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AIBU?

Just put some bloody clothes on if you're cold....

240 replies

woolythoughts · 12/06/2018 08:59

Just that.

Air conditioning wars.

Office I work in is run by a south american, has two Italians, and a lot of British hot house flowers.

The temperature regularly gets up to 27/28 in here (its an all glass building) but within five minutes of turning the air con on, all we get is "its cold".

Me and one other person are working in light cotton trousers and light vests - nothing else. We literally cannot take any more clothes off and be decent. We have mini personal desk fans which help a little.

The problem doesn't end in winter though. Then they want to crank the heating up to 28 and we'd be quite happy with the window open -but we are willing to compromise at 22. But thats not warm enough apparently.

So we have to suffer feeling ill and tired just because they don't want to wear a cardigan in summer.

OP posts:
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gracielacey · 12/06/2018 09:36

I think YABU. This is Britain, the majority of people in the office are British, they're going to be used to certain temperatures.

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gracielacey · 12/06/2018 09:36

You have to go with the majority. And as you're in a minority of 3, YABVU.

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StormcloakNord · 12/06/2018 09:38

This irritates me beyond belief.

It's fucking roasting here and way too warm in the office and the absolute trumpet across from me is always moaning about being "too cold" and tries to put the fucking radiator on.

GET IN THE BIN. Arghhhh.

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KittyVonCatsworth · 12/06/2018 09:39

Check with the H&S Workplace code of practice for the maximum temperatures. It should be on hse.gov.uk website and throw that at them.

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Pickleypickles · 12/06/2018 09:41

I think the temperature should always be adjusted to the person who is too hot (within reason) because, as you say, people can always wear more clothes.
Im feel the cold terrible but work with two people who don't, I quite often sit with 3 layers on while they have the door open and t-shirts on. I would never expect them to shut the door just so i can take my jumper off and they can sweat. YANBU.

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Mousefunky · 12/06/2018 09:42

The majority are British meaning they are adapted to the cold, no? I don’t understand why them being British is an argument.

I agree with you OP. If they are cold, put a jumper/cardigan on. Don’t see how they could be cold today even with air con on full blast, it’s roasting.

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Blobby10 · 12/06/2018 09:43

Similar here - only 3 of us in the office building, all in our own rooms. Central heating is constantly being turned back on by 65 year old female in downstairs office because she's cold. We other 2 have windows open and fans on - I originally thought it was me being unreasonable about the heating as I am (I suspect) peri menopausal so finding that in the afternoon my body provides its own central heating at full blast but I'm assured I'm not weird and that this other lady is!!

Solution - all radiators turned right down except for hers which is on full! In this heat!

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MaxPepsi · 12/06/2018 09:45

God this annoys me.

I'm ALWAYS bloody freezing. Far easier for me to put on extra layers than it is for people to take clothes off.

It's not about the majority, it's about common sense!

On a serious note however, suggest to your facilities they get the mechanical engineers in to look at the heating!

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woolythoughts · 12/06/2018 09:48

My point about the British is that they must be of the new generation that have never been forced to suffer a bit of cold (unlike waking up with ice on the inside of the windows).

They are British but seem to shrink and wither if the temp gets below 25!

OP posts:
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SleepingStandingUp · 12/06/2018 09:53

I'm British and I'd be with OP in being too hot. It's a work place, not a Mediterranean holiday.

Can you set the air con on an agreed temperature so it'll turn itself on and off? Say 24?

TUC advises you shouldn't work in an office above 30 so setting the heating to 28 is frankly ridiculous.

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Iamnotacerealkiller · 12/06/2018 09:54

i was always told to man up in my office (portacabin) rather then the owners wanting to use the heaters. it was often as low as 5C first thing. they would always say 'just put more clothes on' so i would sit there in my winter coat, hat, scarf and gloves using my computer/phone etc.

even if im wearing enough clothes my hands and feet get cold if the tempurature isnt high enough so i would say YABU slightly. i would say 22 is perfect though...

buy them some fingerless gloves, thats the only way i could type.

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Bibesia · 12/06/2018 10:01

But it is undoubtedly slightly insane to go to all the expense of running air conditioning only for people to have to put jumpers and cardigans on.

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Zaphodsotherhead · 12/06/2018 10:02

I work in a shop, on the tills, right under the air con unit (needs to be set at a certain temp so the chocolate doesn't melt/fresh fruit doesn't go off).

After eight hours I'm bloody nithered! I wear a jacket all the time and customers remark on how cold my hands are. All so it's 'lovely and cool' for the customers coming in and so the chocolate bunnies don't collapse.

I'd say I prefer winter - only I don't.

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Lotuslots · 12/06/2018 10:02

Absolutely agree with you OP. Stand your ground.

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LighthouseSouth · 12/06/2018 10:05

We have no air con and are poised off when it goes up to 28

Seriously if people havent put a jumper on, they are taking the piss.

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MsJinglyJones · 12/06/2018 10:05

Heating set to 28 degrees??? That's insane - my domestic heating's default setting is 21 and I thought that was cosy!

Surely this is something you can refer to management /HR so they can make a decision. I'd hate this.

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LighthouseSouth · 12/06/2018 10:05

Poised off, great autocorrect

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PatchworkGirl · 12/06/2018 10:05

I don't feel the cold especially - home is never heated above 18 and 22 is really a bit too hot for me - but I HATE air-con. It always seem to make me chilly. It it not possible to open windows/use fans instead?

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lifechangesforever · 12/06/2018 10:06

It's all fine saying put on more clothes but I have sat in an office with a top, jumper, fleece and GLOVES (fingerless so I can at least attempt to type) and still been cold due to air con. What else am I expected to do?

I keep a fleece in my locker at work at all times. Currently, I also work in a glass building so it's been fine, I've been quite comfortable, despite wicked air con being on.

I think we've just got to accept that everyone has different comfortable temperatures and air con is one of those things that is never going to be right for everyone.

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Zaphodsotherhead · 12/06/2018 10:06

Is 'poised off' like being very very politely annoyed?

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RedPony1 · 12/06/2018 10:12

YANBU!

The heating should be comfortable for the hottest people - everyone else can put extra layers on. You can't take anything else off...

I hate the heat, my comfortable temp is about 16 degrees :)

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AbsolutelyBeginning · 12/06/2018 10:13

Overheating buildings is very wasteful of resources and has a huge carbon footprint. So does too much aircon.

I find when I work in buildings that are overheated or which have windows that don't open and aircon going, I always catch colds or flu. So unhealthy!

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Firesuit · 12/06/2018 10:13

A long time ago I worked in a (public sector) office building where 28 degrees was the temperature at which it employees were sent home, as it was considered unacceptably hot. The building only get to that temperature when the air conditioning broke down.

22 degrees is the temperature that air conditioning is supposed to be set to. Often 25 is the highest setting available on the controls.

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Chocolatelavender · 12/06/2018 10:13

Yanbu. 28 degrees is way too high.

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AbsolutelyBeginning · 12/06/2018 10:14

Is 'poised off' like being very very politely annoyed?

Great phrase!

Going to remember that for when I am next angry. Channel Grace Kelly and be "poised off". Grin

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