Penny not needed

As shops, restaurants and businesses open up in line with the current easing of lockdown restrictions, drivers and delivery colleagues will have more options and should be able to access toilet facilities.

If in rare cases this is difficult, a letter has been produced by the Department for Transport and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to reassure drivers and to remind businesses of their obligations under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, to provide suitable toilet and hand washing facilities to drivers visiting their premises.

Businesses which make or receive deliveries, should ensure that drivers have easy and safe access to toilets and hand washing facilities to support their health and wellbeing whilst carrying out their important work, which supports the economy.

Preventing access is against the law. Regulations 20 and 21 state that suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences and washing facilities shall be provided at readily accessible places and that hot and cold running water and soap must be available to use.

While this obligation for businesses is not new, ensuring that hygiene facilities are made available to colleagues is especially important during the current Covid-19 crisis, to help tackle the spread of the virus, at a time when there are fewer locations operating with facilities for colleagues to use.