Till standing

checkcheek · 29-06-2014 2:43pm #1

Hi everyone

Quick question, i work in a shop and spend most days (8 hour days) standing at the till cause it is very busy at this time of year. I stand on a regular tiled floor.
There is no padded mat. and there is one stool with no back shared between 6 tills!

Is there any legal right to have a chair and padded foot mat. People keep saying it but I can't find any firm answer in writing!

Thanks

Chattastrophe! · 29-06-2014 2:50pm

So long as you're getting the lunch/breaks you're legally entitled to, I can't see how they'd be obliged to provide mats/seats during your work hours ... there are LOADS of jobs where you're on your feet all day every day!

checkcheek · 29-06-2014 2:58pm

In the UK I found this

The Workplace (Health and Safety) Regulations 1992 refer to standing. The law says that employers must supply suitable seats if workers are able to perform their duties, or a substantial part of them, sitting down.

So was wondering if there was something similar in Ireland! Like its very tiring on the legs to stand in the same spot on a tiled concrete floor for 4 continuous hours

Bepolite · 29-06-2014 3:33pm

It's part of retail I'm afraid, I say this after 15 years in retail sitting in my nice comfy seat in an office in D4

tenifan · 29-06-2014 5:19pm

Have you asked your employer to provide a mat? aldi are selling multi-purpose jigsaw mats 6 for €20.

Bepolite · 29-06-2014 5:21pm

Also make sure you have the right shoes, took me many years to settle on a partiular model of Hush Puppies, that I used to buy 3 pairs at a time!

duffman13 · 29-06-2014 5:24pm

There is specialised till mats which I know we need to provide to our staff in the retailer I work for. It's a compliance requirement which I presume is either for legal reasons or a union agreement. It is a UK based company so not sure if it is an Irish law requirement.

You can only ask but I know the staff I manage hate the mats as they apparently cause back issues. Is there any possibility of mixing your day up and spending some time on the shop floor moving around?

duffman13 · 29-06-2014 5:26pm

tenifan wrote: »

Have you asked your employer to provide a mat? aldi are selling multi-purpose jigsaw mats 6 for €20.

As far as I'm aware these aren't suitable, they need to be somewhat fixed to the floor for health and safety requirements (tripping hazard)

tenifan · 29-06-2014 5:54pm

duffman13 wrote: »

As far as I'm aware these aren't suitable, they need to be somewhat fixed to the floor for health and safety requirements (tripping hazard)

Ah yes, 'elf and safety. Crazy!

checkcheek · 29-06-2014 6:44pm

tenifan wrote: »

Have you asked your employer to provide a mat? aldi are selling multi-purpose jigsaw mats 6 for €20.

Oh ye. Many of us have asked. And he says there is no need and what not for them. But he's not the one standing there for hours.

duffman13 wrote: »

There is specialised till mats which I know we need to provide to our staff in the retailer I work for. It's a compliance requirement which I presume is either for legal reasons or a union agreement. It is a UK based company so not sure if it is an Irish law requirement.

You can only ask but I know the staff I manage hate the mats as they apparently cause back issues. Is there any possibility of mixing your day up and spending some time on the shop floor moving around?

For about 3 hours it's not possible to leave the till. The ques do be manic. Like you easily would be serving about 100 people + per hour.

I understand they could be worse. But I've worked in places that had them. And it made life a tad easier. So just seeing where we stand. Like we not gonna protest if we don't get them. It's just our employer puts things on the long finger(as in if it's not major. It won't be done) A good few people have mentioned it's health and safety. It's just I can't find any actuall reference to it in health and safety regulation

InReality · 29-06-2014 11:15pm

What about just buying a mat yourself ? Boss might not care as long as he/she didn't have to buy it.

Mrs OBumble · 29-06-2014 11:42pm

tenifan wrote: »

Ah yes, 'elf and safety. Crazy!

Actually, it's health and safety that would say employees should have a suitable surface for standing on, and access to a variety of sitting/standing arrangements, under their control, during the day. And doing so safely, without trip hazzards, is important too.

I've once or twice spent hours standing on concrete, and know how much difference a padded surface can make.

My guess is that the legislation won't mention the specific ways of providing sitting options and padded flooring, because each workplace has to be looked at separately: a chair is reasonable in some places, but could make things worse in others, where an alternative option might be better.

OP, are you in a union? Is this something that your union rep could bring up - possible as a kind of "sort this, and we won't make trouble over that" issue?

Kai123 · 30-06-2014 11:30pm

What the deli staff would of done for a chair hidden around the corner!

Till standing

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