Why Standards are Necessary for Worker Accommodation

It goes without saying that when an employer provides worker accommodation, specific requirements and standards come into play. But why do standards have to apply in this case? Are they necessary? With the coming of the pandemic, employers providing living quarters for their workforce may now have to comply with a new set of rules and requirements due to isolation and quarantine concerns. Read on to know why these worker accommodation standards are necessary.

An employer providing accommodation for their employees has to ensure that there are adequate non-sharable basic amenities. The standards also demand a constant supply of water and electricity. That’s not all. As far as hygiene is concerned, the employees should have access to adequate, clean, and well-maintained bathrooms and toilets. With such requirements and standards, employees’ health will not be at risk.

Generally, standards for worker accommodation are primarily to protect the welfare of the employees. So, when an employee feels that the employer has their best interests at heart, they feel entitled to serve the employer for an extended period. That way, the employer benefits from implementing the worker accommodation standards.

These standards are necessary because they cut across all employees. So, it doesn’t matter whether the employees are physically disabled or not. So, the employer must provide adequate amenities like bathrooms and toilets specifically for the employees with disabilities. Generally, the standards require employers to offer reasonable accommodations that will make employees with disabilities feel more secure, comfortable and entitled to deliver more to the company.

These standards help keep accommodated staff safe from extreme cold weather, especially for facilities that are in cold-weather regions. In addition to the need for sufficient ventilation, the room temperature in cold-weather areas should not be less than 20 degrees. Employers providing accommodation in hot weather regions must ensure the rooms have adequate ventilation or air conditioning systems to lower the room temperatures.

Employees are safe from falling objects and any other form of danger associated with worksites through worker accommodation standards. The reason is that employers must ensure that the welfare and accommodation facilities are not anywhere near work sites. The standards also protect the staff from emissions, noise, and dust.

Worker accommodation standards stipulate that employers should build employee living facilities in areas not prone to natural disasters. In this case, the natural disasters and elements may include fires, floods, strong winds, earthquakes, and landslides. Additionally, the employer should construct each structure in a manner that will offer maximum protection against all these elements if they occur.

From the above information, it is evident that any employer providing employee living facilities must comply with worker accommodation standards accordingly. It is both for the benefit of the employer and the employees.