Training resource

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A scenario training resource for facilitating discussions about accessing hygiene facilities on the move

Accessing hygiene facilities on the move is challenging for many mobile workers and difficult to discuss. Scenarios can help ease discussions around tacit knowledge and potentially sensitive topics. All of the scenarios listed here are based on real-life examples shared with us. This resource has been developed to increase awareness of the challenges and facilitate discussions between organisations, their employees and anyone with a responsibility for public health.

Email s.rutter@sheffield.ac.uk if you woud like to receive these scenarios on printed cards. We have a limited number to give away. We would also be interested to hear about how this resource has been used, what was useful and what could be improved.

Instructions and supporting questions

These scenarios are designed to facilitate group discussion. Read one or more scenarios and then in your group answer the following questions:

  • What might be the challenges associated with this scenario? 
  • What might happen in practice?
  • What could be done to support the worker in this scenario?

When you have finished reading the scenarios answer the following questions:

  • Did you learn anything from these scenarios?
  • Did anything surprise you?
  • Are there scenarios missing that you think are important to consider?
  • Which of these scenarios are most challenging?

Scenarios

These scenarios, reported to us by participants in our research, encapsulate numerous dimensions of hygiene at work, including but not limited to, hand hygiene, toilet access, provision and supporting personal hygiene and the care and hygiene of others. Some scenarios are generic and are situations common to all those work the move, others are more specific to particular occupations. Choose scenarios that are relevant and of interest to you.

General

A worker has eczema and the handwashing facilities available aggravate their skin.

A worker has a health condition that requires urgent access to the toilet.

A worker needs guidance on hygiene policy and procedures.

Before a visit, a worker wishes to reassure a client that good hygiene practices are being followed.

When working in the city centre, a worker needs to access hygiene facilities. Only commercial premises are available at this time.

A tour organiser is responsible for a group of people on a visit to the countryside. The group ask the organiser about the provision of hygiene facilities.

Community care worker

A community care worker is between home visits and needs to access hygiene facilities.

A community care worker washes their hands in a client’s kitchen but cannot find available towels to dry them.

It’s day one for a new community care worker. They are provided with a hygiene pack before they set off for the day. What’s in the pack? How might the pack be used or adapted over time?

Community Youth Support

A community youth worker is supporting a young person who they are solely responsible for. While working in the city centre, the youth worker needs to access hygiene facilities.

A community care worker is supporting a child in the park when the child needs to access hygiene facilities.

Construction and maintenance

A builder is working at the top of a scaffolded building on a large building site. There is a portaloo but it is at the other side of the building site.

After fixing a boiler (which is in the same area as toilet facilities), a heating engineer asks to use the toilet. They are denied access.

Police

A uniformed police officer has been called to a domestic incident. They need to use the toilet upon arrival.

A plain clothes police officer attends a crime scene. They will be attending for several hours with limited access to facilities.

A police officer has run out of gloves but must attend an accident.

Delivery driver

A parcel delivery driver is halfway through a round with 150 stops. The round must be covered in under 8 hours, but the nearest accessible toilet requires a 15 minute detour.

A fast food courier is delivering an order to a customer. The food container splits and spills sauce over the courier’s hands and clothes.

Sound engineer

An engineer’s hands are dirty from handling equipment. They are hoping to quickly eat lunch but know they might be called suddenly to do another task.

Mobile hairdresser

A mobile hairdresser needs to wash chemicals off their brushes. They are a long way from home but do not feel comfortable asking to use clients’ facilities.

A mobile hairdresser visits a new client but is concerned that the client has impetigo.

Travel photographer

A travel photographer is taking photos in the countryside. The shoot will take all day so they have to consider the facilities available in nearby villages.

Archivist

Someone who routinely handles delicate artefacts is informed that commercially available sanitiser gels and soaps (including those used in the workplace washroom) will damage the artefacts.

Gardener

A gardener is spending the day working for a charity in a suburban, community garden that is popular with parents and children. There are no accessible facilities nearby.