Workplace and Welfare

Workplace and Welfare

Welfare facilities should be provided in the workplace, these include:

• Toilets and hand basins, with soap and towels or a hand-dryer

• Drinking water

• A place to store clothing and somewhere to change

• Somewhere to rest and eat meals.

Personal Hygiene is particularly important in Fish and Chip Shops to prevent any contamination of food. Hand washing is one of the key areas where you need to make sure you do not contaminate any food you handle with bacteria, or anything else that could harm the consumer.

Workplace stress

This is one of the problems in the workplace that the law requires employers to take appropriate action. Stress can be a significant cause of illness and is known to be linked with high levels of sickness absence, staff turnover and other issues such as more errors. Typical symptoms of stress include:

Emotional and mental symptoms

• Negative or depressive feelings

• Increased emotional reactions - more tearful or sensitive or aggressive

• Loneliness, withdrawn

• Loss of motivation commitment and confidence

• Confusion, indecision

• Inability to concentrate

• Poor memory

Changes from your normal behaviour

• Changes in eating habits

• Increased smoking, drinking or drug taking 'to cope'

• Mood swings affecting your behaviour

• Changes in sleep patterns

• Twitchy, nervous behaviour

• Changes in attendance such as arriving later or taking more time off

If you think you are suffering from work related stress you should talk to your manager about it. They will need to consider any actions they could take to help you relieve the stress.