My employer is not keeping my workplace clean

babymanval

Hi all,

I work for a large Irish company in one of their basement offices. I suffer from fairly bad asthma, and my workplace is, amongst other things (including poorly ventilated), visibly filthy. The toilets and kitchen are maintained to an adequate level, however the office floor space/desks etc. are covered in dust. This is causing my asthma to flare up almost daily.

What are my employer's legal obligations with regard to providing a clean and safe workplace?

Any help appreciated, I'm miserable because of this.

MagicSean

You should contact these people

http://www.hsa.ie/eng/

babymanval

MagicSean wrote: »

You should contact these people

http://www.hsa.ie/eng/

Thanks for that; is that a little too-escalated a method of broaching the issue, or fairly standard? I was hoping to raise/make management aware of the issue in an anonymous fashion perhaps, because I could well see the 10 affected of us being hauled into an office and asked about it individually, in which case I'd probably go to pieces.

Thanks again

drunkmonkey

Have you asked would they send the cleaners down to clean the place or would you and some of your workmates just spend an hour or two cleaning it in the morning. Just because something is not in you job description doesn't stop you from doing it.
If I was sitting in filth i'd clean it as i'd assume most people would.

Irelandsfinest

Employers have a legal duty to ensure the work environment is safe for all concerned, if it's on record you have asthma point it out to the boss that the dust is aggravating your asthma. Nothing done then if it needs a wipe down spend an hour of thier time not your own looking for cleaning equipment, take pics before and after . Boss complains your using company time explain why and show him the pics, if they get nasty inform them the health and safety people might be interested.

odds_on

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Have you asked would they send the cleaners down to clean the place or would you and some of your workmates just spend an hour or two cleaning it in the morning. Just because something is not in you job description doesn't stop you from doing it.
If I was sitting in filth i'd clean it as i'd assume most people would.

+1

babymanval

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Have you asked would they send the cleaners down to clean the place or would you and some of your workmates just spend an hour or two cleaning it in the morning. Just because something is not in you job description doesn't stop you from doing it.
If I was sitting in filth i'd clean it as i'd assume most people would.

I appreciate the advice, but are you serious? I'm all for going the extra mile outside of job descriptions and the like, but it be a given that I should be lashing out cleaning products/hoovers etc. for "an hour or two", in my suit, instead of my multi-million € per annum turnover employer paying someone already on-site an extra 50 quid a week or so? The floor for instance is thick with dust, and your suggestion is that I, an acute asthma sufferer, as already explained, should be responsible for cleaning this dust?

Not that it matters to my point; but my job is target-based, and output is fairly micro-managed. Spending "an hour or two" cleaning is going to cost me (more, outside of my increased medication of late) money, and potentially my job also.

I can't raise the issue myself, because I and a number of others are on temp contracts, and we've seen people given the chop for no reason for rocking the boat before.

MagicSean

babymanval wrote: »

I appreciate the advice, but are you serious? I'm all for going the extra mile outside of job descriptions and the like, but it be a given that I should be lashing out cleaning products/hoovers etc. for "an hour or two", in my suit, instead of my multi-million € per annum turnover employer paying someone already on-site an extra 50 quid a week or so? The floor for instance is thick with dust, and your suggestion is that I, an acute asthma sufferer, as already explained, should be responsible for cleaning this dust?

Not that it matters to my point; but my job is target-based, and output is fairly micro-managed. Spending "an hour or two" cleaning is going to cost me (more, outside of my increased medication of late) money, and potentially my job also.

I can't raise the issue myself, because I and a number of others are on temp contracts, and we've seen people given the chop for no reason for rocking the boat before.

So you don't want to sort the problem yourself or you don't want to actually address it with your boss.

Have you tried this?

drunkmonkey

I'm not suggesting you do it all but you'd impress you boss if you took the initiative, get someone else to hoover and dust, if that's not a runner, at the next huddle make a suggestion to get the cleaners down when your not there.

Cleaning for an hour or less with your workmates is not going to cost you more money or your job. It could even help with team building.
If your workspace is costing your money on medication i'd question if it's the right place for you or even batman be working in.

babymanval

MagicSean wrote: »

So you don't want to sort the problem yourself or you don't want to actually address it with your boss.

Have you tried this?

You don't get that I physically can't sort the problem myself, no? Would you ask James in the wheelchair to nip upstairs to accounts to drop this week's cash flow report off too, yeah?

... and as already mentioned the nature of our contracts in work are very much structured to keep us on our toes/attending/performing/quiet. I don't feel sticking my neck out and most likely being made a martyr is the correct avenue either.

I thought I gave a fairly detailed outline of the situation above; If you've nothing constructive to add, there's an anti-immigration thread over in AH with your name all over it.

MagicSean

babymanval wrote: »

You don't get that I physically can't sort the problem myself, no? Would you ask James in the wheelchair to nip upstairs to accounts to drop this week's cash flow report off too, yeah?

... and as already mentioned the nature of our contracts in work are very much structured to keep us on our toes/attending/performing/quiet. I don't feel sticking my neck out and most likely being made a martyr is the correct avenue either.

I thought I gave a fairly detailed outline of the situation above; If you've nothing constructive to add, there's an anti-immigration thread over in AH with your name all over it.

You said you had asthma. Since when does that prevent someone using a hoover? Also, how is asking your boss to get the place hoovered becoming a martyr?

If you don't want to deal with it yourself then I've given you the details for the HSA. What more do you want?

And how is this in any way related to immigration? Are immigrants supposed to be allergic to hoovering or something?

Milk & Honey

Wait till the next person is fired, then send a complaint in their name with photos to the HSA.

drunkmonkey

Did you suggest some do some cleaning, wondering have you still got a Job?

Gurgle

Irelandsfinest wrote: »

Employers have a legal duty to ensure the work environment is safe for all concerned.

Safety is (legally) everybody's responsibility now. An employee who doesn't bother is just as bad as an employer who doesn't bother.

golden virginia

Baby manval -i wouldn't complain to your employer if you dont have some way of verifying that you complained. You are protected of you are penalised for making a complaint ( Rights Commissioner) but you would need evidence that you complained. The HSA document complaints if you complaint to them - they make a log. They do not inform your employer of your identity.

If you asthma is really getting to you - try wipe down surfaces with a wet cloth as it does not raise dust - avoid hoovering.