not allowed to drink

[bullyfish]

as soon as xmas was over managers told us we cannot get a drink (of any kind) once we have started sorting most days this lasts for 2 1/4 hrs surely this is against human rights let me know what u think have any other offices brought this in (somerset area)

[DGP1]

as soon as xmas was over managers told us we cannot get a drink (of any kind) once we have started sorting most days this lasts for 2 1/4 hrs surely this is against human rights let me know what u think have any other offices brought this in (somerset area)

Maybe you need to lay off the cider

[billyb8]

To decline members of staff basic drinking water is illegal!

All other drinks are at the managers discretion.

[leiwolf]

Under health and safety act you must walk away from your monitor at least once every hour to stop strain to your eyes. I think it could also be argue that you must walk away from your frame at least once a hour to stop strain from your eyes

[borderscot]

tell them to look at the plasma screens there is a recurring notice that tells you to drink litres of water a day to stay hydrated

[lanesra123]

....

[horrible]

I agree with lanesra if all else fails try the diplomatic route

[pop it in pete]

What about toilet breaks do you have to "ask teacher" before you go. Just all get up at the same time and mob the water fountain. Should be a laugh.

[staffordtigers]

Are you having a laugh......???? The ammount of tea breaks they have...... what ever next ???? ???? ???? Try wearing a red lastic band round your wrist and say its a anti soting wristband, that sometimes gets a smile....

[baldrick]

tell them to look at the plasma screens there is a recurring notice that tells you to drink litres of water a day to stay hydrated

Glad someone is looking at the plasma screens after the amount they have spent on them!
But they have to give you access to drinking water under Health & Safety Workplace Regulations.

[darth]

put in a grievance,if it is the office i think it is mud will eventually stick.

[greynut]

Go get your drink and see what they do about it. Absolutley nothing. This is tantamount to a breach of your BASIC human rights. There is no LAW that says you cannot drink when sorting, just this stupid, stupid, line mangers abuse of power.

If I hadn t read it here, I would not have believed it.

More of this to come thanks to the YES vote.

[dellman]

Ask your CWU rep to speak to the manager concerned....to outline that he/she or any other manager does not have the right to refuse anyone from taking a drink of water at any time. It is a basic human right, and any further denials will be treated as B+H and dealt with under such a procedure, possibly culminating in RM being reported to the HSE.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.unison.org.uk/file/A3507.pdf

Its a Unison document but cant see why it should not apply to us:

September 2007
HS/10/07

Health and Safety Bulletin

We expect free, fresh drinking water to be readily available to all employees at their
place of work. This will encourage and protect the health, safety and well-being of
UNISON members.

Fresh drinking water is a basic nutrient of the human body and is critical to human
life. UNISON expects employers to provide water as a statutory requirement of The
Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations1992.

Regulation 22 places requirements on the employer with respect to the provision of
drinking water and requires an adequate supply of wholesome drinking water to be
available for all persons at work in the workplace.

The Regulation

UNISON expects a supply of drinking water to be accessible at suitable places and
employers are required to provide sufficient and suitable cups or other drinking
vessels. Many people prefer mains fed chiller units as their source of drinking water.
The supply of drinking water should be conspicuously marked with an appropriate
sign.

Employers should seek to meet the approved code of practice for drinking water
supply. The regulations encourage employers not to supply / install drinking facilities
in sanitary accommodation (such as toilets) and in other places that contamination is
likely.

The public water supply is the preferred source of drinking water. The quality of UK
tap water is one of the highest in the world. In addition to being inexpensive
compared to bottled water. By using the public water supply, companies can reduce
levels of unnecessary packaging waste whilst minimising the environmental impact of
bottled water transportation. A 19 litre bottle of water cost between £5 and £7 while
the same amount from the tap cost just 0.2 pence.

Public water usage will help to reduce the manual handling health and safety risks of
employees lifting and transporting heavy water bottles and negates the need for areas
of storage. When members work repeatedly without easy access to drinking water
they should be provided with re-usable bottles to carry water with them.
Branches are asked to encourage members to drink more water and remind them of
the health and safety benefits of keeping hydrated.

Download Water@Work information on branch organisations intranet pages to raise
awareness of UNISON’s Water@Work Campaign and the Water@Work website:
www.wateratwork.org. Various information can be obtained from the website which
is continuously updated. In time UNISON hopes to convince you to create new
environmental reps. Until then, Health & Safety reps are ideally placed to check on
the drinking water provision in workplaces.

Work with employers and employees to survey all workplaces involving health and
safety reps and identify an action plan so to check on fresh drinking water
accessibility.

[madelin4]

i can only drink flavoured water so it should be ok for me to have my bottle of flavour water beside me then.