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Roundtuit  
#1 Posted : 19 June 2023 14:21:24(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Seeing the latest HSE safety bulletin https://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/popup-toilets.htm how did the design get signed off?

Starting the controls at elimination how do you end up with a moving structure and underground chamber?

Roundtuit  
#2 Posted : 19 June 2023 14:21:24(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Seeing the latest HSE safety bulletin https://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/popup-toilets.htm how did the design get signed off?

Starting the controls at elimination how do you end up with a moving structure and underground chamber?

peter gotch  
#3 Posted : 19 June 2023 15:57:44(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

Hi Rountuit

Difficult to answer your question without being tempted to use language that is prohibited by the Forum Rules.

But three words with the second and third being Poor Planning comes to mind.

...and somebody's movements went astray.

chris42  
#4 Posted : 19 June 2023 16:14:28(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris42

But if they didn’t have toilets that go up and down unnecessarily, they wouldn’t be able to charge so much for them. Additionally let’s not forget the ongoing maintenance charges that will go on for years afterwards.

Are we living in the stone age where toilets are just there in full view all the time, so people could see them.

While stuck in traffic a few weeks ago without moving an inch for 1 ½ hours on the M4, people were happy enough to pee on the grass verge.

Messey  
#5 Posted : 19 June 2023 20:25:16(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Messey

A little bit more here The tragic incident happened in London's theatre district in January  ​​​​​​​https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-64581570

firesafety101  
#6 Posted : 20 June 2023 09:52:56(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
firesafety101

Someone was obviously thinking outside the 'box' when these were invented and probably filled a 'hole' in the convenience market.

As it was hydraulic surely there would be a simple lever to shut off the hydraulics and prevent it lowering, unless there was a leakage of the fluid.

As we don't know if there was a procedure and if so was it followed we shouldn't guess as to what went wrong.  tragic for the guy and his family.  I hope they are adequately compensated. 

A Kurdziel  
#7 Posted : 20 June 2023 10:37:42(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

The Victorians invented public toilets. Before them people just went were the could even if it was in the middle of the pavement in the middle of the town.  This was a) unhygienic, especially  if the entire population of London had decided  that the wanted to relive themselves at Piccadilly Circus

 and b) shocking to Victorian sensibilities.

Thu toilets that they created were intended  to be  a clear safe environment for respectable people to their business. As a result,  they usually had full time attendant, who would get a tip from their customers and worked hard to present as clean a facility as possible. Let’s move to the end of the 20th century: local councils are finding it difficult to  staff these facilities, often they rely on roving contractors who do not have the necessary motivation to do a good job: they simply visit them once a day, give it a once over and hope for the best. Some councils realise that they do not have a statutory duty to run these toilets and so the close them down especial as the increasingly grubby facilities are being used by people for less salubrious purpose for which they were not intended.  Other councils want to do something and note that fact there is a crisis in the provision of  public toilets.   The automated pop up toilets which are self cleaning provide a possible solution:

  • They are not somewhere for dodgy people to congregate
  • They do  not requite attendances to clean and supervise them
  • They do not take up expensive space on our pavements

In the tragedy  involved a maintenance worker being trapped  underneath a pop up as it started to descend. In some ways it is a typical  maintain accident: machinery starts up while someone is inside carry out a task. PUWER makes it quite clear that such operations need to be carefully managed. Did that happen here. Interestingly no one suggests that we should ban production lines (because we have all grown up with them)  but some people think that the pop up toilet is intrinsically a daft idea. How many people have been injured in accidents involving conveyor belts and the like?  

thanks 1 user thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
peter gotch on 20/06/2023(UTC)
HSSnail  
#8 Posted : 20 June 2023 11:30:26(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
HSSnail

Originally Posted by: Roundtuit Go to Quoted Post

Seeing the latest HSE safety bulletin https://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/popup-toilets.htm how did the design get signed off?

Starting the controls at elimination how do you end up with a moving structure and underground chamber?

They were installed 20 years ago. A lot can change in that time. Obviously we dont know the full details - but i am guesing you need access to the "pit" for maintance, just like a lift shaft. The HSE bulletin does not make it clear what had happened - so should a fixed brace have been used. As Fire safety says its on a hydrolic system, i have know people rely on these and if a leak develops they get into a lot of trouble. Lots of questions to aske during the investigation into this tragic accident.

thanks 1 user thanked HSSnail for this useful post.
peter gotch on 20/06/2023(UTC)
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