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No Drinking water at work

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Comments

  • #32
    FizzleSticks
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,172 ✭✭✭FizzleSticks


    This post has been deleted.


  • #33
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,690 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    FizzleSticks wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    I'm fairly certain there is some regulation about rest areas that prohibits it being beside the staff toilets!


  • #34
    davo10
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,926 ✭✭✭davo10


    OP, if I remember correctly from a similar thread a few months ago, places that serve food are required to have a tap which is connected to the mains, if there is a mains tap then there is potable (drinking) water, do you know for certain that there is not a tap connected to the mains?


  • #35
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,690 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    davo10 wrote: »
    OP, if I remember correctly from a similar thread a few months ago, places that serve food are required to have a tap which is connected to the mains, if there is a mains tap then there is potable (drinking) water, do you know for certain that there is not a tap connected to the mains?

    I wonder if the mains tap is what is supplying the water for the burko boiler that they use for tea/coffee?

    Sounds like the issue here is more the employer being a miserly sod, who is unwilling to abide by the law.

    OP would you consider reporting to the HSE?


  • #36
    davo10
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,926 ✭✭✭davo10


    Stheno wrote: »
    I wonder if the mains tap is what is supplying the water for the burko boiler that they use for tea/coffee?

    Sounds like the issue here is more the employer being a miserly sod, who is unwilling to abide by the law.

    OP would you consider reporting to the HSE?

    Can you connect an electric appliance directly to your mains supply?. I can't believe there is no tap in the kitchen, surely all units have a mains connection which will now be metered?, unless there is a water storage tank somewhere in the building, it is mains supply.


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  • #37
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,690 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    davo10 wrote: »
    Can you connect an electric appliance directly to your mains supply?. I can't believe there is no tap in the kitchen, surely all units have a mains connection which will now be metered?

    Well if I am understanding plumbing correctly, my kitchen gets the mails supply in and my dishwasher is directly connected to it along with the kitchen sink, off a kinda spur thing?

    I might well be wrong


  • #38
    davo10
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,926 ✭✭✭davo10


    Stheno wrote: »
    Well if I am understanding plumbing correctly, my kitchen gets the mails supply in and my dishwasher is directly connected to it along with the kitchen sink, off a kinda spur thing?

    I might well be wrong

    I'm not a plumber but the kitchen sink is always connected to the mains, that is why I can't understand OPs situation, every unit would have one mains connection even if they don't have a kitchen area.

    I'm not sure about the dishwasher but many appliances such as electric showers have stickers saying "do not connect to mains", the pressure is to high. And if the boiler is, surely it also would be via a spur with a valve/regulator to reduce water pressure.


  • #39
    Tarzana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,062 ✭✭✭Tarzana


    Something dodgy as hell about a restaurant that doesn't have potable water on tap!


  • #40
    wobblemouth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭wobblemouth


    http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/General_Application_Regulations/gen_apps_workplace.pdf

    It's hard to believe employers are trying to get away with this set-up. Have a look through the Guidance on the Workplace Regs - this details employers requirements on rest areas, toliets, drinking water, etc. They are failing ye massively. Don't put up with it.

    I'd love to know where this restaurant is. Feckin cowboys.


  • #41
    Lingua Franca
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,800 ✭✭✭Lingua Franca


    FizzleSticks wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    The regulations that have been linked and quoted and mentioned by the professional health and safety officer are pretty clear that they actually do have to.

    (d) an adequate supply of potable drinking water is provided and maintained at suitable points conveniently accessible to all employees,
    The employer is required to provide an adequate supply of wholesome drinking water at locations within the workplace that are accessible to employees.

    This would not include providing water for sale to employees. After all, they are also obligated to provide toilet facilities and can't charge you for those.

    Access to clean drinking water is absolutely vital to human well being and it's absolutely unacceptable to fail to provide it for employees, especially in a restaurant. Print out the regulations and bring them in. If you get laughed out of the office then call the HSA.


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  • #42
    mfergus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 326 ✭✭mfergus


    I'd write them an anonymous letter saying that on several occasions while working there you felt light headed due to dehydration as you could not afford to pay 4euro per liter for water.

    Inform them that several staff members have an issue with it and that you will be reporting it to the hsa as they are clearly not complying with regulations.

    Furthermore that you will gladly be a witness should anybody get injured and take a civil claim against the employer.


  • #43
    davo10
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,926 ✭✭✭davo10


    Ok, before everyone gets on their high horse about this employer/restaurant, OP needs to be certain that there is no mains tap in the whole place, if there is then everything said about employer not providing for potable water is complete BS.

    Secondly, there was another thread about this type of issue a few months ago and what it boiled down to was that OP didn't like the taste of tap water, she wanted bottled water. Employers do not have to provide a water dispenser nor bottled water, a mains tap will do.

    OP has not confirmed the tap in the unit is not a mains supply. Employees must be able to wash their hands while serving food, if that tap is mains supply, then there is absolutely no issue with the employer not providing drinkable water.


  • #44
    Lingua Franca
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,800 ✭✭✭Lingua Franca


    FizzleSticks wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    If that's the mains tap and they're forbidden to drink from it because it is a designated washing area then yes, the employer is still not providing drinking water.

    OP hasn't stated that they're asking for bottled water so what someone else said in another thread months ago is irrelevant.


  • #45
    davo10
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,926 ✭✭✭davo10


    Lingua Franca wrote: »
    If that's the mains tap and they're forbidden to drink from it because it is a designated washing area then yes, the employer is still not providing drinking water.

    OP hasn't stated that they're asking for bottled water so what someone else said in another thread months ago is irrelevant.

    Only if the council has informed them it is unsafe to drink. It may not taste as nice as bottled water and staff/customers may not like the taste, but employer is still providing potable water if and only if, it is coming from the mains and not a storage tank. OP could of course ask which tap is coming from the mains, if none, then owner has a lot bigger problems than providing drinking water for staff.


  • #46
    Lingua Franca
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,800 ✭✭✭Lingua Franca


    How would they know how it tastes if they're forbidden to drink it?


  • #47
    FizzleSticks
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,172 ✭✭✭FizzleSticks


    This post has been deleted.


  • #48
    davo10
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,926 ✭✭✭davo10


    FizzleSticks wrote: »
    The back sink will not be used for drinking water based on other outlets they have all installed a water fountain (not mineral water) in the hall. They're very strict on their designated areas. I will seek confirmation of this anyway then if it is confirmed that there is no drinking water available i'll enquire with the hsa.

    I don't understand this post, are you now saying that there is a mains tap but because there are water fountains, when you turn it on to get a drink, it reduces flow to the fountains or is the hose for the fountains connected to the tap?

    Simply ask if there is a mains water outlet, if there is, then that is potable water.


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