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.

its 2019 for goodness sake.

I don’t think it is fussy to speak up.
I’d ask the other women if there had been a reason bins had been removed.

I'd ask another friendly woman if there's a reason there isn't one (preferably someone senior if you can?)

Failing that tbh if I didn't want to bring it up I'd either just flush them, or use the normal bin until someone senior enough engaged their brain.

I would just ask for a lidded bin - pedal bin or swing bin.....buy liners for the bin. And buy a bag of nappy bags to use to dispose of the sanitary items. The. The regular cleaner can just empty the bin. - obviously ask your bosses if that's ok and if you can expense it. It probably just hasn't crossed their mind....but I'm sure having wives/mum's/sisters they will understand.

Switch to cloth pads or a moon cup or sponge. Problem solved, plus you save money and help the environment.

Can sanitary waste from a business premises just be thrown into the regular outside bin?
Even the tiny offices I’ve worked at have had a sanitary bin and a company come and dispose of it. I walus presumed it was because of some law or regulation.

if basically have to go up to the male boss and ask.

How is 'male' relevant? Will he implode/shrivel up if you say the word 'sanitary' to him?

Go up to him. Professional and breezy face and manner. 'Hello, boss, just a quick one –there's no sanitary bin in the ladies'. Can we get one organised? Thanks!'

No everyone wants or can use a mooncup. No way would I be changing my sanitary products to suit my employer.

Switch to cloth pads or a moon cup or sponge. Problem solved, plus you save money and help the environment.

OFOD

Even my tiny office with under 10 members of staff (and that was on a good day) and the boss hell bent on bending H&S rules etc they had a sanitary towel bin which was collected and emptied when the external company came to do it.

Request this.

You could bag it in a nappy sack or doggy poo bag and take it home.

that
but don't take it home, put the bag in the bin!

and also just tell your boss your need a sanitary bin in the toilet. Email if you feel too embarrass because he is a male.

Switch to cloth pads or a moon cup or sponge.

Yuk

thankfully we still have the choice of not using any of those!

You could bag it in a nappy sack or doggy poo bag and take it home.

Please have a word with yourself.

We had a situation a couple of years back and I approached the male boss and asked if I could purchase (from petty cash) a lidded bin for the ladies loo for women's stuff. Boss handed me cash and said yes of course. So all feminine hygiene waste goes into the lidded bin and our cleaner empties it each evening, into our regular refuse bags, then outdoor bin. We don't have a contract with a hygiene company as our office only has 9 people.

I wrote on a thread I feminisim chat that has been deleted.

I worked for a company in London (think 80 percent females and over 150 staff) who did not provide sanitary bins. Also to make matters worse when we moved to the building women were asked for a contribution for toiletries and sanitary products that could not be disposed of.

No one believes me but it is true.

Male CEO and FD and the CEO would hold team briefings and complain about the state of the toilets.

Also I remember they once put condoms in bowls in the toilets as part of some aids awareness thing.

When I objected to paying for the toiletries but I was still stupid enough to hand over the money the Male CEO / FD blamed the receptionist.

We don't have a contract with a hygiene company as our office only has 9 people. That cleaner should not be emptying that bin, its blood/body fluids. There are specialist providers who will remove and dispose of the waste properly for a very small charge. I'm used to being the only woman in a workplace. I know it's not always easy to speak up, I really do get that, but these half arsed solutions are a health risk.

I believe someone pointed out to senior management that they didn't really want to pay for handwash and San pro products for the female board members when they only earned 20k and that did t go down well.

I think these half arsed solutions show women don't always have power in the workplace. Women accommodate people at the expense of themselves sometimes.

I really didn't want to bring it up but I was senior enough that I could.

Good on you @sizzlingheat, senior or not its exactly what you say about being accommodating. It is hard to be the first one to speak up, power to your elbow.

Health risk? Not must risk in emptying a lined bin - it's used sanitary products not nuclear waste. How do people manage at home?

BarbarianMum you do realise there's a reason why there's Health and Safety regs surrounding the handling of other peoples bodily products like blood yeah?

We didn't have one I just asked and they quickly sorted it. The company was all men and 1 older woman before that and it hadn't been needed

@BarbarianMum
This is a work place not a home. There are regulations for handling body fluids because they can pose a risk.

I know I am safe dealing with my own sanitary products because I can't catch anything from them I don't already have, but you can expect a cleaner to take the risk with other people's body fluids.

How do people manage at home?

By not admitting the general public, colleagues and visitors to start.

popalop I think your male boss is going to be more embarrassed than you. Just politely say that under the regulations posted above, you require a sanitary bin, and can that be arranged please. He's hardly going to question you on it!