Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

CoronavirusHealth and safetyWellbeing and health promotionWellbeingOccupational Health

Seven in 10 drivers denied regular toilet access

by Ashleigh Webber 19 Nov 2020
by Ashleigh Webber 19 Nov 2020 jadecraven / Shutterstock.com
jadecraven / Shutterstock.com

Seven in 10 professional drivers do not have adequate access to toilet and washroom facilities during the working day – a figure that is claimed to have worsened since the pandemic hit, according to a union.

Only around one in five drivers said they had access to adequate toilet and hand-washing facilities at all times while working during the first national lockdown this year, a survey by Unite found, despite commercial premises having a legal duty to provide access to toilets and washing facilities to drivers making deliveries or collections.

Drivers’ health

Assessing health needs of lorry drivers

Taxi drivers and couriers exposed to ‘hazardous’ levels of diesel emissions

Fit to drive? Understanding what the DVLA looks for

Regular handwashing has been vital in reducing Covid-19 infection and several drivers told the union that they had become unwell with Covid-like symptoms after being unable to wash their hands.

Others said that a lack of access to toilets has worsened longstanding conditions such as diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome, or led to illnesses such as bladder infections. Female drivers reported that a lack of toilet access during their period was particularly humiliating.

Among those who did not have access, 39% said they were denied the use of toilet facilities frequently and 35% said it happened occasionally. Six per cent said they were always denied the use of facilities.

The findings of the survey of more than 6,000 of Unite’s driver members, the majority of who drive buses or lorries, were released to coincide with World Toilet Day today (19 November).

Unite assistant general secretary Diana Holland said: “It is completely unacceptable that tens of thousands of workers are being routinely denied the basic right to have access to toilets in the 21st century. This is making workers ill and during the pandemic the lack of handwashing facilities will undoubtedly have increased the spread of Covid-19.

“Employers have a clear legal duty to allow drivers to use toilets, but this is too often ignored. Companies who fail to ensure the welfare of their workers should be prosecuted for public health offences.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“It is simply not good enough that professional drivers such as bus drivers have to rely on visiting takeaways or a supermarket to go to the toilet, because companies are failing to ensure facilities are available.”

Earlier this year, Unite urged drivers who had been denied access to toilet facilities while at work to report the issue to the Health and Safety Executive.

Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
‘Green industrial revolution’ will create 250,000 jobs
next post
A fifth of pay awards remain frozen

You may also like

Uncertainty over law hampering legal use of medical...

20 May 2025

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Awareness weeks fuel spike in demand for mental...

19 May 2025

Healthcare workers prioritise mental health support in new...

12 May 2025

Two-thirds of school leaders suffering mental ill health

6 May 2025

‘Healthy work’ about much more than access to...

28 Apr 2025

Tool developed for employers to calculate cost of...

28 Apr 2025

Why employers must do more to support all...

24 Apr 2025

How to help employees quit vaping before new...

22 Apr 2025

NHS urging people to check for cancer warning...

22 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today