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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to refuse to work in an unventilated room that's just been painted and had new carpets fitted

81 replies

sPJPPp · 09/03/2015 17:59

At work tomorrow morning my desk and computer will have been moved into a room that's just been painted (over the weekend) and had carpets fitted. There is no opening window, just aircon. I felt dizzy after spending 5 mins in there today and have a head ache. Aibu to just flat out refuse to work there tomorrow?

OP posts:
Original poster
sPJPPp · 09/03/2015 21:30

Thanks prints :) I'm looking into health and safety now

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 09/03/2015 21:30

I don't see how a manager can be great at his job if he isn't good at the managing bit. Of it was painted at the weekend how long are you going to refuse to work there?

evenafterall · 09/03/2015 21:32

People sniff paint and he to knock themselves out. YANBU. Go in tell your boss you feel sick and work from another location or go home. This sounds like a toxic setup!

coconutpie · 09/03/2015 21:33

YANBU. An unventilated room that's just been painted? No way. That's a H&S issue I'd imagine considering it's unventilated.

Lucked · 09/03/2015 21:33

But when do you think it will be okay? My offce was painted last Wednesday and the window doesn't open and I could still smell new paint smell this
morning although after being in the room for 30mins or so I became 'immune' to it. New carpet smell will last ages!

I think you need to try and take in some paracetamol. Perhaps going for a breath of fresh air every hour will help.

LaurieFairyCake · 09/03/2015 21:34

I can believe that loads think that the OP is just a whinging work-shyer.

It's come from this insane right wing idea that we should all just be grateful to have a job and doff our metaphorical caps to this capitalist society.

Honestly, we're our own worst enemies. Divide and bloody rule has worked a treat.

BishopBrennansArse · 09/03/2015 21:34

OP YANBU.
I can't use any paint containing vocs as it triggers asthma attacks. It's nasty.

redexpat · 09/03/2015 21:45

Well said laurie.

Can you request to work from home until your office is ready? If not i would think h&s should be on your side.

I had awful headaches at school when we had to use the new building. It really is horrible, and if it doesnt affect you then you are really lucky. I couldnt do anything once i got home from school those days. It lasted about a week and that was with ventilaion.

I read somewhere that an onion sliced in half absorbs the smell of new paint. Not sure if it actually works tho ...

Guyropes · 09/03/2015 21:50

Tron.. Air con is a refrigeration system. Your fridge has air circulating round the back of it to cool the motor.

Extractor fans are different.

quietbatperson · 09/03/2015 21:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
sPJPPp · 10/03/2015 06:25

I could hug you Laurie! Your spot on there.

Couldn't sleep much last night as worried about it, I should be OK for a few days avoiding it, but I will likely need weeks. I'm just going to have to take it day by day. Its really upsetting that I have to go through this, I don't want to leave the job but I cant work in an environment that will make me ill.

OP posts:
DozyDonut · 10/03/2015 06:33

YANBU the smell of gloss paint actually makes me vomit. Has done since I was a wee girl. I hate the stuff and I wouldn't be physically able to stay in that room

StoorieHoose · 10/03/2015 07:11

If your firm of painter and decorators are still using oil based gloss I would be very much surprised! You can't get oil based paint for love nor money now

laughed when i read that there are laws against working in conditions like this - my painter & decorator husband must be a walking medical miracle!

SoupDragon · 10/03/2015 07:23

Did all the people effectively telling the OP to put up and shut up read the part where she was dizzy and had a headache after 5 mins in the room? Are you really unable to understand thwt the the smell from paint and new carpet makes some people feel very ill? I get it in new cars but at least you can open the windows.

ajandjjmum did you read the bit about the non opening windows and no ventilation before posting that you do work with "doors and windows open whilst the work is being carried out"? What would happen if you didn't open the windows?

Newquay · 10/03/2015 07:29

Hi YANBU op - I feel for you.

Have you also checked out 'off- gassing': apparently new carpets give off dangerous fumes. That's why the advice is not to put a baby in a new carpeted nursery until
Carpet has been in there for 3 months! Apparently sun light can sort it - but obviously that's not possible.

Good luck today. Maybe an anonymous call to the Health and Safety Executive? They would know where you stand surely? I'm not being hysterical but I just think that that's the body to talk to.

Icimoi · 10/03/2015 07:46

Leave the door open anyway, fire door or no fire door.

ajandjjmum · 10/03/2015 08:31

Soup
It is not legal to have non-opening windows and no ventilation. Many buildings with aircon have non-opening windows (that should be the case for the aircon to operate most effectively), but there has to be mechanical ventilation in place. To be fair, most occupants wouldn't even be aware of it, but Building Control would ensure that it was there before they passed the building.

If we were working on a site over a weekend, the doors to the area would be left open to allow as much air circulation as possible - and the windows opened if that was possible.

As far as tradesman smoking - that is also illegal - they are not allowed to smoke inside commercial premises. No-one hates smoking more than me, but you can't stop people, and I know the smell lingers, but that's a completely different issue.

If you are truly concerned that inappropriate materials and practises are being used, I think Newquay suggestion of a call to H&S might be sensible.

I know gloss smells horrible, but that would have been the first job they did, so hopefully will have died down significantly by now. I too would leave the door open today - I think that is reasonable.

I really hope though that you get into work today, and find that reputable tradesman have used quality products, and that all of your worry is in vain! Smile

brokenhearted55a · 10/03/2015 08:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SoupDragon · 10/03/2015 09:00

It is not legal to have non-opening windows and no ventilation.

[shrug] We can only go by what the OP says. Regardless, she suffers from adverse reactions to fumes. Just because your oh-so-accomodating clients don't doesn't mean she has to work in a room that can make her feel ill.

In 2015 I am alive and kicking. YABU

Bully for you. I'm guessing you do not suffer adverse reactions to paint fumes etc then. it is horrendous. Do you say "I ate a peanut in 2007 and am alive and kicking" to people adversely affected by peanut allergies? Thought not.

ajandjjmum · 10/03/2015 11:24

Your being silly now Soup - if there was no ventilation the office would be closed down. That's the law.

And most clients are very accommodating as long as you discuss the situation and implications beforehand. I have nearly 30 years experience of doing so.

SoupDragon · 10/03/2015 11:54

No, I'm not being silly, I am going on the information provided by the OP. No need to be rude.

Expecting people to work in an environment that is temporarily making them feel very ill is inconsiderate and rude.

Dismissing the feelings of someone who is made to feeling by the temporary presence of fumes is inconsiderate and rude.

Your "30 years of experience" is irrelevant given you did not (I assume) do the work for the OP's office and have not discussed any implications with her. What you do has absolutely no bearing on the fact that the OP is made to feel ill with the fumes in her office is it?

0x530x610x750x630x79 · 10/03/2015 12:01

YANBU work from home

SpinDoctorOfAethelred · 10/03/2015 12:09

I completely agree with SoupDragon and Laurie.

ajandjj Stop taking other people's health concerns about work in a building you presumably did not decorate so goddamn personally.

ajandjjmum · 10/03/2015 12:18

I'm not. I'm saying that the building will have ventilation.

I also said upthread that anyone concerned about the effect this type of work may have on their health, should put steps in place beforehand - which to me makes more sense than lying in bed worrying about it.

Speak to your manager beforehand, ask to work elsewhere in the building or work from home.

PTAblues · 10/03/2015 12:29

The smell from paint (even water based) and new carpets all make me sick, dizzy and give me a headache. If I spent more than 10 minutes I would eventually vomit and fall over. I am not some sort of mentalist. I know other people like this. If I stray too near the shoe section in Primark I feel sick and dizzy from the plastic fumes and I can't go into a new carpet shop.

The reason why the Op is worried about it is because she might get the same unempathetic reaction she got from some posters on here.

I worry for the people who don't react to these fumes- they are breathing this shit in.

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