Work Regulations employers must assess the risks
of hazards (including overcrowding) to employees health and safety and take reasonably practicable
steps to prevent or control (where prevention is not possible) any risks identified.

First check that there is 11 cubic metres per person (where applicable). When doing this calculation
only count the room height up to the maximum of 3 metres (room: width x length x height (to 3m
max.) ÷ number of persons). No one benefits from a 10 metre high room if at floor level the place is
overcrowded. Perhaps get staff to do their own calculation and let you know.

Even if there is 11 cubic metres per person remember that this is the bare minimum and may not be
sufficient. Does furniture or work materials, etc. occupy most of the space? Does the room layout or
shape mean that part of the room cannot be used? Remember that the Regulation requires sufficient
unoccupied space to ensure health, safety, and welfare; plus the Act specifies risk free/safe access to
and egress from the workplace.

Have a look at the accident book (hard to do now as in Royal Mail it is done electronically online via ERICA). Do the entries suggest that there is insufficient space? Are there many incidents of people walking into the corners of desks or tripping over items, etc. The accident book can be a valuable source of information so it is important to ensure that members and workers,etc. report all incidents including near-misses.


Consider speaking to the workers, perhaps during a workplace safety inspection focusing on any
evidence of overcrowding. Alternatively, conduct a survey of staff. Questions could focus on: whether
they have had any accidents or near-misses which could be related to overcrowding, whether they lack
storage space, whether they have sufficient space to conduct their work properly and safely, and
whether they have been experiencing symptoms of sick building syndrome?


If overcrowding is a problem, ask your employer for their risk assessment on the hazard, or get them to
conduct one. It may be necessary to get the different types of work undertaken risk assessed separately,
since the potential risks and solutions may vary dramatically depending on the nature of work.
Fire legislation and fire risk assessing must also be considered. There are specific requirements
regarding the size and routes of corridors, and walkways within offices (between furniture, etc) which
would be used as a means of escape in the event of a fire. The Display Screen Equipment Regulations
require workstations to be risk assessed to prevent/control any risks and to provide sufficient space for
the worker to change position and vary movements. Whether provisions under the Disability
Discrimination Act apply should also be considered.

[fishtank]

THE LAW
Regulation 10 of the Workplace Health, Safety, and Welfare Regulations requires every workroom to
have sufficient floor area, height, and unoccupied space to ensure health, safety, and welfare. The
associated Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) requires enough space for people to move freely and
with ease to workstations and within rooms, with each room (excluding meeting rooms, lecture halls,
and kiosks, etc.) having at least 11 cubic metres per person.

Thanks brothermagrew...i kind of thought it was an overall calculation rather than an individual one.