Aibu to expect my office to have a sanitary bin

[popalop]

I’ve never worked anywhere that hasn’t had one, aibu to expect one? My whole office is women. I only started recently and obviously came a bit stuck recently. I didn’t notice when I started. I’m a bit embarrassed tbh about the whole situation.

Oh maybe should add only the bosses are male...

Does it have any sort of bin?

Quick email to Facilities or similar

“Please can it be arranged for a sanitary bin to be placed in femal toilets. Thanks”

Job done

Can you not just put them in the normal bin?

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 specify that all businesses must provide a suitable means for disposing of sanitary products in each ladies washroom.

This is coupled with the Water Industries Act 1991, which states that no items should be flushed that could cause a build-up or blockage in a sewer or drain system. This can often be the only recourse if adequate sanitary bins are not provided.

I think that about covers it.

Are sanitary bins a legal requirement in the UK workplace?

A lot of people are unaware of this, but as a business owner, you are legally required to adhere to a range of sanitary waste disposal regulations. They include:

• The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
• The Water Industries Act 1991
• The Environmental Protection Act 1990

As well as being a rights issue, the failure to provide sanitary bins risks significant environmental damage, as well as damage to public and private drainage and sewer systems. Failure to educate yourselves about these laws and to apply them correctly risks incurring significant penalties.

My work didn't have one when I started. I requested one from management and now we do.

Myself and the other women i worked with had to ask for these to be placed in the work toilets back in 2001/2002

Thanks all! I’m not meaning to be uppity but they basically have a bathroom bin with no bag in so I had to quickly throw the used products in the empty bin. They don’t appear to have cleaners so I went home a bit embarrassed and then thought who is even cleaning out the bin.
It’s a tiny firm so no facilities managers or the like, and if basically have to go up to the male boss and ask. I’m one of two women who would use it I suppose given that the others are closing in on retirement age so I’m worried they’ll think I’m being fussy in my second week.

It might be worth checking with one of the other women if there is some historical reason but you should definitely request one as others have said its under Welfare regs. The bosses should be embarrassed , not you.

I’ve just redone our bin contract at work. We are being charged £80 for the year, they come and change it once a month and then we pay about £90 a year for the waste transfer notice on top of that.

They probably don't want to pay for the contract to have them provided and emptied.

I had to put my foot down at work. My boss was adamant that they weren't needed and at maybe at the very most we could have one and women should just use that cubicle if they need the bin. I actually laughed in his face and basically explained how periods work. I eventually just asked him how he would feel if the toilets were blocked by used tampons and if that would really be more expensive to fix than the £400 a year it costs to have a bin and emptied. I won

You could bag it in a nappy sack or doggy poo bag and take it home. I have done this before rather than flush. However you shouldn't have to do this.

YANBU. It's a legal requirement. Is there an office manager who is responsible for facilities? That might be the person to talk to. I would talk to the other women to see if it's been raised before, too. But then you may have to just bite the bullet and ask the boss. Sorry you have been put in this position :(

@Jon65 I honestly would have done that but didn’t notice before so couldn’t do anything once I was already in the loo. Ahhh it’s actually all bothering me.

Just ask. I pointed out the bins weren’t being emptied to a male boss. No issue. But the cleaners can empty them. Has to be a special provider. It’s not expensive for a single bin collected every few months or more if needed.

Can’t*

🤮 are sanitary bins only emptied once a month??? Misses the point of the thread

I had this when I was 19 (my first job, all male office except me), I told the office manager who was just one of us nominated to be in charge of our small office, they put in a waste paper type bin and I felt to awkward to go back and say no you need a proper sanitary bin that gets emptied by the proper people so I switch to a moon cup. this was on top of there not being the legal minimum number of toilets, 1 WC for about 12 or us

Do you have somebody in charge of H & S to email?

@Jon65 it’s a tiny company so basically the male boss and a few office staffers all of whom are female but only two of us (I believe) would need it. No HR or any office managers etc.

You shouldn't have to do so, but I would take it home and put it in the bin.

They should provide one but if you don't want to have the conversation you could get a mooncup then you wouldn't need a bin

Yep Women should totes be using the sanitary choice that suits their employer.

And some women need to change regularly. Why should women have to put used ones in their bags.

And i would have excersised #deedsnotwords and used the waste paper basket provided.