Seperate Toilets

[emmad]

Hi.. Can someone please help me, the company i am in at the moment are moving premises in the new premises there is a toilet downstairs for the men, but upstairs there is 1 door leading into 2 cubicles with 1 handbasin which is going to be used for the girls and the men...Can anyone tell me if this is legal..or do they have to give us separate toilets? Please help as this is freakng me out
Thanks in advance
Emma

[Mumof2]

http://www.worksmart.org.uk/health/toilets_and _washrooms

this may help

[CheekyChops]

According to what I found, men and women have to have separate toilets:

Does my employer have to provide separate male and female loos?
Yes, The Workplace Regulations (1992) state under Regulation 20 that employers need to provide separate rooms containing toilets for men and women.

Toilets used by women must also be provided with facilities for disposing of sanitary towels.

[riskman]

Unisex facilities are acceptable and Reg 20 as quoted actually says this -
Men and women should have separate toilet and shower facilities unless each facility is in a separate room with a lockable door, and is for use by only one person at a time. -
for 1-5 employees a single seater is Ok
for 6-25 employees 2 closets are required etc.
Afraid the worksmart advice is incorrect (again)

emmad - you should be able to lock the outer door you don't have to except a man standing in the next cubicle but your employer is entitled to use the facility for both sexes - hope this helps...

[bednobs]

i work in a big pct building (nhs)
we have unisex loos, but they are individual "rooms" not big washrooms.
If you can lock the outside door it will be lawful

[riskman]

I should have added that the normal arrangement is for there to be a seperate urinal, one closet and a hand wash basin - it is unusual just to share the toilet (lid up lid down issues) although provided the facility can be secured as described (outer door) it is still not an issue...

[emmad]

Thanks to everyone who answered my question!! much appreciated

[chazza]

Hi
I work for the government and the building next to me (also UK government) has just got cubicles which are unisex. We had to use them when ours were being refurbished and they are literally just like ordinary female toilets with cubicle doors!