To be really pissed off over this? (work related)

[QuestionableMouse]

I'm going to keep this pretty vague on purpose. If anyone knows where I work, will you please not mention it on this thread?

Was asked to do sn outside job that takes about 20mins at work last night. It was pissing down so manager A said I'd have to leave it to the end of my shift and do it then. I said if it was still raining I wasn't doing it at all because all of the waterproof coats have gone missing. Manager A clearly wasn't happy about this.

I went off to do more work. Manager B came over to me and asked what was going on with the outside job. I repeated the same thing. He wasn't happy with my refusal and put a lot in front pressure on me to do this job, saying I couldn't go home until it was done as it is part of my duties.

I went out and did it just to get both of them off my back. By the time I came back in, I was soaked through my uniform to my underwear. My shoes are still soaked this morning.

Manager A came to do a final check and she still wasn't happy with me; it felt like she thought I was being unreasonable about not wanting to work outside without anything to keep me dry.

I'm fuming and feel like making a complaint. Not only was it pissing down, our uniforms are all dark and I was working around traffic.

I honestly don't know what to do. Do I make a complaint? Do I just let it go?

I would ask to see the H&S policy.

How long have you worked there? Do you have a written contract?

4 years next month and yes.

Complain! That's awful! Poor you OP x

That's pretty shit of them, if they are supposed to be supplying appropriate uniform for the outdoor tasks.

Is someone in charge of checking uniform stocks for these sort of items? Are they kept at work or employees dished out their uniforms to look after themselves?

Are you in a union? Do you know who your staff health and safety representative is?

Yanbu

Costs are kept at work (well, they're meant to be). The rest of our uniform comes home with us.

No union.

Couldn't you just wear your own coat?

I didn't have a coat with me.

Sorry questionablemouse. I'm going with YABU. We all have to do shit jobs at work. It's only rain.

If your uniform is dark and you were working near traffic then that alone is surely against policy? I would be cross and to be honest if it wasn't necessary to have the job done immediately then in the interests of treating their staff with respect they should have let you do it at the end/ not at all if there wasn't appropriate hi vis clothing available

How essential was the job? Was it an absolute must-do, or non-essential that could wait until your next shift?

Make a complaint about the coats not being available regardless. If the outdoor task was a vital part of your shift, I'm not sure you have much recourse against the manager.

It had already been done once and could have waited for the morning shift. They just made such a fuss I felt like I had no choice.

If it's part of your job then you should do it without being asked. I have had some pretty shitty jobs but know things have to be done.

YABU it's only rain! Take a coat to work with you. Everyone has to do slightly shit things at work and if being in the rain for 20 mins is causing you this much angst you've got it easy. You're complaining about your shoes being soaked, even if you had one of their coats on your shoes would still be wet.

I understand your point isn't against the piece of work itself, rather that it was chucking it down and there wasn't a waterproof for you, plus it was dark and you'd be amongst traffic.

YNBU. Your employer was wrong from probably every employee policy in their handbook.

@Freddystarshamster

Because of the rain, I ended up spending the last hour of my shift in soaked uniform, then had to drive home in it too. My shoes are still damp despite being in a warm room.

Tthey have a duty of care and a hi vis jacket needs to at least be provided

OP is your workplace also supposed to provide waterproof footwear?

No, I'm just using the shoes to show how heavy the rain was last night.

They would actually be marked down in an inspection for lack of hi vis

I know where you work; I work there too. You should have continued to refuse to do it without a coat; it was unreasonable of them to ask.

I wouldn't have done it, and if it got to the BM and asked why I'd explain the situation exactly. I don't know about your BM but mine would just go "Fair enough".

Mouse - based on your follow-up comments I think you could potentially argue that you were asked to do non-essential work in unsuitable conditions. However, I think I'd still make the lack of equipment the focus of your complaint - that way the manager can't take it personally.

Did the managers make more effort trying to push you to do it against regulations than just doing it themselves?

YANBU - if you have to work outside, in the dark, around traffic, they need to be providing appropriate uniform for that - ie. reflective coat.

If (for example, from a job I've done) you were out collecting trollies in the carpark, where I worked you were required to put on a high vis waistcoat/coat (depending on the weather). - gloves too if you wanted them (no hat now that I think about it - but the coat had a hood)

It's basic H&S.