Welfare vans are becoming increasingly popular — if not a standard requirement — for companies whose workforce has to be mobile and spend time working on sites without rest facilities.
An EU type approved Vauxhall Movano welfare van conversion by Clarks Vehicle Conversions of Doncaster.
But what’s in a welfare van conversion? There’s no fixed standard but there are some common themes:
- Seating and a table
- Kitchenette, usually with sink, water heater for hot drinks and perhaps a microwave
- Toilet/handwash area
- Heating
Vans with bunks are also seen sometimes, but these are usually for more specialist jobs where the crew may be required to spend extended periods or overnight away from base. To give you an idea of what’s involved, here are some photos taken from a Vauxhall Movano-based van recently converted by Clarks Vehicle Conversions of Doncaster.
Travel seating with removable table for use during rest periods.
A toilet compartment with a cassette toilet, as used in motorhomes and caravans.
Handwash area with hot water, soap and basin.
The kitchen area, complete with hot water boiler for tea, running water and microwave.
This van also has a heating system, probably a diesel-fuelled heater as used in trucks with sleeper cabs. In this case the heater is controlled from the black panel below the sink.
The van’s electrical system will have been modified to power all of these accessories. This might have been done with a bank of secondary batteries or perhaps with a generator or electric hookup option with which the van can be plugged into the mains. Possibly a combination — I’d expect a second battery in any case, to prevent any risk of the engine battery being flattened.
Inside, the interior of the van is fully lined in a light grey phenol-laminated ply to provide a durable quality finish. A number of tailored options are also available to provide additional storage, such as racking, shelving, lining kits and ladder racks.
The complete conversion has gained EU type approval so Vauxhall and Clarks are able to sell the Movano welfare conversion as a new vehicle without seeking further approvals.