Welfare at Work

cjv

Washing facilities should be provided in the immediate area of all toilets, even if there are washing facilities elsewhere on your site.

Your employer is not complying with their responsibilities.

Dettol

cjv wrote: »

Washing facilities should be provided in the immediate area of all toilets, even if there are washing facilities elsewhere on your site.

Your employer is not complying with their responsibilities.

Thank you...i initially thought that might be the case.

All the responses (negative unhelpful ones aside) have been gratefully taken on-board and will look deeper into the matter.

gomer

My generation grew up with y-fronts and athletes foot.

comeandgo

If you bought a travel plug from Blacks or Millets would that give you a working sink in the toilet area?

lincroft1710

Dettol wrote: »

My generation have grown up with nice bathrooms and Iphones...sorry if yours did not.

Not all your generation, grotty bathrooms are still to be found and not everyone has/had I-phones.

SummerSunshine2

Lol people arguing that rules relating to hygiene shouldn’t be enforced lol

Barny1979

SummerSunshine2 wrote: »

Lol people arguing that rules relating to hygiene shouldn’t be enforced lol

Well the OP has at least got a proper work-related issue than yourself.

jonnygee2

Your employer needs to provide reasonable facilities for you to work in. What they have provided does not sound like it meets the minimum regulation standard.

Washing
Place washing facilities next to the toilets and any changing rooms. They should include:

clean hot and cold, or warm running water
soap or other suitable means of cleaning
towels or other suitable means of drying
adequate ventilation and lighting
showers may also be needed depending on the work being done
Sinks / washbasins need to allow workers to wash their hands, face and forearms properly. Check the sink size and tap location allow this. Some portable toilets only have a hand sanitiser and a small sink. This is inadequate unless other suitable washing facilities are nearby. Portable toilets with bigger sinks and hot / warm water are available.

Hand washing should not generally take place in the same areas you use for eating and drinking.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/welfare/toilets-and-washing.htm

This advice is targeted at construction but the standards do not differ by industry. I think you should take this up with them. It's perfectly reasonable to expect a clean and sanitary area to do your washing up in at work.

____

Believe it or not, the fact that there was a war 80 years ago doesn't have any affect on HSE regulation.

cjv

Dettol wrote: »

No portable water source in a house...a hose pipe is connected in an abandoned house (abandoned house which we have keys to if a contractor needed access) which then runs over the ground to our hut,which in turn feeds a hot water heater which is set to 65 degrees,hot enough to kill germs but also hot to burn you.

Just noticed this detail, is there no running cold water at all for you to use?

If so that goes beyond the hygiene problems. If you or a colleague was to be burned, or come in contact with hazardous substance at work you would have no water for immediate first aid.

Also, do you have a first aid kit, including an eye wash?

I work Security and it sounds like that is your job from your description. If so it may not just be your employers responsibility, so you could also approach the site owner/company with your concerns if you do not work directly for them.

NinaSwiss

OP - I sympathise with you.

Given the times that we live in, I think it is reasonable to expect a more convenient WC setup than you currently have.

I am a millennial though have seen/lived in similar conditions described by some posters (being from a developing country). Just because I have used an old fashioned latrine doesn't mean I would happily embrace the idea at work. Maybe if it were temporary/only solution.

Good on you for raising the concern at work.
Typically things change because somebody said something and the absence of a supporting law should not prevent you making a good case for change.

The life I lead now is only possible because of people that fought for change. I'm not suggesting you exhaust your energy pursing this (I believe in picking battles carefully) but kudos for raising it anyway.

I wish you luck in your endeavours pursuing this. If there are no laws to support your case, I'd suggest you try coming up a practical and cost effective solution , see if you can get your colleagues onboard with the idea and then sell (dont request /demand) the idea to your manager. If there is someone better placed to have this conversation with your boss , use them.

You will need to to get on board with conversations like....

"we all really enjoy working here... see our futures here ....bla bla and the one thing that would really help improve our working conditions is.. 'Insert idea here'. Also means less times at toilet breaks.
I appreciate it is a big ask... but if there is anything you can do to support us on this... It would go a long way with keeping up morals, hygiene standards, we'd love you for ever etc etc."

Might not work...might... you never know.