Survey Finds Half of Workers Do Not Always Have Access to a Toilet

NEARLY HALF of workers do not always have access to a toilet while at work.

That was the headline finding of a survey of 4126 people by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Only 55% of workers reported having access to a toilet while doing their job ‘all the time’, a third have access some of the time, and 12.2% reported they must wait for long periods before a toilet can be used.

Many workers do not have a fixed workplace and spoke of the difficulty of finding toilets. They said public lavatories are often unavailable or too distant from their work. Since 2010, the number of public toilets in local communities has fallen by 22%.

Access to a Toilet

The TUC says “disturbing responses came from workers who had no access to toilets whatsoever”.

In the TUC survey, hundreds of workers report urinating and excreting in bags, bottles, buckets and bushes for lack of access to a toilet.

Outdoor workers, or those in rural locations are the most affected. One tradesperson said: “My toilet is a B&Q bucket, a blue roll, cold (Stored) water and hand soap in the back of my van. I try to save ‘no 2s’ for being near a big supermarket that has toilets, but nature doesn’t always allow it. It’s disgusting, but that is the reality”.

Workers even report being explicitly told by employers to use these arrangements: “As a mobile worker there is not always access to toilet/welfare facilities. Have previously been advised to use a bucket in the van by management.”

Serious Risks

Makeshift methods can pose a serious risk to workers’ health, safety and dignity at work and risk of arrest for public indecency.

When workers lack adequate access, they may delay using the restroom, leading to serious physical health issues over time. It also causes stress and distraction, a serious risk in safety-critical construction roles or where workers must be able to concentrate on the job, such as when working at height.

Regular restroom breaks are crucial for staying hydrated and maintaining bodily health, particularly in physically demanding jobs. However, many of those surveyed report urinary tract infections, kidney strain, digestive issues and other health complications as a result of having to ‘hold it in’. There is an additional concern for pregnant, menopausal or disabled workers.

In the most extreme cases, a lack of access to facilities has resulted in serious physical harm. In 2022, a train driver died after being hit by a passing train, he was suspected to have stepped out of the drivers’ car to urinate on track due to a lack of facilities on-board.
Beyond physical health, limited access to toilets impacts mental wellbeing. Workers who are unable to take restroom breaks as needed often experience stress, anxiety, and discomfort, which can lower morale and lead to decreased productivity.

Unclean or Poorly Functioning

For workers who do have access to toilet facilities, one in five (19.1%) say they are “usually unclean or poorly functioning”.

A trades union spokesperson said: “Some of the findings in this report are shocking and must sound an alarm to employers and policy-makers to put things right and ensure all workers, regardless of workplace or role, can use a toilet when they need to.”

What the Law Says

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act l974 employers must ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees, and maintain the workplace so that it is safe and without risks to health. They must also provide adequate facilities and arrangements for welfare at work.

In addition, the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require employers to

• Provide suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences and washing facilities at readily accessible places. The Approved Code of Practice states that minimum numbers should be provided depending on the size of the workforce
• Keep them clean, adequately ventilated and lit
• Provide hot and cold or warm water in washing facilities, soap and clean towels or other methods of cleaning or drying
• Provide showers if required
• Provide separate facilities for male and female users unless each facility is in a separate room with a lockable door and is for use by only one person at a time

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