Mice, Rats And Cockroaches: Heathrow Workers Flag ‘Damning’ Hygiene Issues

Hundreds of Heathrow workers have raised concerns over pests and poor hygiene at Britain’s flagship airport, with Unite calling for urgent action after a staff survey laid out complaints across the site, according to a report by Telegraph.

More than 250 workers reported seeing mice, rats or cockroaches during their shifts, according to the poll by Unite. At least a third of respondents also said they had fallen ill because of poor hygiene at Heathrow.

What Did The Heathrow Workers’ Survey Find?

Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, called Heathrow’s staff facilities an “utter disgrace”. The union stated it is urging Heathrow to carry out an immediate and comprehensive review of its cleaning standards and bring in a more stringent monitoring system.

“No worker should risk their health because their employer systematically failed to provide basic facilities,” she said.

She added, as quoted by Telegraph, “Heathrow Airport Limited can more than afford to ensure workers have decent facilities. It is high time that Heathrow made this a priority and Unite will ensure this happens.”

The ‘damning’ survey was carried out by Unite and drew 1,600 responses. Overall, 82pc of respondents said there had been problems with workplace facilities over the past year.

Toilets were a major complaint. Some 61pc of workers said toilets were not clean, while almost every respondent said Heathrow Airport had failed to tackle the pest infestation quickly enough.

Workers described specific incidents. One worker said they had seen a mouse drinking from a water fountain. Unite said one worker had seen mice droppings in their food, coffee cup and locker.

What Did Workers Say About Conditions At Heathrow?

The complaints point to wider pressure on staff facilities at Heathrow, which is operating at maximum capacity. Around 85 million passengers transit through the airport each year and Heathrow employs 80,000 people across the entire site.

Space is tight. Workers claimed there is not enough room in communal areas and that this is piling pressure on shared facilities.

One worker said, “Our rest area is far too small for the amount of staff using it. It is also cluttered with coats and bags. There is no ventilation and a heating vent that stays warm, even in hot days.” In their area, the worker said, there is just one microwave and kettle shared by more than 30 people.

Unite has stepped up its criticism. Graham said, “No worker should risk their health because their employer systematically failed to provide basic facilities.”

She also said, “Heathrow Airport Limited can more than afford to ensure workers have decent facilities. It is high time that Heathrow made this a priority and Unite will ensure this happens.”

A Heathrow spokesman told Telegraph, “We take the cleanliness of the airport incredibly seriously and have teams working day and night to keep Heathrow clean. While we don’t recognise the extent of the claims in this poll, we will always investigate and deal with reports of pests."