To be annoyed cleaner opens the window...

[ImStillMe]

....because of Covid. I ventilate when the office is busier later in the day but early morning it's just me in and it's cold.

But the cleaner walks in and opens the windows. I'm sure she wouldn't do that to the MD sitting in his office.

She popped back in one day and gave me a dirty look as I had shut them. I've already told her that I open them later.

I know I need to just tell her not to open them but I think she's going to answer back and it'll all be very awkward.

What to say?

As @CheshireCats said, it's her work environment too, she has just as much right to want a well ventilated space as you do a foisty one!

@boozebarge haha thanks and no it is not 🙃

Bring a cardigan into work and let the cleaner get on with doing her job. You are being unreasonable.

Just wondered as it reminded me of Cholera Camp 😆😆

Maybe you smell

In an open plan office, why do you get to dictate if the window is open or not. She has as much right to open it as you do close it

If a cleaner came into my house and opened every window I'd be furious. It makes the house freezing and would cost a fortune to bring the temp back up to something tolerable. Why is an office any different? People have to sit in that space to work. It's winter.

Redhop · Today 22:07
Yanbu. Covid has finished now

In the last week, there’s been 21,000 reported cases of Covid in England, (many more unreported), 539 deaths, and there’s 3,407 in hospital due to Covid.

Covid is not over. It’s just that many people are vaccinated.

If she's working with cleaning chemicals then it makes sense to open the windows for ventilation.

YAB a bit U and tbh sound like a bit of snowflake.

During the height of the pandemic, people on low wage jobs that couldn't be done remotely:

• Were more likely to suffer adverse financial impacts
• If they were working, more likely to be exposed to Covid
• Were associated with poorer outcomes if they did catch Covid

They also likely have worse sick pay than the average office worker & be less able to absorb the financial hit of taking time off.

Adding that studies are now seeing more adverse long term effects associated with Covid infection - especially repeated infection - and in your cleaner's position I'd be trying as much as possible to minimise risk.

You've already said you open the windows later (presumably for your own safety / comfort?), so while it might be annoying I'd just stick a cardie on and keep quiet.

Also as a long standing office worker pre-pandemic, I find your talk about the 'CEO's office' and 'answering back' a bit sneery. The best offices I worked in there were ones was a mutually polite & respectful relationship between the office workers and those working to keep the building running, whether security, cleaners, canteen staff etc.

YANBU. The person who has to sit in the cold decides if the window is open or now (assuming it’s not a sauna in there).

@HuggsBosom but when the cleaner is there, there are 2 workers in that space, why is the person at the desk more important? It’s not like the cleaner is there all day

Tell that to my local hospital! 20,588 positive cases in the UK in the last week....and that's not counting the people who don't bother reporting. 78 inpatients in our hospital.

If she's using harsh cleaning products then she's right to open them.

Really?? I’m ill with Covid and so are most of the people I live with!

Oh I saw your update. Presumably if she gets Covid herself she can't work and won't get paid, so I'd just go with it. Make the time she comes the time you air the house, rather than earlier.

I was a cleaner in the past.

Opening the windows and allowing some fresh air to flow through the building was literally in my job description, especially in winter to allow stale central heating air out/help with mould and condensation prevention and now I guess allowing airflow due to covid. Many even minor but inconvenient illnesses are airborne so getting fresh air in for a little while does actually help prevent the chance of infection.

Many cleaning chemicals also stipulate ensuring good ventilation when using.

I'm a carer in a nursing home, we fling open windows for a short time when residents are out their rooms, or wrapped up cosy, for a short while each day because fresh air is bloody good for us!

I would just keep a warm cardi or something on whilst she is getting the office ready for the day, and then close the window after 15/20 minutes or whenever she is finished.

FWIW I opened the window regardless of the status of the person in the office, if I was using chemicals then managing director or not? H&S and COSHH still apply.

I used to work with a guy who would walk into the office in the morning, set aircon at 18 degrees and open all the windows. He would then spend most of the day away from his desk. As someone who is always cold, and sat right beside the windows and under the air vents, I just closed the windows and put on the heat as soon as he left.
Annoying, but just part of sharing an office space.
Another option is to go get a cup of coffee or something when she’s working. That’s what I did when another ex colleague insisted of having a daily apple in our extremely quiet office.

@albapunk Excellent reply and very informative. Hopefully @ImStillMe will have a better understanding that leads to her feeling less annoyed.

‘answer back’ blimey OP 🙄

Sensible cleaner.

It’s not the OP’s house, though. It’s the cleaner’s place of work.

@albapunk you are absolutely right on every level and OP isn't. Hopefully the ignorant twit will apologise and thank the fresh air cleaner for prolonging their boring life and for temporarily freeing them from the notorious toxic carcinogenic office haze. Get a body warmer and hat if you're capable of thinking for yourself when cold OP, instead of waiting for someone to do something for you. Pathetic.

It's her workplace too.

I am a cleaner. We're told by our company to open windows in each room as we work through the building while we work. I will continue to do this unless told otherwise by my employer.