to think changing toilet paper types at work (without full staff consultation excercise) is unreasonable

[wwbuffydo]

I am posting this on behalf of a colleague who doesn't feel comfortable chatting on mumsnet because she doesn't have kids. She loves mumsnet though and wishes to remain anonymous.

''They' have changed the toilet paper at work to unperforated, which means that it is just one long roll with no individual sheets. This has thrown my toilet routine into disarray. I now can no longer tell how much paper is acceptable to tear off. This seemed like an opportunity to share my worries with the women of Britain. Can I have some input please? Am I being unreasonable to be complaining about the fact that they could have at least consulted with the workforce before changing the supply? It's not the most pressing matter I'm faced with, but it has caused me some discomfort whilst in the cubes'

So, is she being unreasonable? Is she being unreasonable to be too scared to post this herself? For my own part, I did notice the change, but I find going to the toilet at work a fairly traumatic experience myself, and low level changes in the general feeling of social awkwardness I tend not to notice.

Thanks everyone!

This is a joke right?

I feel your friend's pain. My work changed the toilet roll holders so that the rolls constantly jam (though they are perforated). What makes it worse is that although the holder is stocked with two rolls, there is a plastic barrier that they use to lock one away from us, because we obviously can't be trusted with having two rolls at our disposal, and invariably it's the free-rolling one that they lock away and leave us with the jammed one.

Maybe your colleague should take her own roll of specially selected perforated toilet paper into the office. I imagine she already carries one with her at all times since she's so distressed by encountering an unfamiliar and new kind.

No she's not being unreasonable to be too scared to post this herself.

She was probably worried about coming across as a complete and utter twat.

HTH

Posted too soon!

So no, YFriendINBU. Full consultation required, working group and union representation at the very minimum.

Notify your union ASAP. I think you need legal advice OP, sounds like a possible breach of human rights to me.

Don't let them get away with it, you'll be giving them free reign to do whatever they like until next thing you know they're changing the teabags in the canteen from Tetley to Tesco Value. :(

I now can no longer tell how much paper is acceptable to tear off.

Did they used to give guidance on number of sheets for different uses?

I would get on to Amnesty International. This sounds more like a human rights issue that a simple work related one.

Brilliant thread. Get your friend to carry a ruler with her at all times so she can measure the exact length of paper required for each job. She must also ask for official company guidelines on the amount of toilet paper to be used by each employee.

My colleague has pointed out that I have presented this as slightly more of a life challenge to her than she's actually experiencing (I am a bit of a drama queen). She just wanted to check and make sure that she wasn't being too weird. She has not, it seems, been reassured.

To answer some of your specific questions:

Fudgeface: real situation, but we accept that it's not the end of the world.
controlgeek I personally feel your pain. I've got my hand stuck up there several times trying to fish out the secondary paper roll. Which again adds to my toilet awkwardness.
skylark Noted. I have passed your advice on.
Worraliberty she's lovely. we both had to google to find out what HTH means!
Numanoid I know, right? I'm sure the quote goes 'every civilisation is just 2 toilet rolls and a teabag away from revolution'
Errol Of course. Doesn't everyone?

vintage On it, my friend, on it.
MrsPiggie Rulers. Gotcha. I'll look one out for her.

I think the company should hire someone to stand at the door and issue each toilet patron with three squares of toilet paper. Maybe four if they're visiting for twosies.

With perforated I take (for normal toileting situations) 3 sheets - obviously anything untoward requires more.

With unperforated I take an uncontrolled yank of paper. I suspect I'm not alone in this - so unperforated is a false economy.

I also hate having to use paper which has someone else's tatty torn end on it. Plus if it is in one of those plastic dispenser things the end always seems to completely disappear inside the dispenser and you have to roll it round and round for ages trying to find the loose end.

Yes I spend too much time worrying about toilet paper. Yes I do have other things to worry about, but I can make myself enjoyably angry thinking about toilet rolls, it's a strange hobby but it's harmless.

This sounds like a health and safety issue to me - too little paper and your friend risks digital contamination, too much paper and there could be a toilet blockage and resultant environmental incident.

Either way, I think she should insist on a full risk assessment. With proper diagrams and coloured risk matrices, don't be fobbed off.

I agree Squirrelled. A risk assessment is the only logical way to go. At least that way there will be a paper trail...

I just pissed myself laughing.

Oh...

I have never encountered unperforated toilet paper before, how does that work? Do you have to guess how much a sheet is then fold and tear? Do you bring your own scissors or is there a little pair attached to the dispenser with a chain? Is it that nasty Izal stuff? - in which case you are definitely NBU.

A full consultation should also establish whether employees are "folders" or "scrunchers". This is integral to forecasting quantities.

I'm on a roll now...

you wait OP, first it's the subtle change of loo roll without consultation, next it's the chart on the cubicle wall with a ruler drawn on it so you can measure how much you have used, then there'll be a money box attached to the door for you to pay as you go....no wonder this country is going to the dogs

the only thing for it is for your friend to contact the dailyfail, and pose for a sad face photo complete with inferior bog paper in hand. Please tell her MN said she must do this!

Unperforated toilet paper? I've never heard of such a thing!! What is this, the dark ages???? Might as well just hang a copy of The Telegraph on a hook and a string by the door and have done with it! My work have just installed the new dyson hand driers in all the toilets. I'm not sure how I feel about this. They're at a funny angle, kind of like an arrow, which means in order to dry your hands you have to look like you're supplicating yourself to the Great God of hand driers. Thank the aforementioned God I am now on maternity leave.

all these people who have never heard of unperforated loo roll - surely you've been in motorway service stations etc with the huge round roll of paper and the sharp edge for tearing it on?

I can't believe I am having a conversation about loo roll!!!

This is causing me to flush

Take a ruler and scissors to the loo with you, then you can be sure of not making mistakes. Please make sure you are wearing hi-viz whilst using the equipment, and probably a hard hat for good measure!