Does your work have hair dryers?

[paulw1969]

No we dont have hair dryers (i dont need one anyway.....i shave down to the wood) and if we took our own in they would be subject to yearly electrical testing........cannot remember what it is called but it is a legal/insurance requirement i believe.
We do have showers lockers and even a drying room (unused spare room) with tumble dryer ......we are the exception i am sure!

 

[al78]

Lol. Actually, I asked for a plug socket. Apparently, due to health and safety, they have to install a hair dryer that is suitable for the wet conditions in our unventilated changing room. Men might not realise this, but hair dryers are an essential piece of kit for many women.

Careful, one or two people on here seem to think the word "essential" should only be used if you would literally die without it.

Are there no plug sockets in any of the toilet facilities at your workplace that you could plug a hairdryer into?

 

[2Loose]

We have them in our changing rooms, but not sure anyone needs privacy to dry their hair. The office would be ok in our place too.

 

[campbellab]

Most buildings have plug sockets, normally they are even present in out of the way places you wont disturb anyone.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

We have no facilities whatsoever: I cut my hair short(er) since I've started cycling, dries naturally fast.
Wear a kind of skateboard helmet, only a few holes , so my hair does not get too wet and windswept.

 

[Noodle Legs]

Yeah we have lockable bike sheds at our depots in a uber-secure compound with a "drying room" complete with showers.....

....sadly as I'm field staff (electricity board) I don't benefit from the facilities as I travel in my van :-(

But at least theres a free car wash! :-)

 

[400bhp]

You cycle 2 miles to work, have a shower at work and have requested a hair dryer.

I'm not missing something am I?

 

[fimm]

The men who are suggesting that long hair be left to dry naturally have obviously never had long hair... There was an article on the BBC a while back suggesting that the lack of provision of hairdryers etc in girls' changing rooms at schools was something that was putting girls off games. Now I don't agree with this attitude that a woman must always be perfectly turned out, but a lot of women do feel like this, and if one is in a job that is public facing, sitting around with damp hair is not acceptable.

WRT my workplace, we do have two showers, but we don't have hairdryers. However 1) I'm currently the only woman who uses the showers and 2) I now have short hair... (the major haircut occurred many years ago and wasn't cycling related...)

 

[pixiepie]

You cycle 2 miles to work, have a shower at work and have requested a hair dryer.

I'm not missing something am I?

Yes. The point of the thread was to see what other facilities people had and to check I wasn't being unreasonable.

 

[Longshot]

I don't really understand your argument.
A hairdryer is not subject to "frequent and costly inspections"

Well... it would need to be PAT tested every year along with every other portable electrical appliance. An extra hairdryer isn't going to change the cost or add to more than 2 minutes to that though.

 

[400bhp]

@pixiepie- Personally, I think asking for something isn't unreasonable.

Given the distance you travel, if you had kicked up a fuss if/when they said no, then I would say that is unreasonable.

I'd say you're relatively fortunate to have such facilities-enjoy

 

[trampyjoe]

I don't have a shower at home so look forward to getting to uni and using the facilities there. I've also got stupidly long hair (for a guy) but don't need a hair dryer and haven't used one since I was a kid (besides in the bogs they have those fancy Dyson air blade hand dryers and they do a fantastic job on my hair!).

 

[Longshot]

Yes. The point of the thread was to see what other facilities people had and to check I wasn't being unreasonable.

The problem is that your employer does not have to provide anything at all. Many don't provide anything, mine included. It's a question of 'where do you draw the line?'. In all truth, I don't think a hairdryer is particularly unreasonable (I used to have long hair) but it is your choice to have long hair and cycle.

 

[trampyjoe]

The men who are suggesting that long hair be left to dry naturally have obviously never had long hair...

Mine dries naturally.

 

[fossyant]

Thing is, can you use a hairdryer in a store/stationery room ? I appreciate they may not want to install sockets into a changing facility, but there is nothing to stop you taking one in.

I commute between 3 sites, two in the city centre and one outside. The best I have is to get changed in my office, hang my kit up in the corner and dry it with a desk fan. If I'm on site, it's find the nearest disabled loo (chosen as there is space to move - changing in a small toilet cubicle is not fun), quick wipe down with baby wipes then all my damp/wet kit in my panniers until time to go home - not nice jumping into damp cycling shorts after a 12 mile ride !

Personally, if you need a hair dryer, take one in !