To store expressed milk in a shared fridge

[staffroomwars]

Posting as a little murderous and possibly need perspective.

Just gone back to work for a few days a week (wishing I hadn't but...£) and dd is a total bottle/ formula refuser despite me nearly killing myself trying I'm having to express/ pop out for feeds.

Yesterday and Monday all the expressed milk ended up on the side and off when I went to get it at the end of the day. As it's in an opaque plastic bag I presumed it was a mistake. I just found my lunch time expressed milk which I was about to pass on again on the window sil and have been informed someone has put it there as 'it's disgusting storing bodily fluids in a fridge with food'. She would have had to open the bag to see it was a baby bottle!

Is this one weirdo view or do people really feel like this, others were quite neutral but may have been reluctant to get involved and questioned if I could use the other fridge (used for non-food) to avoid upset.

I'm in a senior position and could get another fridge but it seemed a waste of funds!

[mrsjay]

where does she keep the bodily fluid of a cow then ? that is just daft and prejudice I would complain or ask for your own mini fridge where you could keep your milk and cake and not share with the grumpy arse

[Inertia]

It may be a cash - strapped school, but it's still responsible for ensuring that the employment rights of its staff are met.

Spending 100 pounds on a fridge from Tesco works out cheaper than potentially pursuing any kind of disciplinary issue against this member of staff. You could always give the fridge a dual purpose as chilled storage for medication, coldpacks etc.

You can't carry on like this though, because you'll never know whether the milk has been constantly in the fridge and hence whether it is safe for your child.

[KatieLily12]

I went away and thought about how my previous head would have dealt with this. It would have gone something like:

General staff meeting- oh and it seems milk that is meant for a baby is being removed from it's safe place in the fridge and left out on the counter. I'm horrified at the idea that any staff member might risk another's child becoming ill with such dangerous behaviour. What's more, there have been hints that it was deliberate. Quite frankly none of us could afford the disciplinary procedures that would follow if this were true a breast feeding mother is protected by law. Please let's not have it happen again. Any issues, speak to me directly and leave a baby their food please.

Followers by much concerns muttering by who would do such a thing.


She was quite to the point in a terribly English way though.

[Zalen]

What other kind of milk than breast milk is there! Your colleagues do know where milk, be it cow, goat or any other kind, comes from don't they?

[ivanapoo]

I would go fucking insane at her personally. And definitely involve HR. this is tantamount to bullying.

The cake wouldn't be the only thing I'd punch!

[Birdsgottafly]

The colleague is in her right to object to a bodily fluid being kept in a general food fridge, it will be written in your organisation's policies. We have had this issue in work and a small fridge was made available for BM and medication. BM carries all of the diseases that can be passed through bodily fluids, HIV etc, milk from any other animal doesn't, it is standard policy/basic H&S, not to store bodily fluids in a food fridge. I don't agree with the colleague, but this cannot be pushed onto staff members because of seniority.

[ginmakesitallok]

That would make me so cross! Not just the anti breastfeeding sentiment, but all that wasted milk! Stupid cow.

[ginmakesitallok]

Birds, in that case op's needed to store bm trumps c colleagues need to store sandwiches...

[Birdsgottafly]

Just to add, this issue should have been part of your "return to work plan". It is your organisation that is behind on this, there has been new policies for everyone, since the Equality Act.

[Birdsgottafly]

Just to add, this issue should have been part of your "return to work plan". It is your organisation that is behind on this, there has been new policies for everyone, since the Equality Act.

[Wibblypiglikesbananas]

I would hit the roof. This isn't a joke, it's bullying, plain and simple and there is legislation in place to protect you. Go as high as you can and give this woman hell.
I imagine it's hard enough going back to work, let alone having someone tampering with your new baby's food.
What has your manager said?
I'd also like you to consider what would have happened if this had been someone's medication. Would she have removed it from the fridge? What would the consequences have been then? Essentially, it's the same kind of thing.

[Birdsgottafly]

Gin, this isn't about one person's rights being more than another's, this is about the work place getting it right, two fridge's should be provided. It is a standard rule and will be documented somewhere, detaining what can be stored in the employee's fridge, body fluids are not allowed.

[Jacaqueen]

When I announced my pregnancy at work my boss showed me a lockable room with two reclining chairs, a water cooler, sink and a lockable fridge. This was the feeding/expressing room. It could also be used by pregnant women if they needed a rest.

This was the Inland Revenue 15 years ago.

[Jacaqueen]

My point being that I think your work should supply a fridge at the very least.

You also had to pass several vending machines on the way to this oasis. No wonder I fed DS for 18 months!

[Birdsgottafly]

If an employee needs to keep their medication in a fridge at work, they should be going via HR, not just putting it in the fridge, as usually the temperature should be kept consistent and a fridge used by everyone is subject to a lot of opening and being left open etc. This has been the norm for years in Statutory settings, such as schools.

[KatieLily12]

I apologise for autocorrect fail- gah!!!

[PlasticLentilWeaver]

birdsgottafly there is NO legal obligation on employers to provide a fridge for BM storage, only HSE guidance on best practice. Therefore there is nothing to force an employer to provide a separate fridge from food storage. As for HIV etc, how exactly do you expect it to be transmitted from a sealed bottle inside a sealed bag? I'm pretty sure if that was considered a risk, the HSE would specify that storage had to be away from food.

[KatieLily12]

This might be helpful OP- particularly the part on discrimination. Maternity Action are brilliant and can help you if you get in contact

www.maternityaction.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/breastfeeding.pdf

[Weasleyismyking]

I can't imagine handling someone else's food in my work communal fridge other than to move it a little to fit mine in as well!
Who on earth do they think they are?!
In fact, is it theft? By removing it from the fridge they're making it useless so permanently depriving you/your baby of their lunch.
I think HR boss should send an email round worded like katielilys post.

[louisianablue2000]

The concern about blood born viruses (BBVs) is a bit of a red herring since if the OP had any I doubt she'd be breastfeeding. If the milk is in a double sealed container then she is following the regulations for the transport of biological material and so there is no risk to anyone else.

You have to go via HR/line management to deal with this, if you try and deal with it yourself I'd be worried that she'd accuse you of bullying. You have to be seen to be doing the right thing. HR needs to deal with it as a matter of urgency though and let her know she is tampering with a babies food, not just something she finds disgusting. Maybe some re-education of the staff is required as to the benefits of BFing, do you have a SHE manager who would be willing to have an awareness event?

FWIW BM is actually OK at room temperature for several hours because it is alive, all the good stuff in it (macrophages, antibodies etc) stop bacteria growing in it (kellymom has information on storage times, they are much longer than you think). Not that you should tell the insane colleague that!

[CSIJanner]

As a fellow pumper, I would be bloody furious!

Talk to her over a special cup of tea

Then get yourself a upright cooler lunch bag to keep your milk in, in the fridge. Talk to HR, who will advise work that they need to do a risk assessment for you for pumping plus to v plausible threat of other people mucking about with your babies food.

[KitKatShoes]

It is milk not piss ffs. yanbu

[ShadowStorm]

YANBU.

And a fridge that's used to store cleaning chemicals is totally unsuitable for putting breastmilk, or any other food / drink in.

[HerrenaHarridan]

Yanbu, I would hit the fucking roof!

It take it they have no idea how much effort expressing takes!

If some numptybollocks has an issue they can use a different fridge!

[Damash12]

Get your company to provide a fridge (which I'm sure you know they have to provide somewhere for your milk) alternatively you could purchase one of those small mini fridges which holds about 6 cans of beer.
However, I would also send a mail or raise the subject and sack oops sorry chat with the person who took it out the fridge.