Rank: Guest 
|
Posted By osazemen
Hello All,
I want to find out if it is wrong to eat lunch at your office desk.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Simone Granger
Sad but not wrong. (Though I suspect someone will say it's less hygenic than licking the lavatory bowl).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By jervis
Nothing wrong with it apart from getting crumbs in your keyboard.
Apart from that its not healthy if you are working through lunch with out a break.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Chris Packham
Simon
I am not worried about the staphylococcus epidermidis on my desk. The e-coli on the toilet seat would be of concern!
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By MT
So I guess you're asking if there is a Regulation somewhere which states that employees must be provided with a canteen or somewhere other than their desk where they can eat lunch? The Workplace Regs do state that facilities should be provided for breaks and for employees who regularly eat meals at the workplace, however, looking at the guidance, as long as you're not "subject to excessive disturbance" during your break, then your desk is fine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Tabs
It is not wrong to eat at your desk if you want to do so, and your employer allows it.
Not aware of any side effects either - many people work their lunchtime ... even those moving away from their desk will walk here and there, or pop to the shops, or the bank etc. Not many people that I observe actually rest during lunch - so I am not sure how the argument goes for not moving away from the desk. Some people prefer it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Chris Packham
Oops! My apologies for leaving off the final "e" Simone. Unintentional typo, I assure you.
I too was not being entirely serious. But there is so much misinformation around about bacteria, superbugs, etc. that sometimes I just have to have a go!
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Granville Jenkins
Just to put a little flavour to the discussion - the 'Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations Section 25(1) states "Suitable and sufficient rest facilities shall be provided at readily accessible places" and 25(5)states "Suitable and sufficient facilities shall be provided for persons at work to eat meals where meals are regularly eaten in the workplace".
The emphasis is on 'SHALL' not should or could provide . . .
The Regulations do not specify the extent of the welfare facilities that an employer must provide, but they do put the onus on the employer to ensure that what is provided shall be suitable and sufficient, which means that some thought must go into the decision making process. Shall' is an absolute term there is no arbitary 'should' or 'could'.
The Regulations fall under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA). The Regulations are approved by Parliament and are law, therefore it could be argued that people eating at their office desk on a regular basis are breaking the law and could leave the employer open to prosecution for breach of the Regulations and the HSWA.
Regards
Granville
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Chris Packham
Granville
As I read the regulation it is incumbent upon the employer to provide the facilities. There is nothing that states that the employee shall use them. If he or she prefers to eat at the desk, then that is their choice.
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By MT
Granville, though you are, of course, technically correct, it is highly unlikely that a prosecution would be brought against a company whose employees have to eat their lunch at their desk in an office environment because a separate room for this has not been provided. In a factory, things are very much different, and foodstuffs may become contaminated, plus people wouldn't have desks and chairs to use.
But in an office? There's a chair and desk, and one can ignore the telephone and turn the PC off. Besides, before taking any form of enforcement action, officers should always ask themselves "Whose health and safety would be improved by my actions?" and I think the answer in this case would be "no-one's".
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Brian Hagyard
Granville
If you go on to read paragraph 228 of the ACOP for the Workplace regs it says that in offices and other reasonably clean areas work seats in the work area are OK as long as no excessive disturbance so as long as reg 2(a) does not apply it looks like its OK to eat at your desk and the employer does not need to provide a separate rest room.
Brian
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Sean Warburton
You should really take a break away from your PC i suppose, if your on it all day working and then surfing at break (just assuming) then you could increase the risk of posture problems and eye strain. But i wouldn't loose any sleep over it to be honest:)
Sean
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.