Providing Sanitary Items

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth · 7 August 2018 at 9:08PM

At my two storey mill, all the heads, including the female toilet, are on the ground floor. Having had a cardiac arrest a few years back, I am often caught short when I need a p. Hence, I take plenty of water and use the spray wall on the hour. Unfortunately, my work place don!!!8217;t make any further adjustments,

theoretica · 7 August 2018 at 9:35PM

I go to one place that has emergency supplies - but not kept in the loo. As LilElvis says, they would be so convenient there that they would have high usage. Keeping them with the first aid box, however, seems to work.

mangog · 7 August 2018 at 10:17PM

Invest in a menstrual cup instead! You can wear it for 12 hours straight, so you don't to worry about running out of supplies at work, and if you keep it in your handbag you'll always have it when you need it. My other top tip is to get a period tracker app which will remind you when your period is due so you can remember to grab your cup or whatever you need.

Another idea would be to set up a communal supplies basket in the loo - ask anyone who wants to be involved to add to it every so often, and have it available in the ladies' bathroom for anyone who needs it. Like a tea and coffee fund, but for sanitary products!

Nothanks · 7 August 2018 at 10:42PM

They provide loo roll, I don't see what's unreasonable about the request but I've also never known of it in a workplace. Not that I spend lots of time in the ladies toilets.

This sort of minor facilities thing your union branch could sort in a jiffy - just saying.

PersianCatLady · 7 August 2018 at 11:47PM

Bitofsteak wrote: »

Hi,

I understand that by law UK business do not have to supply sanitary products but do have to provide bins. However in my place of work there are 2 floors and a ladies toilet on each floor, the ground floor toilet have a tampon/sanitary towel dispenser but the floor that I work on does not, only a sanitary bin. I suffer from very heavy menstrual bleeding and unfortunately nearly got caught short today work (I always have my own items in my handbag, but just got caught short today). I asked our senior office administrator to purchase some sanitary items for the bathroom who passed this onto our H.R lady, our H.R lady said no and that the dispenser in the ground floor toilet was sufficient.

We have many meetings in the building and the 1st floor bathroom is used regularly so the request is not only for me but for other women that work or arrive at our office. Our business supplies endless amounts of free beverages in various degrees of colour, smell and flavour (currently 14 different varieties of tea and 5 varieties of coffee), so why not a couple of sanitary towels or tampons? We also have a health and wellbeing group at our place of work which I am part of and the HR person is head of, but as of today I feel that this is a bit of an oxymoron!!

If any ladies,(or gents) have any thoughts on this I would be grateful.

Regards

Bitofsteak

Your heavy periods are not your employer's problem.

Surely you don't expect to be provided with towels / tampons everywhere else that you go in life??

Rather than waste time talking to your employer about this,why don't you see this as an opportunity to make sure that you are always prepared for the worst whereever you go???

PersianCatLady · 7 August 2018 at 11:53PM

LilElvis wrote: »

...... and there's bound to be at least one person who would see it as an easy / free way of providing them with all their sanitary supplies and pilfer them on a regular basis.

Or somebody that would complain about the brand / type of sanpro that was provided and make a fuss.

Or somebody that expected sanpro to always be in the ladies and then complain when they needed it themselves and there was none left.

shortcrust · 8 August 2018 at 5:50AM

I'd love to see the email exchange about this between the office admin and the woman in HR...

Samsung_Note2 · 8 August 2018 at 8:40AM

74jax wrote: »

I've never ever heard of this, or seen it.

Keep a packet in your drawer.

I have endometriosis and so definately understand yet I wouldn't ever expect my work to supply such items. I like a particular brand and version. Therefore I always have a box in my drawer.

Wife used to suffer before the boys came along and ive never seen her suffer like she did when she had the endometriosis,amazes me the amount of suffering a woman can endure.

She always had a certain brand and type and would keep them dotted about everywhere..her car,my car and even the shopping bags...was intent on never being caught short.

warby68 · 8 August 2018 at 8:53AM

Supplies are already available on one of the two floors - that seems reasonable enough to me for a discretionary item.

In 30 years of work and numerous office buildings I can never recall EVERY bathroom having supplies, just certain ones. It makes perfect sense when there will be a cost to service every machine.

I really wouldn't go to war on this one.

engineer_amy · 8 August 2018 at 8:54AM

Would never dream of asking my company to provide these!
In an office of 14 people, 12 of whom are female and under menopausal age, we would be spending more on sanitary products than on stationery!
And I could imagine one or two people sticking a couple of freebies in their handbags as well.
We have a separate ladies and gents bathroom, each with a undersink cupboard. Those who wish are welcome to store a packet of their preferred product in the cupboard for when they are caught short. Most will happily share if asked, and those who borrow usually do replace items at the next opportunity.

Providing Sanitary Items

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