# Where/How can i report to Health and Safety about workplace.



## guideanna (19 Oct 2010)

Hi All,

Looking for some advise on where to go about making a report to Health and Safety about my place of work.
Apart from the fact that the place is beyond filthy there are a few things which i'm pretty sure are not compliant with regs.
We have no heating in the building and with the cold weather coming in again i can't face another winter in the office freezing to death, we had mice in our kitchen area last year and there was no exterminator called so presuming however they got in will still be available to them again this year.
There is black mould all over the wall in one of the rooms i carry work out in as a result of the damp and lack of heat in the place and from what i've heard that's actually quite dangerours to be around.
In our work room there is equipment and materials everywhere and we dont have clear walkways or even clear access to the bathroom.
Can anyone advise what i can do to try get this improved, director had no interest he just comes and goes as he pleases so doesn't have to sit for 8 hours a day in it.


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## pudds (19 Oct 2010)

Its the HSE who would deal with this. Here's a link....schroll down a bit and you will see another link for Environmental Office that would be the place to go afaik.  You might want to do it annoymously but thats up to you.

[broken link removed]


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## BazFitz (19 Oct 2010)

guideanna said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Looking for some advise on where to go about making a report to Health and Safety about my place of work.
> Apart from the fact that the place is beyond filthy there are a few things which i'm pretty sure are not compliant with regs.
> ...


 
I'm not defending your employer but if I were you I'd balance the arguments for reporting them to the relevant authorities against the danger of losing your job if the company's forced out of business.


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## Soulking (19 Oct 2010)

Contact HSA (LoCall: 1890 289 389 or Email: wcu@hsa.ie ) who will respect your privacy, but do heed bazfitz's comments in this economic climate.


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## Mpsox (19 Oct 2010)

BazFitz said:


> I'm not defending your employer but if I were you I'd balance the arguments for reporting them to the relevant authorities against the danger of losing your job if the company's forced out of business.


 
If i were the OP, I'd balance the arguement for reporting them to the relevant authorities against the danger of losing your job if the company's forced out of business against the risk of doing serious damage to your health or even getting killed. 

No job is worth potentially doing serious damage to your health.

Having said that, are there practical actions that staff can take themselves, eg tidying up/having a major clean out of old records etc?


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## BazFitz (19 Oct 2010)

Mpsox said:


> If i were the OP, I'd balance the arguement for reporting them to the relevant authorities against the danger of losing your job if the company's forced out of business against the risk of doing serious damage to your health or even getting killed.
> 
> No job is worth potentially doing serious damage to your health.
> 
> Having said that, are there practical actions that staff can take themselves, eg tidying up/having a major clean out of old records etc?


 
Aren't you being a little overdramatic?

The OP's workplace is a bit cold and he/she has to tread carefully en route to the toilet.

Now you're talking about people "getting killed".

All I'm suggesting is that the OP should consider the implications of reporting the employer.


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## Mpsox (19 Oct 2010)

BazFitz said:


> Aren't you being a little overdramatic?
> 
> The OP's workplace is a bit cold and he/she has to tread carefully en route to the toilet.
> 
> ...


 
The OPs workplace is cold, damp, with mouldy walls, rodent infestation, no heating and blocked walkways. It is not a healthy environment to work in. If that is the state of the visible office and the owners approach to the H&S of his staff then you have to wonder if you look more deeply, what else would you find? For example, Have fire extinguishers being serviced? has there ever been a fire drill? Is there clear access to fire exits, the list goes on.


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## Latrade (19 Oct 2010)

You should speak to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA.ie) and report any concerns there.

It is anonymous so you won't be identified and it is highly unlikely in any circumstance that you're about to lose your job due to them closing the place down. If you're concerned report the issue and don't worry.

In addition you are very clearly protected in law (about the only whistleblower protection) if you suffer any form of penalisation for making a complaint to the HSA. 

Don't be concerned, the system is set up to protect employees who raise a complaint. If you are genuinely concerned just report it.


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## guideanna (21 Oct 2010)

Thanks guys, only getting back to see the thread now.

Bazfitz they don't close down a company off the bat because they don't meet H&S regs my employers just need to clean the place up and look after it i'm not trying to get them shut down, and just because we're in a recession and i need my job doesn't mean i'm willing to put my health at risk. We had mice in our kitchen area where i used to prepare my lunch, black mould growing on the walls in my work room when inhaled can cause Pneumonia, i've already tripped numerous times over trolly's, boxes etc and i don't have clear walk ways in out or around the building which is just not safe.


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## pixiebean22 (21 Oct 2010)

Hi guideanna.  Just to reassure the company will most likely be visited by a health and safety rep from the HSE and they will carry out a review on the premises.  They will then compile a report and will send this to employer with instructions about what repairs they need to carry out etc and they will be given a set period of time to carry out these repairs and then the rep will visit again and ensure that the repairs have been carried out and the premises are up to standard.

It is highly unlikely the company will be put out of business nor significantly out of pocket over these repairs.  You are entitled to go to work in a comfortable environment, how do they expect you to do your job to the best of your ability if you're out sick due to the state of the building?


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## number7 (21 Oct 2010)

If I was your employer and you reported me to H&S or any outside agency I would treat that as a direct attack on my business and it would mark you out as an employee that I could do without, particularly if you had not addressed the concerns to me in the first place and given me the chance to rectify them.

I would suggest that you talk to your employer, point out the potential loss of productivity due to illness and accident and suggest a solution to the problem like a clean up day involving all the staff and owner, an intervention with the cleaner if that is part of it, an office roster for housekeeping etc. Particularly if there is recent evidence of absenteeism due to illness.

Some initiative would probably be recognised by your employer and the reaction may be better more positive put this way than as a complaint.

I never like a complaint without a suggestion of a solution as it suggests the motivation is genuine.


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## Purple (21 Oct 2010)

Good advice from Number7


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## Complainer (22 Oct 2010)

number7 said:


> particularly if you had not addressed the concerns to me in the first place and given me the chance to rectify them.


In most situations, I'd agree with this approach. If the situation is as the OP described, the employer shouldn't be sitting round waiting for a complaint. These issues should have been rectified by the employer long ago.


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## dmos87 (22 Oct 2010)

Complainer said:


> In most situations, I'd agree with this approach. If the situation is as the OP described, the employer shouldn't be sitting round waiting for a complaint. These issues should have been rectified by the employer long ago.


 
she has already mentioned he does not hang about and is in and out of the building all the time - they may not be aware. 

OP, have a talk with the other staff members and ask would they be willing to do a clean up some evening for a half hour before going home. Everyone benefits from the clean office environment. 

Once that is done, I would then approach the bossman and outline concerns about the mould and mice and give him suggestions on how to do this as cheaply and efficiently as possible. 

I would only escalate the complaint to the HSE if you are ignored on all counts of the above.

And get an electric heater!


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## Complainer (22 Oct 2010)

dmos87 said:


> she has already mentioned he does not hang about and is in and out of the building all the time - they may not be aware.


If he's in and out all the time, he should be aware. Even if he's never there, he has a legal duty to manage the safety of the environment of the workplace, so he should have delegated this duty (and appropriate resources) to someone else. You need a better excuse than 'he does not hang about' to get past the Safety Health and Welfare At Work Act.



dmos87 said:


> OP, have a talk with the other staff members and ask would they be willing to do a clean up some evening for a half hour before going home. Everyone benefits from the clean office environment.


Bad advice. You never know what you'll find when you start digging around. You'll be putting yourself at risk of Weil's disease and other conditions.


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## number7 (26 Oct 2010)

While I agree with Complainer regarding the employers responsabilities I still think that the first port of call should be to give the employer an oppertunity to rectify the working conditions.

I would not hesitate to contact the HSA in the event of a lack of immeadiate action on the employers part but fairness and decency should dictate that it be brought to the employers attention first.


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## Purple (26 Oct 2010)

I think the less officious and more reasonable the complainant sounds the better things will go. They don’t need to sound apologetic but they shouldn’t sound confrontational either. If the employer won’t sort things out then they are not much of an employer (or person) so at that stage I’d make the complaint to the HSA but not before trying to be constructive.


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## ajapale (26 Oct 2010)

Hi ,

Are you a member of a trade union? I know of some progressive public and private sector companies who work closely with their employees' tu's to improve H&S in the workplace.

aj


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## Plek Trum (28 Oct 2010)

I would suggest mentioning it to your employer directly first - request if there is any possiblity of 'getting a cleaner in and perhaps a pest controller' as you have seen mice and that the place needs a good overhaul generally. 

 Perhaps you can suggest that you and another staff member be excused from your work duties for a day or two and spend the time tidying and organising the place a bit, that you "don't mind doing that, it needs to be done badly because it's getting dangerous".

You maybe surprised, s/he may appreciate the help and committment from you.  If they don't agree then you have no choice but to report to HSA.


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