Female Facilities a Must for Major Construction Firm

A new campaign aims to ensure that women in construction have the appropriate toilet facilities when working on site.

The first main contractor to sign up was Multiplex at the University of Glasgow Campus Development project.

Global construction firm Multiplex worked with the Wernick Hire depot in Glasgow on site buildings with separate areas for females.

The AVflex buildings on the campus development project will have female-only toilets, changing and shower areas. Sanitary products will be provided as well as sanitary disposal bins.

Caron Dunlop, Head of Community Engagement at Multiplex commented: “At Multiplex, we are committed to providing great workspaces for everyone, which includes making our sites as comfortable for women as they are for men, so supporting the Period Dignity campaign at our University of Glasgow Campus Development project complements what we currently provide. Our work identifying new ways of improving our workspaces for everyone has recently led to the development of a whole new standard for temporary construction accommodation and offices – Multiplex Better Workspaces – and we are planning to certify all of our sites to this standard by the end of the year.”

A survey conducted by the union Unite found that a lack of facilities, particularly when women were having their periods, was a "major issue" for many.

In response, Unite launched the Period Dignity campaign, with a four-point plan for companies to sign up to.

• Ensure each site or depot has a designated female toilet, which is always accessible, regularly cleaned and lockable

• Handwashing facilities with running water and soap are provided in all welfare facilities

• Sanitary bins are provided and they are cleaned and emptied regularly

• Sanitary products are provided in a dispenser in a discreet location, free to workers

Gail Cartmail, Unite Assistant General Secretary added: “Unite is asking construction employers to sign up to four basic demands which will ensure that women workers can experience period dignity. With an ever growing skills shortage in our industry, it is absolutely essential that construction becomes more attractive to women workers. A small step in achieving this is to ensure that women construction workers can have period dignity at work. Unite welcomes Multiplexs role as a trailblazer in signing up to the campaign and will continue to highlight other sites and companies which also sign up in the future.”