Do I have to have my food next to old bearnaise?
Work environment We have a shared refrigerator in the dining room that is never emptied of old items.
Answer: Ugh, that sounds disgusting. Old food leftovers in a refrigerator that smells bad create irritation and discord in the workplace. The purpose of having a canteen is for employees to be able to eat in hygienic conditions and get the relaxation they need. Unfortunately, the problem of disgusting refrigerators is not uncommon. It sounds strange that the safety representative is not willing to raise the issue or that HR cannot give you any tips on what you can do.
At my old workplace, our cleaners threw away all the old food every Monday morning. It was part of their cleaning routine. You say you have a canteen, that sounds like a larger workplace. That might indicate that it could be part of the cleaners' duties, but then it would have to be sanctioned by the employer, as it could be an increased cost.
It is the employer's responsibility to ensure that the working environment is satisfactory. This responsibility includes ensuring that the canteen has a good hygienic standard. All employers are responsible for implementing systematic work environment work, in which employees and safety representatives must participate. Safety representatives must actively participate in planning changes to staff areas.
If you have workplace meetings, you must raise the issue there. Ultimately, you can raise it in your safety committee, if you have one.
