To refuse to work out of the office

[Jolinar]

Because it isn't fit for purpose?

3 female toilets, 3 male toilets and an accessible loo.

There are serious drain issues and all bar 1 female toilet and 1 male toilet are out of action. In the 2 working toilets, you have to flush twice before anything disappears and there is only a trickle of water coming form the taps, it isn't sufficient to wash your hands - it comes back down the tap so even less gets on your hands. So we have to use the sink in the kitchenette (the only other sink that isn't in one of the consulting rooms) to wash our hands after using the loo.

I can do my job totally from home (and did in lockdown) however we are supposed to be hybrid working, with a minimum of 3 days in the office. Its a health center, so germ central!

AIBU to insist I work from home until the toilet issue is resolved?

YANBU as work is obliged to provide adequate facilities. How many people are the toilets shared between? Can’t they fix the tap situation?

YAB(a little)U in thinking the only solution is to wfh, I think they just need to fix the loos!

What have they said about the maintenance issues previously? Are they due to be fixed?

Have you raised this with your manager and/or officer manager/facilities manager?

The H&S at Work Act (1974) and subsequent other legislation requires a minimum number of toilets/number of employees and hand washing facilities.

HSE summary]]

HSE link again

I think you are looking for an excuse to work from home if you're honest with yourself so yabu.

I think this sounds incredibly precious. If the maintenance issues are due to be fixed then YABU.

A health centre where staff can’t properly wash their hands after the toilet is spectacularly grim.

Tbh with that kind of issue they should be telling people who can wfh to do so - lessening the usage of the 2 toilets.

If the hygiene facilities provided fall below the standards required by health and safety or other workplace legislation, it would be reasonable to explain to boss that you'll be working from home until they are fixed.

The issue has been ongoing several years but has got significantly worse in the last 3 months - the 'public' female loo has been out of order for 3 months, the first staff one went out of order last week and the second staff one started playing up with the double flush thing yesterday. The mens is similar but not as bad - they are further down the sewage line and basically the drain are slowly backing up.

There is no plan to get it fixed. The building is due for demolition later in the year and so they are not fixing broken things - they know what the issue is, it was surveyed last year and the drains need replacing.

I have raised it with my manager, their manager and the facilities manager (none of whom work in the building) and also with the building manager. We are scheduled to move in to a new building in October.

There's 11 people in my team (9 female), 5 female receptionists, 8 female community nurses and a couple of female GPs/ health care workers all using the toilet.

That is grim. They should be at a minimum bringing in porta loos and proper handwashing facilities. Your poor patients, (as well as you). Can you flag it with your local MP or something due to the risk for the patients?

I agree

Raise it with your union(s)? That's the obvious place to raise it. Do not raise it with your MP unless you wish to be disciplined - going to your MP is not whistleblowing and you will have no protection. This sort of issue is what union H&S reps are for.

I have to touch 4 doors between using the loo and washing my hands - I don't think that is particularly precious!

I may raise it with the union. It isn't a long term issue as we are moving buildings, but it is what to do in the short term.

Ew you people who think this is reasonable are disgusting! Do you ever wash your hands after the bathroom?! So gross... You're humans, not dogs, wash your hands.

I would refuse to work there too op. They haven't provided suitable facilities and until they did, I would not be going back in. Once they did, I would although still slightly resentfully as I prefer wfh, but if I am told to I will (until I find another job!).

I worked somewhere like this OP once and it's not nice- also was a health setting. If you can work from home I would request to do so but say that the hybrid is fine once they have moved, or they make think it's just an excuse. Given the health situation at the moment the last thing you need is a lack of hygiene

You've got 2 toilets (1 male and 1 female) working and a place to wash your hands. There are only 11 of you. How often are you all going?!

Our dentist has one unisex toilet, used for everyone, minimum 6 staff and the public. It works well. It's been the same since the health centre was built 17 years ago.

I don't mind working out of the office, I rarely wfh to be honest - the office is closer to my kids school so its easier for me. Its just with the current situation.

Take a wet wipe with you and open the doors using that.

I would refuse to work from the office and tell them why. What can they do about it, they can't sack you if they aren't meeting their part of the contractual obligations.

There isn't just 11 of us - the toilets are shared by the whole building, the receptionists, GPs, nurses, HCAs and public (lots of people giving urine samples as well), I reckon around 25 - 30 women working here plus public. The public cannot access the kitchenette to wash their hands either as it is behind a staff only area.

It’s unacceptable in H&S terms to use a kitchenette sink to wash hands after using toilets.
…..the bacteria count after taking swabs there could be quite astonishing (seriously bad)

Thats disgusting and will still spread germs. I hope you're not in health settings or work with food for the public.