18.11.2019

Supervising toilet areas

It is good practice to have attendants in toilet areas to discourage a large build-up of people and the selling and use of drugs.

Naturally, it is particularly important to respect individuals’ privacy in this area and staff should be given clear guidelines which cover when it is appropriate for staff to try to enter a cubicle and when assistance should be sought, and from whom. These guidelines should also be communicated to customers via clear signs which also state that it is venue policy for only one person in a cubicle at any time.

Training to recognise individuals who are in distress through drug and/or alcohol use is also invaluable for toilet/cloakroom attendants.

Security staff should include toilet areas on their regular tours of inspection. Finally, all toilet areas should have a sharps bin installed so that any needles can be safely disposed of. Sharps bins can also be used by customers who have legitimate cause to use needles, for instance, in order to self-administer insulin for diabetes.