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Usdaw health and safety reps put a focus on checking toilet breaks and facilities

Retail and distribution trade union Usdaw is asking their workplace health and safety representatives to participate in the Trades Union Congress week of action, 17-23 March, to check toilet breaks and facilities, receive accreditation and organise for more dignified workplaces.

17 March 2025

0 min read

Tony Whelan – Usdaw national health and safety officer says: “All workers need toilet breaks, it's a basic right, but many are denied this due to insufficient breaks and facilities. We are inviting safety reps to inspect their workplace toilet and washing facilities. This is a particular issue for drivers, who have faced a lack of appropriate facilities for many years, both at the roadside and when making deliveries. 

“Usdaw is clear that sites should meet their legal obligations and ensure that all drivers are provided with safe and easy access to welfare facilities such as toilets and handwashing facilities. Alongside this, all locations accepting deliveries from drivers about their requirement to provide welfare facilities and must develop clear best practice guidance.

“Poor facilities for drivers are making the industry less attractive and causing issues with recruitment and retention. This issue is not just a question of dignity for workers, it is important to the success of businesses.”

Notes for editors:

Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk

TUC workplace toilet facilities - week of action: www.tuc.org.uk/workplace-toilet-facilities-week-action

For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on BlueSky @usdawunion.bsky.social and Twitter/X @UsdawUnion

Summary

Retail and distribution trade union Usdaw is asking their workplace health and safety representatives to participate in the Trades Union Congress week of action, 17-23 March, to check toilet breaks and facilities, receive accreditation and organise for more dignified workplaces.