Welfare Vs fire risk management

[kelm1986]

I have been asked about whether is is a good option to provide employees with a charging station in the canteen facilities in a factory.
idea came to provide them with USB or standard sharging bays at the tables. only question I would have is with 2000 empoyees how would you manage people bringing in their own chargers, and using them on site, they are not PAT tested, or guaranteed to be purchased from a reputable supplier.
The main reason that the idea is favourable, other than that of employee engagement and welfare, is that employees love their mobile phones and are frequently caught unplugging our vending machines in order to charge their phones, and we do not want puddles on the floor. Anyone that has implemented this kind of thing, and knows of the implications, please let me know.

[Messy]

I suppose that there has to be a balance between providing facilities that keeps staff happy, motivated and productive, versus the slight risk of fire.

Educating the staff, locating the charging stations away from escape routes and combustibles may well suffice to reduce the risk further to a level you, your employer and insurance company are happy with.

I often work in data centres where phones have to be surrendered at the front door and taking them on site to use or charge is punishable by instant dismissal, but in most workplaces, it is 2018 I suppose, so its not such a bad thing to supply such a facility.

[stephen1974]

Look at the option of replacing plug sockets with ones that have a USB charging socket built in perhaps? If you are in an office you may not have sockets in the right place for that, but you might in a canteen area.

Personally, I think mobile phones should be banned and we should all go back to land lines. Horrible things.

[witsd]

It should be pretty easy to provide a USB charging station which only requires staff to use their own cables, rather than plugs.

PAT the station, and tell all staff that any damaged cables seen to be in use will be disconnected and thrown away without further warning.

It's better to steer staff (or public) behaviour in a way that can be monitored and controlled to some extent than to attempt a full ban, usually resulting in them doing it behind your back in stupid ways.

[Keith1983]

My initial thought is why would you provide it? How long are employees shifts? Are they allowed to be using phones whilst they are carrying out whatever their work duties are? If not if they ensure their phones are charged before they leave for work in the morning then charging shouldn't be necessary.