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Lack of office facilities

J

JamesA

Active Member
Messages
35
Location
UK
Is anyone else having problems with lack of facilities at their office?

We used to be in a large building with a first aid room with a sink.
This provided a private, clean place to do tests and injections.

Now our section is its own company in a small office.
Theres basically just the dirty old toilet to use now.

The law is unclear, although both the Health and Safety Executive and diabetes uk wondered if what they're providing is good enough.
There are around 20 staff in the company so I think the laws apply.

I don't mind doing the odd test/injection in a restaurant toilet when I'm out, but I don't think having to do this day to day is good enough.
 
Having same problem with my daughters school. They have said injections can be done in staff toilets in case it frightens any children . And no discussion. I even had a battle on my hands to get her a chair to sit on. Have contacted diabetes uk who are going to take our case forward. They advised me the place has to be clean and private. Don't think staff toilets count as private.
 
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
-Theodore Roosevelt

Hi james,
I use to work for a stonemason, often contracted to repair stone walls(usually on farms).

I'd often test and jab up in the middle of a field, sitting next to a cow pat. :shock:

Ahh - happy days :mrgreen:
 

:lol:
 

So.........how do you know the cow was called Pat then?? :lol:
 
when i was firstly diagnosed a year ago i tried my utmost to be discreet and find somewhere clean and out of the way to do my jabs, but once i got back to work i found this almost impossible as im a firefighter and we allways seem to get calls during meal times and end up having to take my jab in the back of a fire engine weaving in and out of traffic. Also more often than not if im at a fire for a long time and we get food brought out to us i have to test and take my jab there. I always get the odd look from people who dont know im diabetic but stuff them thats there problem. in short once you get used to testing and jabbing in awkward places you dont really fret about it any more.
 
Why should diabetics have to hide in corners as if they are drug abusers!!!It's the same problem as nursing mothers have trying to feed their babies in public!! You see people in restaurants popping pills all the time.I'm sure a discreet injection under the table would not be half as noticeable.
 
I frequently test and inject at the table in restaurants/cafes and no-one notices. People are used to seeing folks fiddling with little gadgets these days. Once was injecting at a bench at the bus station and people came up to ask for directions without even noticing what I was doing.

Urine tests at restaurant tables might not go down so well though :wink:

Sue
 
I've been asked to do daughters injection in toilets incase it frightens a child.

Easier for us to hide, than for them to eduate the children .
 
one problem of injecting in loos is the risk of dropping your pen into the loo
Just done this myself
So use this as a reason for having somewhere other than a loo to do your jabs.
 
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Legal action. I'm sure a no-win no-fee lawyer would happily take the local authority to the cleaners for emotional distress or something like that.

Play them at their own game. You can't win the moral argument since they're not listening, but you can hurt them financially. That makes them pay attention.
 
School finally agreed to let us do injections in another room and not the staff toilets. It did take diabetes UK and GP ringing them before they agreed. GP told them she had arranged to have GP surgery to open at lunch times to enable me to take daughter there, and she was concerned about impact this would have on emotional wellbeing. She then told them she had suggested I ring local MP and raise concerns.

One step forward, hopefully no steps back.
 
I think people don't always do it in the toilet for other people, but often for their own privacy.
It's fair enough that your boss and friends at work know, but you shouldn't be forced to tell everyone including people at work you don't like.
Apart from the safety issue of people knowing, I think your medical conditions are your own private business unless you choose otherwise.

And what if you want to do it in the leg? Are you going to pull down your trousers at your desk

I was trying to find out how many staff a company has to have before its required to provide a first air room, but Health and Safetly law is difficult and vague.
 
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