Is it mandatory to provide free drinking water in the workplace?
In Germany, employers are required to ensure a safe and healthy work environment, and this extends to providing adequate drinks for employees. According to the German Technical Rules for Workplaces (Technische Regeln für Arbeitsstätten, ASR), employers must provide an adequate supply of drinking water at the workplace, free of charge. This water must be safe for drinking and easily accessible to all employees.
Key points include:
- Drinking water must be available in sufficient quantities at suitable locations in the workplace.
- The water should not only be potable but also easily accessible during working hours.
- Employers are obligated to provide this water free of charge as part of occupational health and safety regulations.
This is to ensure employees remain hydrated and healthy on-site. While specific quantities are not always explicitly detailed in the publicly summarized guidelines, the principle is that drinking water should be freely available, safe, and convenient, in compliance with Germany’s strict tap water quality regulations.
In some company practices, employers may also provide additional drinks such as fruit or coffee. According to labor law expert Peter Meyer, an employer's obligation to provide these drinks can arise from a company practice if they have repeatedly and consistently provided them for a long period, usually several years. This expectation can also be established through a works agreement with the works council.
However, there is no legal requirement for employers to provide mineral water or coffee at their own expense. The requirement for suitable drinks can be met if employees can access tap water from the kitchen faucet.
Peter Meyer, a specialist lawyer for labor law and a member of the managing committee of the Employment Law Working Group in the German Bar Association (DAV), emphasizes that employers must provide suitable drinks when the air temperature is above 26°C. This is to prevent dehydration and maintain employee health and productivity.
In summary, employers in Germany are obligated to provide safe and easily accessible drinking water at no cost to their employees. While additional drinks may be provided through company practices or works agreements, there is no legal requirement for employers to provide these at their own expense. However, when the air temperature exceeds 26°C, employers are expected to provide suitable drinks to maintain employee health and productivity.
- To maintain workplace wellness and health-and-wellness, employers in Germany are expected to give additional drinks like fruit or coffee, not mandatory, but can stem from a company practice or a works agreement with the works council.
- In accordance with the German Technical Rules for Workplaces, employers must ensure a convenient and safe supply of drinking water that is freely accessible during working hours, adhering to the nation's strict tap water quality regulations for the employees' health and hydration.
