Loo issue in the office

[Standingupstream]

NC for this..
I work in an office with mainly women. There is one man who is senior to us, although he isn’t our manager, and he only started coming over to our office a few months ago.We only have one loo that we all share, and before he started working in our office, this was never an issue.
Now, about 30 minutes after arriving, he disappears into the loo for ages. When he finally comes out, the smell is absolutely suffocating. There’s no window, in the loo and the air fresheners just seem to make the whole thing even more vomit-inducing.
Then, a couple of hours later, he goes again. And again after lunch. And usually once more in the afternoon. This happens pretty much every time he’s in the office, which is around 3–4 days a week.
It has now become a running joke amongst us. If someone needs the loo and it’s occupied, we ask ( other people ) if it’s him, because we all know there’s absolutely no point even attempting to go in for at least half an hour. 😂
My DH actually uses a different loo at home because I hate a poo-smelling bathroom, but obviously if it happens occasionally I’m not exactly precious about it because he’s my DH. I just find it rather gross being subjected to this at work by a man I barely know. 😂

The problem is, we genuinely don’t know what to do about it. How on earth do you approach a grown man about the fact that his toilet habits are basically fumigating the entire office, without completely humiliating him?!
I actually started to worry if he has some serious stomach issues. That would be actually completely different matter.
How would you approach it? Or should we just leave it. We are becoming very cross about it.

I used to work in an environment where there was only 1 toilet for all of us and no window etc.
It was also built in the middle of our tiny working space and so the smell would linger all day.

One woman had IBS and it was not great for us having to deal with it - but it was a million times worse for her and we’d never have been so awful as to bitch and laugh about it behind her back.

We’re not allowed air freshener or poo drops etc in my current job and so I dread the day when I need to go.

So do you have a hot-desking policy and the only reason he is using a desk in your office is because it's personally awkward for him to work in his original office because his ex is there?

Seems a bit rum!

Your employer is breaking Health and Safety guidelines. There should be two toilets available for 15 members of staff.

I have diverticulitis but I wouldn't go around stinking out office toilets 🙄

There is no excuse.

We don't know that he does. He could just be a bloke who shits a lot - some people just do - and doesn't care that he's gassing out his colleagues. But people are piling onto the OP as if she's attacking disabled people anyway.

I couldn't work in an office that stank of shit. That's absolutely vile. The FM/HR team need to sort this one out.

Why don’t you use the loo downstairs then? You sound horrible

She doesn't sound horrible at all. Why should she be expected to work in an office that stinks of shit? That's completely unacceptable for a workplace.

As someone who has Crohns and has literal nightmares about people noticing how often I use the toilet, you ought to be ashamed.

It does sound manky to be honest and not something I'd like in the office!!

Of course he might have any amount of issues, but that doesn't make it nice.

I WFH now but if I had an issue I would probably go to the one away from everyone.

The fact he leaves the door open after makes me think he is completely oblivious.

Contact HR about the FAN

'Dear HR,

There is an issue in the toilets located on level 2 office block C.

The extractor fan is not working. This is leading to a very unwelcome smell coming into the office.

Please can this be addressed immediately as it is impacting peoples ability to work in a negative way.

I would appreciate an update with your plan on how to address this.

Kind regards,

@Standingupstream

So if a union rep could make the employer provide the correct number of toilets for the numbers of staff in the office in accordance with Health and Safety guidelines and could also ensure that the toilets were well ventilated, that would actually make you loathe unions even more?

That sounds utterly deranged and the epitome of cutting off your nose to spite your face.

It's thanks to unions that workers get weekends off and paid holidays. No doubt you reject those things too.

Even if the guy has a stoma, or some less serious, but still particularly- unpleasant-to-live-with bowel condition, the impact on his colleagues is still the same.

Plus, if he did have something like the above, you'd think on the balance of probabilities, including managing his own condition, he'd be acutely aware of the fact he is stinking the toilet out at home too, therefore, would at least use air freshener.

But that's an alternative hypothesis and what is not hypothetical is this, he is senior and therefore has some duty of care to be a role model and not leave more junior staff breathing in his shit particles, no?

But there's absolutely no way she can't notice how much he goes to the toilet seeing as he leaves the door open and is in there for so much or every day. He could use the downstairs toilet if he wanted to be discreet. He clearly isn't ashamed of what he's doing so why should she be? There's a massive assumption on here that he must have some kind of medical condition, but that doesn't excuse leaving the toilet in a state or leaving the door open to stink out the office. It just sounds like he's being antisocial tbh.

"Pooing 4-5 times a day though? I don't think I know anyone who does this..."

What was the point of this comment if not to stress how unusual you think it is to poo that often? Why is it relevant that you don't know anyone who poos as often as the man in OP's office? And how do you even know how often your colleagues poo?! I wouldn't have a clue how often my colleagues go to the toilet. It's not something I pay any attention to.

I've worked in a small office with one toilet before, and unfortunately, you can't help but notice every time someone goes to the toilet. I dreaded ever needing a poo when I worked there! They would have been able to hear the splash!

How would you know your workplace has zero disabled people? Unless maybe you work in HR, but even then people may not disclose everything.

This. ^

@pontipinemum excellent email - but the extractor fan is technically working, it's just not effective at removing the smell. I think management would be less likely to act on it if it's technically working?

There is no one who requires a huge loo with mobility aids etc in our workplace . We have several other single loos . It doesn’t take a genius or an expert or someone with inside knowledge to work out that no one requires that particular toilet .

Someone would moan as they always do by saying he’s clearly not disabled so he’s selfishly using a disabled toilet.

@thepariscrimefiles I don't like Union bullies and I don't like the way they go about things. I can't stand Lynch and McDonnell, who put greed before growth. Loathsome men. Just my opinion.

No-one should have to use mixed-sex toilets at work. It should be illegal.

Yep, and that’s if they’re unisex. If designated M/F facilities it should be three.

You could ask him to close the door after him , that’s the least he could do , or just keep saying what’s that awful smell

And how would you know if someone has a hidden disability ? I don’t know many people who would disclose a stoma or other condition to the rest of the office voluntarily.

Those with hidden disabilities are entitled to use disabled facilities and asking why they need to use them isn’t allowed as the decision to disclose a disability is entirely on the disabled person themselves.