What is the correct workplace toilet ratio and why?
If you run a business, you have a duty to ensure that there are adequate toilet facilities in the workplace and that you have enough to meet the demands of your team.
Ideally, you should have at least two sets of toilets to separate men and women, but we understand that this is not always possible. You also need to avoid queues for workplace toilet facilities, which is why you need to get the toilet ratio just right; as well as other important washroom facilities, of course.
If you’re wondering how many toilets (and sinks) your workplace needs, then you've come to the right place.
In the handy guide below, we’ll take you through the legal ratio of toilets to staff, as well as the importance of offering the correct facilities.
What the government says
Let’s start with the legal bits. If you're running a business, whether that’s an office, garage, retail environment or any other workspace for that matter, it’s crucial that you stay up to date on all legal requirements. This includes employee welfare and workplace toilet etiquette.
If you don’t provide your staff with the correct facilities, along with a safe and clean washroom, you could find yourself in hot water.
So, to help you avoid breaking health and safety regulations, we’ll now explain the official Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations set out in 1992.
Regulation 20, Sanitary Convenience, states that:
Suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences shall be provided at readily accessible places. Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), sanitary conveniences shall not be deemed suitable unless:
The rooms containing them are adequately ventilated and lit
They and the rooms containing them are kept in a clean and orderly condition
Separate rooms containing conveniences are provided for men and women except where and so far as each convenience is in a separate room the door of which is capable of being secured from inside
What this means for businesses
So, to put this in layman’s terms, your toilets must be in a convenient location that is accessible to every member of staff. They should all be well-ventilated, either with fans or windows, and they need to have sufficient lighting.
What’s more, in cases where toilets must be shared by both men and women, it’s vital that there is a fully functioning lock to ensure privacy. All toilets must be kept clean and hygienic, with a fair supply of soap, soap dispensers or hand sanitiser, as well as towels, hand dryers or other ways for employees to dry their hands.
Finally, toilets must supply clean hot, cold or warm water and taps should be correctly labeled to reflect this.
What is the correct workplace toilet ratio?
Now that we’ve covered what workplace toilet facilities businesses must provide, let’s get to the crux of the issue - the correct workplace toilet ratio.
Well, the rules differ depending on whether they are mixed bathrooms or separate toilets for men and women. If you’ve got mixed toilets or washrooms that are for women only, the workplace toilet ratios look like this:
1 to 5 employees - 1 toilet
6 to 25 employees - 2 toilets
26 to 50 employees - 3 toilets
51 to 75 employees - 4 toilets
76 to 100 employees - 5 toilets
For toilets that are only being used by men, the ratios change slightly as urinals can also be made available. In that case, you must provide:
1 to 15 employees - 1 toilet and 1 urinal
16 to 30 employees - 2 toilets and 1 urinal
31 to 45 employees - 2 toilets and 2 urinals
46 to 60 employees - 3 toilets and 2 urinals
61 to 75 employees - 3 toilets and 3 urinals
76 to 90 employees - 4 toilets and 3 urinals
91 to 100 employees - 4 toilets and 4 urinals
In all toilet facilities, whether mixed, male or female, the number of sinks required is a 1:1 ratio, so one sink for every toilet you have. For example, if there are two toilets in the bathroom, there should also be two sinks provided.
Why is it so important to get this right?
The most obvious reason that you need to meet these requirements is that your business must comply with health and safety laws. But putting that aside for one second, there are several other compelling reasons why it’s so important to provide the correct workplace toilet ratio and washroom facilities.
For starters, clean facilities make it more difficult for germs to spread. If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s how quickly germs can spread through the office. And let’s face it, you don’t want half your workforce calling in sick.
So in general, better hygiene will decrease the number of sick days that your employees need to take.
Not only this but the style and cleanliness of your workplace toilet facilities will reflect on your employer branding. Dirty, unusable washrooms don’t give off a very good impression and suggest to staff that you aren’t prioritising their welfare. This can eventually lead to low morale, dissatisfaction and higher rates of employee turnover.
Finally, following this, every employee has the right to a safe and hygienic workplace, and this includes toilet facilities.
Is it time to update your office washrooms?
Having read this guide, the importance of hygiene and sanitation in your workplace toilet facilities should now be crystal clear.
These facilities can directly impact the health, happiness and productivity of your team. So if your toilets could use a little TLC, it might be time for a bathroom refurbishment or even a completely new washroom design.
Take some time to review the current layout of your facilities, how clean they are and to determine if you're providing the right ratio of toilets and sinks for the size of your team.
You can then decide if your washroom facilities need a little attention and get to work on updating and refreshing these very important spaces.