Drivers have faced a lack of appropriate facilities for many years, both at the roadside and when making deliveries. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic this issue has been significantly exacerbated, causing a further erosion of drivers’ working conditions.

Usdaw is clear that sites should meet their legal obligations and ensure that all drivers are provided with safe and easy access to welfare facilities such as toilets and handwashing facilities. Alongside this, the Government must provide clear instructions to all locations accepting deliveries from drivers about their requirement to provide welfare facilities and must develop clear best practice guidance.

Mark Todd - Usdaw National Officer says: “Drivers have worked tirelessly as key workers throughout the pandemic period, keeping the country running by delivering essential supplies. It is a disgrace that many drivers report being denied access to the most basic facilities, such as toilets, whilst carrying out their essential roles.

“Drivers deserve to be treated with dignity at work, and must be able to access clean toilet facilities at sites where they are making a delivery. Being unable to access welfare facilities is a real health and safety risk, especially during the ongoing pandemic, when the failure to provide acceptable facilities could increase the transmission of coronavirus.

“The Government’s temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours rules has also increased the importance of drivers having suitable places to rest and access facilities. Poor facilities for drivers are making the industry less attractive and causing issues with recruitment and retention, at a time when there is a national shortage of drivers.”

Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with over 380,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades.
 
World Toilet Day www.worldtoiletday.info is promoted by the United Nations UN Water campaign organisation www.unwater.org
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion