ARRECIFE (LANZAROTE), 2 (EUROPA PRESS)
The Independent Professional Association of the Civil Guard (IGC) has denounced the «unhealthy» situation that the agents stationed at the Traffic Detachment of Arrecife (Lanzarote) have been enduring «for more than two months», where the two bathrooms of the barracks remain closed and sealed due to «lack of cleaning and disinfection products.»
This measure, as reported by IGC in a statement, was adopted by the detachment commander as a «sanitary precaution due to the absence» of supplies from the company awarded the cleaning service, leaving both the Civil Guard officers serving in that location and the citizens who come to carry out procedures without access to basic hygiene services.
Furthermore, this situation forces the Civil Guard officers to travel to public bathrooms or other facilities to meet their physiological needs. The association emphasizes that these actions generate a «negative institutional image, diminish the professional dignity of the agents, and pose a potential risk» to public health.
In this regard, IGC spokesperson Daniel Fernández expressed regret that the Civil Guard officers «do not even have access to a toilet in their workplace,» which «undermines their professional dignity and violates» the legislation on occupational safety and health at work.
The closed bathrooms are located on the main floor of the offices and in the area of changing rooms and lockers for personnel, leaving the detachment «completely devoid of minimal hygiene facilities.» They also add that the «lack of cleanliness» has led to the proliferation of insects such as cockroaches and other animals typical of humid areas, «aggravating the problem of sanitation.»
Fernández indicated that the officers «cannot carry out their work effectively if minimum working conditions are not guaranteed,» hence he demanded the «immediate» replenishment of cleaning supplies, the reopening of the bathrooms, and an «urgent review of compliance with hygiene and health conditions in this and other facilities of the corps.»
In this sense, he mentioned Royal Decree 486/1997, of April 14, which establishes safety and health provisions in workplaces, and Law 31/1995, on the Prevention of Occupational Risks, which obliges public administrations to ensure that any worker, including those of the State Security Forces and Corps, carries out their function under adequate hygiene and safety conditions.
The association has communicated this complaint to the relevant internal channels and has requested the «immediate action» of the General Directorate of the Civil Guard to address an «unacceptable problem» in a public service of the 21st century.
