Being told you cant Inject at work!!

[sallyg]

Hi ,

It is my Husband who is diabetic, he has type 1 diabetes so insulin dependent he is 37 and been diabetic for 22 years. He has recently started a new job, he has been there for 3 months and on monday was told by one of his seniors that he mustn't inject in front of people and should go to the toilet to do it! My husband is always incredibly discreet about doing his injections and only people that were really watching would be able to see what he was doing. Obviously this has upset my husband being labelled as some kind of freak. Is there anything that can be done about this kind of situation?, is it even legal to tell a diabetic that they can't inject themselves?.
I am a dance teacher and teach a young boy who is diabetic he does not have to go out of the dining hall to inject and talk of such i'm sure would cause utter outrage.
If anyone has any advice i would really appreciate it

Thanks

 

[daisy1]

Hi Sally and welcome to the forum There was a topic on injecting at work recently - here is a link to it:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=18850&p=171591

I hope you find it helpful.

 

[hallii]

Whilst I don't inject (T2) and have no problem with injections /needles etc. It is a fact that some people just freak out at needles and injections.

So being discrete is not discrete enough for them, I would find somewhere quiet and out of the way and do it there, not the toilet, to many germs about.

It is not worth making a fuss about, to my mind it is better to have a good relationship with co-employees and employer, you never know when you might need their help!

H

 

[bowell]

Hi I had similar problem
Told to use out side toilet in the yard i

I called my union
Firm was made to provide a room with heating and sink with hot and cold supply’s
Then most of the others used this room with us for tea breaks as we found out we had 6 other diabetics

If you have a union Rep call them or go to CAB if this is a large firm try HR
or call Heath & Safety

Quote from Employment_Advocacy_Pack link end of page

Under the terms of the Disability Discriminations Act, the member of staff can ask for reasonable adjustments to his working conditions in light of their disability.

Example

A disabled person has to eat at set times to manage their blood sugar for their diabetes, which
is only possible by taking their breaks at slightly different times (and therefore working slightly
diferent hours) from those that usually apply within an organisation.
This does not have a negative impact on the worker’s ability to do the job; quite the opposite, it
removes a barrier which would otherwise stop them doing the job. If this is a reasonable
adjustment, the employer must allow the change in hours.
Equality and Human Rights Commission Guide: Your Rights to Equality at Work: Working Hours, Flexible

Working and Time Off (2010)

For info see the Employment_Advocacy_Pack below

http://uk.sitestat.com/diabetes/web...ts/Advocacy/Employment_Advocacy_Pack_2010.pdf

 

[hanadr]

Toilets are very often the CLEANEST places about, because cleaning staff know to be pretty careful. Tops of desks and workspace floors may have a MUCH higher bug count. I've done searches on places like that and often found the toilets cleaner than the kitchen or the fridge.
Hana

 

[cugila]

Toilets ARE filthy places.......there is a fundamental difference between cleaning toilets for appearance and cleaning for Health purposes.

If anyone told me to inject in a toilet they would be told politely 'where to go !' :twisted:

If someone is squeamish about people injecting then they should look away. It is simply none of their business. I have had people look when I have injected in pubs and other places, I am discreet and try not to make it obvious. No drum rolls......

Just get on with injecting when and where you want.....tell them to 'take a hike !'

 

[sugarless sue]

When a person is finished in the toilet they touch at least the stall door latch and then the tap that they use to wash their hands. They can also lay their hand on work surfaces. Warm air dryers also spread germs by blowing them round the area.

Unfortunately many people do not even bother to wash their hands after being to the toilet ! :shock: This then leads to even more transference as they move and touch surfaces on the door and handle as they leave the toilet area.

Someone injecting then comes into that toilet area, washes their hands first before injecting and BINGO germ transference occurs ! You cannot keep a toilet area free from germs unless the taps and door latches and other surfaces are cleaned every time someone uses them.

Why should someone be expected to use that area for injecting ? It's as bad as asking breast feeding mothers to use these areas.

 

[bowell]

For info

(Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (SI 1992/3004) states that for breastfeeding "The toilets are not 'adequate facilities' for this purpose." so therefore i could presume they are no good for injecting insulin either.

 

[cugila]

You are so right.....it never ceases to amaze me at the weird things that people say 'others' should do yet I am sure if it were they who had to inject they wouldn't be so 'precious' about somebody caring for their own health !

Maybe they should spend a day in A & E asking for things to be hidden away.....it upsets them. :roll:

 

[noblehead]

sallyg,

As bowell points out they must provide a adequate room with suitable facilities for your husband to test, inject and eat his food, anything else will never do and he should see the personnel dept in the first instance and tell them of their obligation.

Toilets are filthy places and no one should feel intimidated enough to use such places!

Nigel

 

[Patch]

If it was me - I'd continue to do it where and when it pleased me. let the company excalate it as far as they wish.

I'd come out on top in the end. Then I'd clober them with as much legislation as I could find. 8)

 

[signallergrade6]

I have a collegue at work who is type 2 insulin dependent, no one bats an eyelid when he injects, really I do despair if people take offence at any diabetic injecting???

 

[MegaMan]

This is disgusting attitude of your husband’s workplace. I’ve never had this type of problem in my workplace. I inject discreetly and no one batters an eye lid. I’ve even done intravenous antibiotics in my boss’s office and just got on with it all, no one has ever complained. I would go kick some butt. Your husband in no way should be made to feel uncomfortable about having to inject insulin.

 

[lionrampant]

This is discrimination at it's most obvious and easily challenged. Is your husband part of a trade union or does he have a family lawyer he can call on?

 

[evette25]

I had the same problem and have had the same problem for years. My previous employers understood I had type 1 when I started post, was eating a meal in a discreet corner of staff cafe when I injected in to my stomach, I was asked to go see my manager before completing my meal. I did this and was told not asked not to inject in front of people as it makes then feel a bit sick, my reply was no one asked them to watch! Was advised from then on to take insulin in a toilet cubicle, I try to see this from other peoples point of view but this fails me, yes I have since left this job. I refuse to take my medication with my pens balancing on a toilet! You can ask for an extra 5 mins to take your insulin in the medical room. Which for me wasn't feasible as it was on the other side of the call centre to the cafe.

 

[Peter Day]

Insulin is a medicine. If somebody is told they may not inject at work, their response should be that they will agree not to inject, but only if everybody else agrees not to take pills or cough medicines at work. How ridiculous can some people be!!! :roll:

 

[sallyg]

Thank you for all your advise and suggestions.
It really does make my blood boil that some people are so shallow that they have to complain about this kind of thing and not even complain to the person it is about but go to the management is just very sad, my husband does not like to make a fuss so will probally just use his car each lunchtime instead of doing anything about it. If it were down to me i would go to his work and give them a piece of my mind but that probaly wouldn't achieve anything either.

 

[noblehead]

Thank you for all your advise and suggestions.
It really does make my blood boil that some people are so shallow that they have to complain about this kind of thing and not even complain to the person it is about but go to the management is just very sad, my husband does not like to make a fuss so will probally just use his car each lunchtime instead of doing anything about it. If it were down to me i would go to his work and give them a piece of my mind but that probaly wouldn't achieve anything either.

Sally, I can appreciate your husband does not like to make a fuss, but the way in which he has been treated is inexcusable and he should not feel so belittled that he has to sit in his car for lunch.

Nigel

 

[markc328]

Hi Sally,

Although I am not a lawyer & cannot give legal advice, It could be argued that your husband (as a type 1) is covered by "The Disability & Equality Act 2010" You may want to read up on it & suggest to your husbands company that they do the same!

Just as a footnote, It's sad in 2011 that there are still people that think like that. Diabetes is tough enough without narrow minded people.

Best regards & good luck !

 

[blonagael]

Hi there,

I'm having trouble with my employer but I'm taking them to a tribunal so we'll see what the judge says.

I'm as flexible as possible with my diabetes and it has never interfered with my work and my control is very good.

My understanding is that employers have a "duty to make reasonable adjustments", which includes providing a clean private place (not a toilet) for taking injections or doing blood tests.

My advice is keep a diary of any incidents and you often get good advice on here, but be wary. If you are getting hassle at work about it, it would be worth trying to record it if possible.

Good luck.


Don't let bullies get away with it.