Secrets of your trade.

[Confusedfornow]

I have worked in my current area of expertise for the last 20 years or so. It's in Aviation, can't say exactly what or for who as it's a relatively small community (for my role) and it would be VERY outing. Before this, my only other "job" that I did for a few years was dancing (yes, that kind ). So I don't have massive experience of the world of work.

But I was chatting with some people in a bar over the weekend and conversation turned to jobs and then to my role. I was telling them about some stuff which is perfectly normal to me, but was absolutely news to them.

For instance . .

When a plane is "parked" and everything is switched off, the aircraft is referred to as being "Cold and dark".

If a helicopter has engine failure, it won't just fall out of the sky. The pilots are trained in a procedure called "autorotation" and can usually land safely even if the engine isn't running at all.

All British Airways flights use the call sign "Speed Bird". It's unique and no other airline in the world uses it.

Last one . .

Pilots can't wear polarised sunglasses. They make the electronic displays on the flight deck appear black, and you can't read any information from them.

So, what do you know from your jobs that is mundane for you but which most people wouldn't have a clue/be surprised by?

@Crosser62  Thank you for your post. It will give unimaginable comfort to so many.

My DM's best friend was a nurse and says exactly same.

God bless all nursing and caring staff

It’s just what we do.

Glad it has comforted folk. X

@Allergictoironing yes it's Home Office. He even recollects one or 2 bowler hats 😂😂.
I do keep telling him every time the "voluntary redundancy" e mail comes out that he should take it and go contracting as he could easily earn double with less hours but I fear he's become institutionalised!!

Some pubs discreetly serve the beer that has overflowed into the drip tray

That's why you stay away from flat roof pubs!

I dont dispute that Supervet is very intelligent and frontier pushing; however there is some debate about how ethical some of the procedures are; they cost thousands and are a huge undertaking for the patient. Sometimes the need to try something new and experimental fuelled by the owner’s need to not give up and desperation to try anything pushes the pets too far in my opinion.
My other trade secret is that sometimes the vet will take your pet away from The consult room to get ‘help around the back ‘ - it really is not a sinister motive even though it looks that way ! It’s usually that primarily a lot of pets -especially dogs - are better behaved for exams/bloods etc away from their owners, and secondly - we are skilled and coaxing and restraining animals in such a way that they will allow us to do what needs to be done- it looks easy but I assure you it is a skill to not get bitten or allow your vet to get bitten ! Have had plenty of injuries Though 😀

Learning so much!

Thanks everybody.

Never seen beer 'reused'. It's pretty hard to get a drip tray out of its metal hoop and pour it into a glass, especially as the pumps are bar height.

Have seen salads and salad dressings being taken off finished plates and go straight back out onto a new plates!

Also seen old vinegar bottles being refilled when they are supposed to be emptied and dispose of (use by dates invalidated).

All sorts of nasty unhygenic carry on. Mind you, seeing Gordon Ramsey's nightmares is enough to put you off stepping foot outside your own kitchen!

@babyno5 he needs to get in those last 3 years to take him up to 40 years served, to maximise his pension (unless he's bought extra years).

My DBro remembers working in one govt department where his boss was heading for retirement and spent his last few months writing to all the contacts he'd made over the years putting himself forward for directorships and consultancies. Of course what field your DH is in, and his grade, makes a big difference!

The food and hygiene ones are making me 🤢

..

I once saw food that had fallen on the floor (in the kitchen) at a chain pub be scooped back into the frier for a sec and refried then put back on to plates!

To be fair that probably did kill any germs lurking on it...

As PP has said Ice machines never get cleaned they are often really grubby .
Staff going to 'change a barrel' could be a number of things like needing the loo , but staff been sent to change a barrel often is a way to defuse a situation between staff and customers .
If the drink does not taste right and you want a replacement say so right away not once you have drank half of it .
Whistling . tapping . shouting . been rude , will not get you served any quicker . we will make you wait longer

If you are planing to have more than a couple of spirits with a mixer or there are a few of you wanting the same mixer , order the spirit and ask for it in a tall glass and order a pint of mixer , it will work out cheaper.

If you like ice in your pint of mixer or cider ask for it in a separate glass, that way you get a full pint of your drink not 3/4 and a quarter of a pint of ice
( that is if you are brave enough to still want ice )

@nevernotstruggling Just been reading the whole thread and wondering when the social workers were going to tell us what the ' secrets' of their trade were.

What directives are they given to knock back referrals that don't meet their threshold?

Would love to know

Only one so far is their 'at risk from home visited' alert is!

I used to work for a company that distributed tinned foods, dried pastas etc .....
There was always surplus stock around ... so if an order fell short or a pallet was damaged .... labels could be changed for wherever the stock was needed .......so if you think Waitrose own brand beans are tastier than Tesco value ...... it’ll just be the label making you think they taste different 😉 ...... and those date stamps ....... they can be changed too 😳 ..... I keep very few tinned foods in my cupboard 🤢

Years ago, on holiday in Barcelona, the friend I was with had a holiday fling with a Spanish air traffic controller.

He told us that he and all his colleagues smoked marijuana heavily at work to calm their nerves, as the environment was so stressful.

I was terrified getting on the plane home...

@Hepzibar don't understand the question

@olderthanyouthink I ended up fitting because an A&E doctor was making a real bodge of taking blood when I was neutropenic. He tried all the usual spots several times and I was already stressed out. Then he went for the front of my forearm and the pain was incredible. I just passed out and apparently was convulsing and frothing.

I came to after DH basically ordered him out and asked for someone who knew what they were doing. I only go to the walk in now, even if it means turning up at 07.45 as they are so gentle and quick.

Most people don't know how few police are available these days. I had a major stabbing, 3 vehicle rtc and several other incidents I was trying to resource at the same time and we just don't have enough. Sometimes it might be days before they can get out to see you, if it's not a major incident. Talking heads all muttering on tv about increase in knife and gun crime, and they don't know why. It's not rocket science: there aren't enough resources out there to cope because of the slashed budgets.

I work in CAMHS and I realised a while ago that despite their bad reputation, I have never yet heard a bad thing said by a young person about a step-mother. In fact many of them are selflessly caring for the whole family to their own detriment.

I also read on here last year that a Lancôme employee (who must have been leaving her job)
told a poster that they only produce one mascara formulation, but just package and market various versions of it, all claiming to do different things!

Well I don't work in CAMHS and I have! Lots in fact, from kids!
Caveat, some.amazing stepDPs out there.

Adult care social worker...we don't have directives to knock back referrals. But they do have to get through the call handler type system first. Anyone can ask for an assessment..but for support you have to be found to have eligible needs under The Care Act.
I can't think of any tricks of the trade, maybe that I can't recommend you a good care home or care agency as they're all private now so I'm not allowed to show a preference...but I will give you a big hint re ones I think are bad etc

Also
Police now, and deal with sudden deaths. (A lot)
Must say that in same vein - I talk to the deceased and apologise that I need to remove jewellery etc for the coroner. I always tak to them as I put on their name tags etc. Feels right somehow. People rarely expect police to rock up to their loved one dying so I always explain why I'm there and treat their loved one with the greatest respect and dignity whilst doing my job

I have had a few random jobs..

In the emergency services the royal family are all named after a bridge. If one dies, a call will be placed stating ‘X bridge has fallen down’ (London Bridge, Windsor bridge..)

Completely agree with the DNAR posts. These are so important - having to try and persuade family members to do CPR on a loved one who was ready to die is grim and ambulance staff are supposed to continue with CPR until a DNAR is seen.

Airline - sometimes if your food options ‘run out’ it may be that the crew have saved it for themselves. 90% of the time it’s not, but when you’re doing an 11 hour flight at Christmas and all that’s loaded for you is a very small, old soggy sandwich..

Pilots sometimes fall asleep.. the plane is on auto most of the time so nothing will happen. It is someone’s job to check in with them every 30 minutes to ‘check everything’s okay’ check they’re not asleep

If we think someone’s attractive sometimes we’ll ding their call bell as a sort of game to highlight it to other crew.

If you’re nice to the crew, you will get treated better. We can go really out of our way if we want to. The job is harder than it looks.

Sure there’s lots more but those came to mind..

I spent a year working in admin in an NHS X/Ray department.

One day they had a brand new x-ray machine delivered at huge cost. When I asked how they'd get rid of their 15 year old previous one, they said that all large, old equipment is sold to private hospitals, across the board.

I've never trusted private healthcare since...