We’ve got no water at work. All loos are shut, some have signs telling us to use another building. None of the taps in kitchens in the building are working

Should we have been sent home?

It’s very annoying – no tea! And to make it worse we’ve not a single email about it. We get emails about all kinds of trivial rubbish, but apparently water isn’t important.

We were sent home in the same situation, took them half a day to decide mind.

Although loos in another building might be ok. No water in all of Nottingham city centre when we were sent home.

we had a similar issue here at home last week – d’you think I should have been sent to work?

Dirty Protest?

Look up shops and offices act ( unless covered by the factories act)

You have a right to water and toilets IIRC. TUC site might have some info as well

If there is another building close by that you have access to that you can use the facilities in then I dont think they have to send you home.

This is purely based on my knowledge of CDM guidlines for the construction industry so could be completely wrong.

Hi
This is now covered by what is known as the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
Employers have a legal duty to provided Welfare facilities including toilets, hot and cold running water or a mix at a suitable temperature, facilities to make drinks etc etc etc.
If they fail in this duty then they are liable to enforcement action which could include legal notices or prosecution.
In the real world it is down to what is reasonable-if they are able to provided alternative facilities in the short term whilst yours are being fixed and it is not unduly arduous to use these facilities or they say you have to clock out etc etc then it is likely that that would be accepted.
If not I would expect your local EHO to take action to make them put it right.
They should be providing alternative provision within a working day I would have said unless they had a good reason why they couldnt.
What type of business is it?
Obviously if it is a food business then it cant operate without water and would be a higher priority and would be closed fairly quickly here.
Cheers
Steve

Getting different views from the experts here at work.

Anyway, the water is back on, and they’ve told us it was off via email (about 8 hours after it went off).

edit – Fatgit – University. I’m guessing they get around it because neighbouring buildings are ok.

in fact i don’t get how other buildings are fine when the problem is a burst water main in the centre of town…

Public sector?

Public sector?

I guessed that as soon as I read

Should we have been sent home?

It’s very annoying – no tea!

One of our “big” sites was closed last year when the water supply was kaput. Not public sector either 🙂

Hi again
“Experts” at work are very rarely that in my experience-the number of times I get told “you cant (or can) do x,y or z cos its the law” is un believable.
If you work at a University then the proximity of other buildings would probably suffice but only in the short term-it would be intersting to see if your catering facility was affected!!!
The provision of water, drainage and foul systems can follow intricate systems and just because you are next to other buildings doesn’t mean they will all be affected in the same way.
Cheers
Steve

fatgit – Member
Hi again
“Experts” at work are very rarely that in my experience-the number of times I get told “you cant (or can) do x,y or z cos its the law” is un believable.
If you work at a University then the proximity of other buildings would probably suffice but only in the short term-it would be intersting to see if your catering facility was affected!!!
The provision of water, drainage and foul systems can follow intricate systems and just because you are next to other buildings doesn’t mean they will all be affected in the same way.
Cheers
Steve

In this case the experts are actually experts, they teach environmental health. Thanks for info.

When I worked for one company we used to work overtime when the water went off.