No Drinking water at work

FizzleSticks

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Stheno

Are you not allowed drink the tap water?

hallo dare

When i used to work on construction sites there was no such thing. A hose lying on the ground that served other purposes was the closest we got.

FizzleSticks

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micosoft

Buy a bottle of water.
Drink it.
Bring the empty bottle home.
Fill it from the tap.
Bring it to work.
Drink it.
Repeat.

Stheno

FizzleSticks wrote: »

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Well from the (very long) document you posted, it says:

(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. The number of locations would be dependent
upon the size of the workplace, the number of persons employed, the nature of the work and any
requirement for the employee to remain at the workstation for sustained periods.
Where drinking fountains are used, they should be of such design that the nozzle is shielded to protect
it from contamination by the mouths of users.
(e) suitable and adequate facilities for boiling water and taking meals are provided and
maintained for the use of employees, or that employees have reasonable access to other
suitable and adequate facilities for the taking of meals, and

Are you allowed to buy a bottle of bottled water if you are thirsty?

FizzleSticks

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Arthur Beesley

micosoft wrote: »

Buy a bottle of water.
Drink it.
Bring the empty bottle home.
Fill it from the tap.
Bring it to work.
Drink it.
Repeat.

Can you clarify which steps he should repeat? All or some?

Stheno

FizzleSticks wrote: »

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Nothing in the HSA regulations states that it has to be free, just that it has to be provided. There was a thread on here a while back where employees had to buy bottled water as it was the only source, strangely enough that was in a canteen!

FizzleSticks

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FizzleSticks

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Stheno

FizzleSticks wrote: »

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In fairness most places do provide access to tap water/water coolers at no cost.

But I can see your employer pointing out the bottles of water for €4 a litre if it was brought up

Maybe ring the HSA?

wobblemouth

I have the misfortune of working as a health and safety bod.

The Employer must provide you drinking water under the General Application (Workplace) Regs. Free.

Avoid going to the HSA - discuss it with your employer to find a way to resolve this.

Can't see how the restaurant doesn't have a supply of drinking water?!! Shame that we have to worry about such basic welfare requirements in this day and age.

Fries-With-That

FizzleSticks wrote: »

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You work in a restaurant, and they have no water supply that's fit for human consumption.

A restaurant must have designated wash up areas.
A restaurant must have designated food prep areas.
A restaurant must have designated hand wash areas.
A restaurant must have designated staff toilets.

I find it difficult to believe that none of these areas has a water supply that's fit for human consumption.


If that is truly the case I wouldn't be happy working there, and I'd be reporting the place to the HSE.

I'm also curious as to what kind of restaurant requires absolutely no water to prepare anything on their menu.

BabysCoffee

When a customer asks for tap water what water do you give them?

Stheno

wobblemouth wrote: »

I have the misfortune of working as a health and safety bod.

The Employer must provide you drinking water under the General Application (Welfare) Regs. Free.

Avoid going to the HSA - discuss it with your employer to find a way to resolve this.

Can't see how the restaurant doesn't have a supply of drinking water?!! Shame that we have to worry about such basic welfare requirements in this day and age.

Where in the regs does it state that it should be provided for free? I was genuinely looking for that when I read them, and couldn't see it? Just that they had to supply a source of drinking water

Fries-With-That wrote: »

I'm also curious as to what kind of restaurant requires absolutely no water to prepare anything on their menu.

I was too

@ OP have the restaurant said the water is undrinkable or just imposed a "do not drink this water" rule to try and "encourage you to buy bottled water?

Bongalongherb

I'd love to know the name of that restaurant.

SoulTrader

Fries-With-That wrote: »

I'm also curious as to what kind of restaurant requires absolutely no water to prepare anything on their menu.

Strange one alright.

OP, does the restaurant serve salads? If so, what are they washed with?

What about preparation of sauces etc, they often require water.

Stheno

SoulTrader wrote: »

Strange one alright.

OP, does the restaurant serve salads? If so, what are they washed with?

What about preparation of sauces etc, they often require water.

I could only think of the likes of sandwich shops?

Lingua Franca

What is the tea and coffee made with?

Stheno

Lingua Franca wrote: »

What is the tea and coffee made with?

DUH

FizzleSticks

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Stheno

What did they say when you brought it up?

And how does the water for the machine get topped up?

Stovepipe

I guess the OP and the owner are waiting until someone collapses from dehydration, at which point the OP takes wobblemouths advice and makes it known to the owner. Who is probably perfectly aware of it and is daring anyone to challenge him on unwritten threat of being sacked. take the ****ing water, anyway! it's your health, OP.

regards
Stovepipe

FizzleSticks

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michael999999

FizzleSticks wrote: »

It's genuinely questionable water. Everything comes pre-packaged. Hot water comes out of a machine. I work very hard for them and it's not a lot to ask for, as for not being happy working there no im not but finishing college, not having 2 years experience in a similar role or the ability to intern makes that difficult (but I've been applying for jobs and saving for further training). I won't be here forever but for the sake of others and future staff i'd like to see this be addressed.

If your hot water comes out of a berko boiler for tea and coffee. Why not fill a jug and let it cool.

Some lateral thinking!

Stheno

FizzleSticks wrote: »

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Did they give any basis as to why they would not supply it?

Staplor

I bet it's a boat restaurant, I was on one recently and wasn't impressed when they refused tap water, I haven't been back, food was rank too, good old groupon

davo10

Does a premises which serves food not require a license?, if it does, are they not required to have a mains tap?

FizzleSticks

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davo10

FizzleSticks wrote: »

There is no place to put the jug outside of the kitchen, I'm not even joking. I'm not buying a jug or being made responsible to make sure there's always cooled down water in it. There is a small table beside the staff toilets which is where we eat or lunch. Anyway I'm not looking for alternatives, we already do that, I'm looking for clarification on I stand asking for drinking water on behalf of not just myself but for other staff.

Bottom line..they don't have to or so it seems.

Have they a tap connected to the mains? Did you ask?

FizzleSticks

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Stheno

FizzleSticks wrote: »

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

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?

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?

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.

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

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.

Tarzana

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

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.

Lingua Franca

FizzleSticks wrote: »

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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.

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.

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.

Lingua Franca

FizzleSticks wrote: »

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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.

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.

Lingua Franca

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

FizzleSticks

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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.