Colleague bringing in own industrial fan and me freezing

[Liliannna1]

I've got a colleague who I might add is very overweight (is this a reason for someone to be hot 24/7?) anyway my desk is in the vicinity of his HUGE industrial desk fan he has brought into work and is using to cool off. Managers have said it's fine as it's his own fan but the problem is I'm freezing and it's preventing me from working. I don't feel I should have to bring in extra clothing to put on when I get to work. There isn't the option of moving desks either.

This is causing lots of issues and it's got to the point I don't want to go to work!

WWYD?

It's absolutely huge turns everything into ice I'm not exaggerating

You ARE exaggerating

I wouldn't mind if the obesity was hereditary but unfortunatley I don't see why I should suffer as a consequence of someone sitting there stuffing their face all day hence the weight comments 

God you sound delightful!

You cannot possibly be that cold inside in the summer, fan or not. It's not an air conditioning unit so all its doing is moving the air around.
Put a vest under your blouse and a cardigan on top and make sure you wear tights, get yourself tested for anaemia.
People who complain about how cold they are constantly are on par with people who exclaim they couldn't possibly eat a whole salad.

I would have been far nicer in my reply if you weren't being so horrible about your colleague.

The number of people treated for ear complaints due to exposure to fans and directly below air conditioning units is staggering.

I don't doubt you're cold but the way you talk about his weight is just nasty so I've lost all sympathy As for some of the replies on this thread about size and heat are utter crap. Whales aren't humans. Our bodies don't work like that, obese people can actually feel the cold more, due to skin temp, and on the other end muscle tissue generates heat as well. One of my very slim and fit friends is always boiling, aircon, windows open etc. My ndn is of a bigger build, always has the heating on. Size doesn't always mean you're hot or cold ffs

Wash your hands with hot water and dry them quickly and warm your hands on a mug of hot drink.

I sympathise OP my boss likes to have the windows open in the depths of winter and whilst I often work with my coat on in winter I can't type properly or use my pen easily with gloves so my hands get incredibly cold and sore. I don't think you were rude about the weight. You made a statement. I'm not sure why in society mentioning someone's weight is so rude it's not like you said he was disgusting.

Anyway, our office is really narrow so there was no escape from the arctic blast! I no longer work in the shared office but work in my classroom to get away (I'm lucky I have that opportunity!)

I'll add to my previous comment now that I've read this last page (had only read the first) making a statement regarding weight is fine in my opinion but commenting on how people eat and showing prejudice because of their weight is not ok.

Summer = women's winter

www.bustle.com/articles/179436-why-summer-is-womens-winter-from-college-humor-nails-the-struggle-with-the-office-ac

Brilliant spoof video about the struggle with office AC in the summer

I remember in one office being sat right underneath an AC unit and all 4 of us taping A4 over the vents because it was Arctic underneath, and the temp could only be changed office wide, so we couldn't change the unit above is without affecting the rest of the floor

(maybe it could have been done via facilities but they weren't interested!)

I came into work in sandals and a scrappy dress but threw on wooly jumpers and thick socks to sit at my desk because the AC was so fierce

I hate the 'cold' colleague syndrome
And I hate the 'I'm hot' colleague syndrome, it works both ways!

There is nothing worse than cold air blowing on you, I hate it! If I were you OP, I would get a thermometer and sit it exactly where the draught is and then complain. I would bloody hate a fan like that blowing on me. What a selfish man

YABU for being rude and making assumptions about overweight people and their medical history.

If I was him and got a sniff that you assumed I was hot cos I was a fat disgusting slob I'd be cranking my fan up to ice cold to blow all over you too.

Put a jumper on, he can't take his skin off.

Being too hot is harder then being cold you can put on extra layers but if your too hot their is a limit how much you can take off.

Plus in offices normally men have to wear suits which are far hotter then the summer dresses us ladies can wear

it's absolutely freezing to the point you cannot work
A fan cannot reduce the ambient temperature, you'd need airconditioning for that.

How "cold" is it actually? What's the temperature at your desk? If it's actually cold (below 16C) you have a good argument - it's generally accepted that's a minimum reasonable temperature. Otherwise, YABU.

The fat comment was uncalled for. The fan cannot turn everything to ice (could give you a physics lesson but do not have time). Ask your colleague to point it away from you, put up a partition, wear two or three fine layers that are warmer than one thick layer. Ask your colleague to use it for shorter periods at a time. This strategy is called being an adult and reaching a working solution. We are going through the same thing in our office and instead of bitching about it and making personal comments about weight etc we are all working to a compromise. Quite easy really (although I expect to get shot down in flames)

I couldn't work in a temperature of 17C, that is ridiculously cold.

Have you even complained to your manager?
If you make a formal complaint, with reasonable suggestions: he needs a smaller fan, I would still be cold but happy to put a couple of layers so none of us are suffering, I am not sure how your manager can refuse. You also need to move desk.

Don't mention the weight. I do agree with you (and frankly that's one of the reason I am careful who I employ), but you can't officially say anything.

I sympathise, I had the same problem. I ended up being off sick half the week with "cold-related" illnesses, each time complaining about my work environment. They ended up giving 2 of us our own office . Sadly not possible everywhere.

I couldn't work in a temperature of 17C, that is ridiculously cold.

Fair enough - but we have no information from the OP about the actual temperature.

17 degrees ridiculously cold no wonder the planet is dying!

Yeah it might not change the actual temperature but trying to work with a gale blowing in your face can't be nice.
It would drive me mad.

I would take in a duvet and a fan heater to encourage your manager to get creative with room dividers and desk positioning.

I couldn't work in a temp above 17 deg, this is the problem of shared offices. My house is regulated at 17 degrees and below all year round.

17 degrees. Omg!
I couldn't function at that level
My bedroom is 25.5 at the moment and I'm just comfortable.
If dh wanted to put on a fan I'd have a few short sharp words.
It's enough that I don't need to put the heating on just yet.