Not wanting to share a toilet with men at work

[Babylambchop]

I have started at a new workplace and its toilets are non-compliant with the law. Ordinary toilets - 3 normal cubicles, not floor to ceiling, with shared hand washing- turned into mixed sex. So all toilets are just 'toilets'. I have tried to get on with it, despite absolutely hating the idea, but last week the seats were all up with pubes stuck everywhere and piss all over the floor, so couldn't even really get to the loo without trousers going in it. Plus kept bumping into male colleagues where we were all a bit awkward. I hate it and I can't get over the fact they're illegal and I shouldn't have to put up with it. Dreading my really heavy period next week. Wibu to complain? In all honesty I dont think I can, but ffs!!!

They have to provide single sex toilets by law.

The law being the workplace regs.

Do you need to ask for access to the female only toilets.

I'm curious about this - do you think it has always been this way? Is there no space for another set of toilets, I.e. were there not originally two? The laws around workplace toilet provision have been in place a long while now, plus it's only relatively recently there have been people insisting that the two sexes should share loos in this way.

There are lots of different blocks of offices on the work site, so in my mind you would have to designate a toilet in each block as male or female. Might be a 2 minute walk, but would be a solution.

Honestly, I’d go and buy a male & female toilet sticker and bung them on the door of toilet 1 & 2. Leave toilet 3 free for anyone to use and with any luck everyone just falls into using the correct one.

@workroundabout That doesn’t solve all the issues though.

But the men or women aren't legally allowed to be in there together at all. I dont want a man in the cubicle next to me.

That’s actually a bloody good idea. I bet the other women will thank you too.

I would raise it with them OP. It’s not ok.

Ring in when you get your period and tell them you are unable to go into a workplace whilst menstruating with shared facilities and explain why. Be graphic if necessary and tell them you have to wash out your mooncup etc. Encourage the other women to do the same. Then watch how quick they change the set up.

I can't quite picture what you mean by this. Do you mean that there aren't enough toilets in each block to have one male and one female in each? Normally I'd say that there should be male and female toilets with maybe a disabled one that was mixed gender too for anyone who was trans. However given my bowel and bladder issues, a toilet in a different block would NOT be a solution! If there is really only one toilet per block, I think it has to be mixed gender.

Are there even sanitary disposal bins in the cubicles? These are required by law. Toilet facilities can be mixed if they are standalone which it seems these are not.

If there is really only one toilet per block, I think it has to be mixed gender

Yes, but in the legal way.

There’s a conference area at my work like this. The toilets are awful after even one coffee break. Wee on floor. Pubes. Unflushed. Wet seats or seats up.

Is it illegal to not have sex specific toilets? This is not something I am aware of

Are there even sanitary disposal bins in the cubicles? These are required by law.

I will check tomorrow.

In the UK employers have to provide single sex toilets, and the female toilets have to include a sanitary waste bin.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/workplace-facilities/health-safety.htm

I know it's illegal, that's what's doing my head in!

As a new employee, would you raise it?

The relevant legislation is the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
You could check for sanitary waste bins first. They are expensive to empty as they can't go in general waste, and your employer probably won't want the expense of putting them in every toilet so they can give you some leverage.

They are legal as long as the toilet locks from within. This is the clarification of the EHRC's guidance:

https://architecturaltechnology.com/resource/ehrc-formally-abandons-single-sex-toilet-stipulation.html

Why does seeing a male colleague in a toilet make you feel so awkward?

My office had the exact same thing and it drives me mental. Someone has stuck male / female on the doors but still your bumping into men in and out of the room with a closed door I don’t like it and refuse to use it

I would raise it with HR, yes. Back everything up with the legal position.

I'm not sure I could stay in a job with shared toilets.

DH and I run a small business, and we have a single male and single female toilet. Having had to clean both during the pandemic when our cleaner couldn't come in, I've never been so shocked in my life that men could leave a toilet like they did. And they are what I'd consider to be decent men.... grim as fuck.

Honestly you would be unreasonable NOT to complain. Sounds disgusting and why the bloody hell should you put up with it?!

Nothing has changed. Toilets can be either single sex or single use; single use toilets must be a complete self contained cubicle with a sink, the opens on to a corridor.