'Disgusting' toilets exposed at construction site

The pictures of the welfare facilities were provided to Unite by a whistleblower who was concerned about the conditions at the site. The photos show broken urinals, overflowing bins and a blocked toilet.
 
Parc Adfer is the first site that Unite has ‘named and shamed’ for the poor quality of its toilets after having promised to do so earlier this month when it highlighted how tens of thousands of UK workers are being denied toilet dignity.
 
Unite says that the discovery of the substandard welfare conditions follows a series of protests at the site at the refusal of both the client, US based company Wheelabrator, and the main contractor, French based company CNIM, to adhere to industrial agreements on the site.
 
The work is being undertaken on behalf of the North Wales Residual Waste Treatment project which comprises five north Wales council, led by Flintshire county council.

Unite said: "Employers have a clear duty to provide decent toilets and washing facilities as part of the Welfare (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, with separate regulations applying to the construction industry. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) administers these regulations and while it has the power to take legal action this rarely occurs."
 
Unite regional officer Steve Benson added: “Construction workers especially at this time of year work long hours in difficult conditions and they have an absolute right to be able to use clean and comfortable welfare facilities. These workers are being denied toilet dignity."
 
He concluded: “Unite will now be contacting the HSE with our evidence and asking it to take urgent action to relieve the misery currently being experienced by the Parc Adfer workforce.”