Workmen having a beer while they work

[TheBrilloPad]

Three men laying a patio outside in your back garden in the heat. They are polite, reasonably priced, and doing a good job. On a three day job, it's day one at lunch time and they are each opening a bottle of beer to have with their lunch.

Are you bothered?

We may well have offered them a beer!

That does seem odd. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'd certainly be annoyed if they had any more. Plus they are at work... can't they have a drink after work?!

Yes, I would be. A nice cool beer is fine when you've finished the job, not at lunchtime.

But on the other hand, if it's just one and they are doing a good job I'm not sure I'd be annoyed! Lots of people will have lunch and a pint during their lunch hour at a pub..I guess it's not much different.

It's a heatwave! What a miserable time to be a builder. Unless they're getting stunningly drunk and making obvious mistakes, I'd ignore it.

Keep offering them fresh water though!

As long as they do a good job, at the price and in the time agreed does it matter?

Good for them. Very normal in Europe.

We have a bit of a fucked up attitude to alcohol with bingeing etc.

Beer schmeer ... the last builder I hired had a "Camberwell Carrot" permanently hanging from his lips for the two weeks he took to rebuild an outhouse. He did a good job mind you.

One bottle of beer would not bother me.

If it's one beer and they are cracking on and doing a good job then I wouldn't mind.

If they are slow at work, having more than one at lunch or present a "lads" mentality then I would mind!

I'd rather they had a beer in the garden than sloped off down the pub for a sandwich and three tbf.

I'm having workmen in at the moment though it is too big and difficult a job for anyone to be boozing while they do it.

Aren't there insurance/liability issues with potentially being responsible if one of the numpties injures himself in your workplace (your house) because he has had a drink? I'd tell them to knock it off because of the risk of argy bargy if something goes wrong and it gets attributed to the beer.

No, wouldn't be bothered. Unless they have a six pack each?

If they stick to one each? No.

If it's the start of an afternoon session then yes, obviously.

It's a heatwave! What a miserable time to be a builder

It's cold and raining where I am. No idea where you are that you have a heatwave, but you should remember we aren't all in your back garden.

I am in your back garden. Can I have a beer please?

She talks about heat in the op Will

Doesn't mean she is somewhere with a heatwave, it could just be a bot warm today.

I dont think i would like it if they were working for me and presumably brought beers to have a lunchtime

I never drank then worked. If I'd done it at college I'd have been kicked out. It's a health and safety issue. I like all my fingers and intend to keep them all, unlike many in my trade. You must have some very old school builders. It does depend what they're doing exactly, if it doesn't involve fast moving sharp things I would struggle to think one beer with food for a large frame person would throw them off too much...........

Very normal where I live (Italy). If it's just one beer, I can't see the issue.

Is or any different to a banker going for lunch and having a few wines?

they are at work so no I don't think drinking alcohol is acceptable.

It's a heatwave! What a miserable time to be a builder Ok so it's hot, but last time I checked there is plenty of other cold drinks one can have why the need for alcohol?

Day one and one beer with their lunch. No probs.

Drinking it all afternoon? Not good.

DH is a builder - he takes his own water and tea to work but often gets offered beer by the householders at private jobs during the working day. He refuses it politely as it makes him sluggish and asks for tea or water instead. If they push he says he'll take it home with him at the end of the day and then gives it away as it's never the brand he likes.

When I was a kid my DF used to need to re-tar the flat roof every so often. My job used to be Chief Getter of a beer and pass it to him through an upstairs window. I remember at about the age of 7 nagging him that it wasn't very safe to drink on a roof. Miraculously he's still all in one piece.