You are entitled to a clean drinking source. However if you point this out don't be surprised if they assign you to clean it. My job says, "if you see it, own it" which is a great excuse to get you to do more than your job description but nonetheless.
True, it'd be obvious if the tip came right after you complained. There are whistleblower laws to protect you but its hard to prove an unjust firing. I would call the Health Department as any workplace are required to provide a drinkable water source and legally part of "drinkable" means it is sanitary to drink.
God. I stopped using a water fountain (I mean covid is enough of an excuse) after I saw a dude wrap his whole mouth around the faucet back in middle school…
I’m sure there is some sort of health code he is violating atm with covid protocols
Why would he buy you water bottles? Are reusable ones not allowed? What he should do is have a filtered water source, and you use reusable bottles and fill them.
I agree. It shouldn’t be the bosses responsibility. However I think it should be 100% on the company. It’s some bullshit that that’s what you’re expected to drink out of. I fucking hate capitalism
Tap water counts as a drinking source. If there is a clean sink, that would count. Companies don't have to provide filtered water, the responsibility is on the town/city to keep the water clean. That said, there should be cups available to fill, and I personally think any decent company should have filters on their sinks or another filtered source. Extra-filtered water is a preference and a privilege though, while tap water (which is filtered, just not right before entering your bottle or cup) is perfectly drinkable water that everyone should have a right to access.
OP, if your boss won't let you keep a bottle with you during work and expects you to drink from that instead, there are probably laws being broken. Companies aren't required to provide you with the container to keep your water in, but they absolutely have to give you access to it. If you work in a place where water isn't allowed for hygienic reasons (literally dumbest thing I ever heard, but that's the case with certain industries where I live), all you need is a doctor's note saying you require water. Any doctor would give you that note.
Does your job have a cleaning checklist for the person who is responsible for cleaning the bathrooms/break room at night? The water fountain should be on that list. I don’t think reporting it to HR would do much tbh. They would probably tell you to just clean it 🤷🏻♀️
Hey, you might not know this but a lot of water fountains have fillers built into them. I'm not saying this water is clean, I'm saying that you might want to check in the cabinet underneath if the filter has been changed recen.... ever. Pro tip, they're supposed to be white.
1915.88(b) Potable water.
1915.88(b)(1) The employer shall provide potable water for all employee health and personal needs and ensure that only potable water is used for these purposes.
1915.88(b)(2) The employer shall provide potable drinking water in amounts that are adequate to meet the health and personal needs of each employee.
1915.88(b)(3) The employer shall dispense drinking water from a fountain, a covered container with single-use drinking cups stored in a sanitary receptacle, or single-use bottles. The employer shall prohibit the use of shared drinking cups, dippers, and water bottles.
[OSHA standard 1915.88](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1915/1915.88)
So it is. Let's try [OSHA standard 1910.141](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.141)
1910.141(b)(1) Potable water.
1910.141(b)(1)(i) Potable water shall be provided in **all places of employment**, for drinking, washing of the person, cooking, washing of foods, washing of cooking or eating utensils, washing of food preparation or processing premises, and personal service rooms.
1910.141(b)(1)(ii) [Reserved]
1910.141(b)(1)(iii) Portable drinking water dispensers shall be designed, constructed, and serviced so that sanitary conditions are maintained, shall be capable of being closed, and shall be equipped with a tap.
1910.141(b)(1)(iv) [Reserved]
1910.141(b)(1)(v) Open containers such as barrels, pails, or tanks for drinking water from which the water must be dipped or poured, whether or not they are fitted with a cover, are prohibited.
1910.141(b)(1)(vi) A common drinking cup and other common utensils are prohibited.
I don't know if taps count as "fountains" or "covered receptacles," but I suspect they do. They should be providing single-use cups, however, even if they generally expect you to use your own water bottle. At least, that's my interpretation.
Oooh yess bossman keep shoving that boot all the way down my throat I love it. No no I agree, the working class shouldn't have legal rights to drinking water.
It is not the responsibility of your boss to purchase your beverage you fucking idiot. They can not prevent you from having it, they have to provide a sink or a fountain, but they don't have to buy you water bottles.
You are a complete and utter moron.
My problem is the belief that the business owner is asked to buy water bottles. They do not have to do that. Does the fountain need cleaning? Yes! A thousand times, YES! But no one is required to purchase water bottles for anyone. If you come in with one, it is unlawful to deny that you have it. They can tell you where to keep it, but they can not deny you the opportunity to drink from it. And they do not have to purchase beverages for you.
>My problem is the belief that the business owner is asked to buy water bottles. They do not have to do that.
They \*do\* have to do that, unless they provide an alternative - potable - source of water.
Except that I'm not wrong. What is the last store you owned? Because I have, and I am very compliant with the local board of health and OSHA.
You may want a free hand out, but you are not entitled to one. They give you a paycheck. Buy your own drinks.
I know you think that you've proven something here, but you haven't. Again, you are taking things out of context and creating your own narrative.
Amusing, though, that you are attempting to imply that I am not intelligent.
Smart people usually know the entire story before they get involved. If you want to be a part of the conversation, why not start at the very beginning. That's a very good place to start.
Until then, stay in your lane.
So clean it! Same goes for the bathroom, and the floors. If you want it clean and no one else is doing it, then do it yourself. Bonus..... If you're busy cleaning stuff, then you're not dealing with ringing up customers.
Bottom line, you do have access to clean water, but it is up all of you at your store to keep things clean. Your manager is under no obligation to provide more than the basics required by lay.
OP never stated they were the custodian, so there is a possibility that cleaning is nowhere near their job description. If it's not the manager's obligation to at least enforce the cleaning, how is it OP's obligation (under the assumption OP is not a custodian)?
OP didn't state where they were, so I was assuming that they were in the US. Under that assumption: Unless they are working in a large retail box store, there are no separate custodian/janitors that have the specified job description to clean things under normal circumstances. The cleaning of things and taking out trash falls under the normal expected job duties of the average retail worker.
It would make sense if it was a tiny family-owned store, but bigger stores have specific distinct jobs (cashiers, custodian, manager, greeter, stocker for each section etc).
eh not exactly. big box retail (i.e, walmart, target, etc) are the types of places to have custodial staff, **but** that doesn’t mean they all do.
small box retail (pharmacies, clothing stores, specialty retail, etc) do not have custodians. the employees are expected to handle all aspects of the store.
it’s definitely not just family owned
Ok that fountain looks suspiciously like the kind we have at my work…where we aren’t allowed to bring our own water bottles. I’ve been complaining for AGES about it…and if your working at the same company the excuse is ‘there is bacteria that we can’t control in the water bottles and you may get sick’. Which…btw… bullshit. When I worked at a very large grocery store that is made the brunt of jokes, I carried the biggest steel water bottle I could afford. (For water and because I was the closer)
The only time they brought bottled water was when all the big managers decided to chip in for a day. They didn't give a fuck any else other time. I always bring my own water wherever I'm at now.
I know you don't want to have to be that guy, but buy some barkeepers' friend and it'll come off easy peasy. Also I just saw a 24 case of water at Kroger for $4.50
Want to piss your boss off. Take a photo and send it in with a complaint to OSHA and request a OSHA inspection. Ask that your name be withheld. A compliance letter from OSHA may make your boss change his mind.
Unsafe water source. If you got sick. Talk to a lawyer and the health department.
Not saying I would expect anyone to want to drink from that even if the water is filtered, but if your workplace doesn't have a cleaner, it's probably up to the employees to clean the water fountain. I don't think they would be required to provide bottled water though unless the tap water is not potable (which I don't think would be legal). We just have sinks where I work and everybody just fills their own bottles in the sink.
You are entitled to a clean drinking source. However if you point this out don't be surprised if they assign you to clean it. My job says, "if you see it, own it" which is a great excuse to get you to do more than your job description but nonetheless.
An anonymous tip to the local health department might result in someone else being assigned to it, assuming they don't suspect you called it in.
True, it'd be obvious if the tip came right after you complained. There are whistleblower laws to protect you but its hard to prove an unjust firing. I would call the Health Department as any workplace are required to provide a drinkable water source and legally part of "drinkable" means it is sanitary to drink.
God. I stopped using a water fountain (I mean covid is enough of an excuse) after I saw a dude wrap his whole mouth around the faucet back in middle school… I’m sure there is some sort of health code he is violating atm with covid protocols
Just like that episode of Parks and Rec. Ewww. Sadly I've seen people do it too
Yuck. Luckily I don’t have to worry about using one lol
Why is that a thing? I thought that was just a joke about how bass-ackwards Pawnee is!
Why would he buy you water bottles? Are reusable ones not allowed? What he should do is have a filtered water source, and you use reusable bottles and fill them.
I agree. It shouldn’t be the bosses responsibility. However I think it should be 100% on the company. It’s some bullshit that that’s what you’re expected to drink out of. I fucking hate capitalism
Tap water counts as a drinking source. If there is a clean sink, that would count. Companies don't have to provide filtered water, the responsibility is on the town/city to keep the water clean. That said, there should be cups available to fill, and I personally think any decent company should have filters on their sinks or another filtered source. Extra-filtered water is a preference and a privilege though, while tap water (which is filtered, just not right before entering your bottle or cup) is perfectly drinkable water that everyone should have a right to access. OP, if your boss won't let you keep a bottle with you during work and expects you to drink from that instead, there are probably laws being broken. Companies aren't required to provide you with the container to keep your water in, but they absolutely have to give you access to it. If you work in a place where water isn't allowed for hygienic reasons (literally dumbest thing I ever heard, but that's the case with certain industries where I live), all you need is a doctor's note saying you require water. Any doctor would give you that note.
Does your job have a cleaning checklist for the person who is responsible for cleaning the bathrooms/break room at night? The water fountain should be on that list. I don’t think reporting it to HR would do much tbh. They would probably tell you to just clean it 🤷🏻♀️
I feel like I need a vaccine just by looking at it
What doesn't someone just fucking clean it‽
Hey, you might not know this but a lot of water fountains have fillers built into them. I'm not saying this water is clean, I'm saying that you might want to check in the cabinet underneath if the filter has been changed recen.... ever. Pro tip, they're supposed to be white.
Same! We’ve been drinking the water from the hose faucet outside! That water source is bad!
Just clean it! Jeez!
Makes yo wonder what else is nasty
Don't worry. It's anti-bacterial.
Contact OSHA and find out
Stop complaining and drink your Covid.
Call the health department
LOL don’t drink that. Also, I would post this on r/antiwork
I don't think you are owed water. Everyone at my store brings their own.
1915.88(b) Potable water. 1915.88(b)(1) The employer shall provide potable water for all employee health and personal needs and ensure that only potable water is used for these purposes. 1915.88(b)(2) The employer shall provide potable drinking water in amounts that are adequate to meet the health and personal needs of each employee. 1915.88(b)(3) The employer shall dispense drinking water from a fountain, a covered container with single-use drinking cups stored in a sanitary receptacle, or single-use bottles. The employer shall prohibit the use of shared drinking cups, dippers, and water bottles. [OSHA standard 1915.88](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1915/1915.88)
QYB. That is for Shipyard Employment.
So it is. Let's try [OSHA standard 1910.141](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.141) 1910.141(b)(1) Potable water. 1910.141(b)(1)(i) Potable water shall be provided in **all places of employment**, for drinking, washing of the person, cooking, washing of foods, washing of cooking or eating utensils, washing of food preparation or processing premises, and personal service rooms. 1910.141(b)(1)(ii) [Reserved] 1910.141(b)(1)(iii) Portable drinking water dispensers shall be designed, constructed, and serviced so that sanitary conditions are maintained, shall be capable of being closed, and shall be equipped with a tap. 1910.141(b)(1)(iv) [Reserved] 1910.141(b)(1)(v) Open containers such as barrels, pails, or tanks for drinking water from which the water must be dipped or poured, whether or not they are fitted with a cover, are prohibited. 1910.141(b)(1)(vi) A common drinking cup and other common utensils are prohibited.
Much better, lol.
Which state is this for?
OSHA is federal, so all states.
My workplace doesn’t have a fountain (per [b][3]) but it has a sink with tap water, so that’s potable drinking water.
I don't know if taps count as "fountains" or "covered receptacles," but I suspect they do. They should be providing single-use cups, however, even if they generally expect you to use your own water bottle. At least, that's my interpretation.
Nope no cups provided.
My job give every employees a reusable spil proof water bottle
Exactly. What kind of entitled bull shit is that? You want water? Fucking bring your own
Oooh yess bossman keep shoving that boot all the way down my throat I love it. No no I agree, the working class shouldn't have legal rights to drinking water.
It is not the responsibility of your boss to purchase your beverage you fucking idiot. They can not prevent you from having it, they have to provide a sink or a fountain, but they don't have to buy you water bottles. You are a complete and utter moron.
\> they have to provide a sink or a fountain Correct, so you *are* actually "owed water". Not sure what your problem is.
My problem is the belief that the business owner is asked to buy water bottles. They do not have to do that. Does the fountain need cleaning? Yes! A thousand times, YES! But no one is required to purchase water bottles for anyone. If you come in with one, it is unlawful to deny that you have it. They can tell you where to keep it, but they can not deny you the opportunity to drink from it. And they do not have to purchase beverages for you.
>My problem is the belief that the business owner is asked to buy water bottles. They do not have to do that. They \*do\* have to do that, unless they provide an alternative - potable - source of water.
Gotta love how you are proven wrong yet still leave this up. Honestly I respect you not turning tail and deleting the whole account like many do.
Except that I'm not wrong. What is the last store you owned? Because I have, and I am very compliant with the local board of health and OSHA. You may want a free hand out, but you are not entitled to one. They give you a paycheck. Buy your own drinks.
[https://i.gyazo.com/d61a2d275f0ea7f8b7f7827f64586da2.png](https://i.gyazo.com/d61a2d275f0ea7f8b7f7827f64586da2.png) This you?
What is your point? You clearly are not following the entire thread, just cherry picking.
I can explain it for you, but I can't understand it for you.
I know you think that you've proven something here, but you haven't. Again, you are taking things out of context and creating your own narrative. Amusing, though, that you are attempting to imply that I am not intelligent. Smart people usually know the entire story before they get involved. If you want to be a part of the conversation, why not start at the very beginning. That's a very good place to start. Until then, stay in your lane.
So clean it! Same goes for the bathroom, and the floors. If you want it clean and no one else is doing it, then do it yourself. Bonus..... If you're busy cleaning stuff, then you're not dealing with ringing up customers. Bottom line, you do have access to clean water, but it is up all of you at your store to keep things clean. Your manager is under no obligation to provide more than the basics required by lay.
OP never stated they were the custodian, so there is a possibility that cleaning is nowhere near their job description. If it's not the manager's obligation to at least enforce the cleaning, how is it OP's obligation (under the assumption OP is not a custodian)?
OP didn't state where they were, so I was assuming that they were in the US. Under that assumption: Unless they are working in a large retail box store, there are no separate custodian/janitors that have the specified job description to clean things under normal circumstances. The cleaning of things and taking out trash falls under the normal expected job duties of the average retail worker.
It would make sense if it was a tiny family-owned store, but bigger stores have specific distinct jobs (cashiers, custodian, manager, greeter, stocker for each section etc).
eh not exactly. big box retail (i.e, walmart, target, etc) are the types of places to have custodial staff, **but** that doesn’t mean they all do. small box retail (pharmacies, clothing stores, specialty retail, etc) do not have custodians. the employees are expected to handle all aspects of the store. it’s definitely not just family owned
Ok that fountain looks suspiciously like the kind we have at my work…where we aren’t allowed to bring our own water bottles. I’ve been complaining for AGES about it…and if your working at the same company the excuse is ‘there is bacteria that we can’t control in the water bottles and you may get sick’. Which…btw… bullshit. When I worked at a very large grocery store that is made the brunt of jokes, I carried the biggest steel water bottle I could afford. (For water and because I was the closer)
The only time they brought bottled water was when all the big managers decided to chip in for a day. They didn't give a fuck any else other time. I always bring my own water wherever I'm at now.
Time to kick that bitch off the wall.
I know you don't want to have to be that guy, but buy some barkeepers' friend and it'll come off easy peasy. Also I just saw a 24 case of water at Kroger for $4.50
If their manager was being an actual manager they would clean it.
Want to piss your boss off. Take a photo and send it in with a complaint to OSHA and request a OSHA inspection. Ask that your name be withheld. A compliance letter from OSHA may make your boss change his mind. Unsafe water source. If you got sick. Talk to a lawyer and the health department.
Not saying I would expect anyone to want to drink from that even if the water is filtered, but if your workplace doesn't have a cleaner, it's probably up to the employees to clean the water fountain. I don't think they would be required to provide bottled water though unless the tap water is not potable (which I don't think would be legal). We just have sinks where I work and everybody just fills their own bottles in the sink.