Too f**king hot

[AdvancedFlea]

So, it’s one of the hottest days of the year today. A “scorching” 28 degrees centigrade outside. Bear in mind, I work in a computer store…our air conditioning is broken. If you can believe it, it’s because some retards broke into the HVAC plant at the back of the store and stole the refrigerant (coolant) out of the AC. There are certain areas of the store which have independent AC motors. The office, the staff kitchen, admin office and staff area, but the main shop floor and tech centre rely on the HVAC system

So I call operational support to chase up the aircon engineer, as I had been told to do. This is the conversation that ensued;

LPJ: Lazy Phone Jockey

LPJ: Thank you for calling [our company name] operational support. My name is jackass. How can I help?
Me: Yeah, Hiya mate, this is AdvancedFlea from store number [number]. I’m just chasing a job booking
LPJ: Hiya. What’s your job number?
Me: *reading it off my hand* Dai456234
LPJ: To fix your HVAC system?
Me: Yeah
LPJ: We’ve decided that we are not going to go ahead with the repair on that one
Me: Excuse me?!

(Bear in mind that while it was 28 degrees outside, it was a LOT hotter inside)

LPJ: Air conditioning is not a vital store operational system
Me: Tell that to the people working here
LPJ: sorry, there is nothing I can do
Me: so you can’t rebook the job?
LPJ: Nope, sorry
Me: so If I log onto one of our computers, and log onto the operational support system, I won’t see a screen that would alow someone with a valid log-in, such as youself, to re-open the job *has already got that screen up*
LPJ: No.
Me: Don’t lie to me. I have that screen up already. I have print-screened a copy into word aswell and saved the file to my pen-drive so don’t think you can stop me accessing it by rebooting the machine I am on remotely (they can do that) Re-book the job
LPJ: It’s not an essential system. It will not effect sales
Me: Ok, let me tell you a little story. It IS effecting sales because we are having display computers cut-out, all down to the fact they are overheating. The ones that DO manage to stay running have their fans SCREAMING to try to keep up with the machines, which is causing the motors in the fans to cease and fail (both of which were true) and this morning, we had a frail woman who we had to call an ambulance for. The paramedics told us why she collapsed…HEAT
LPJ: ah…
Me: so with that in mind, would you please re-open the job
LPJ: Well…
Me: I tell you what, if you don’t re-open the job, every time something heat-related goes wrong, I will be calling it in. when the final remaining air conditioning motors fail (we still had some running but they were CHUGGING, they could not keep up) me and the rest of my co-workers will refuse to work, as is our right. You DO realise that employability laws dictate that the store must be at a comfortable working temperature and this is, by no stretch of the imagination, comfortable. We would be well within our rights to walk out…which would affect sales and operations
LPJ: Hang on, let me speak with the supervisor *puts me on hold*

…

LPJ: *Comes back a few minutes later* An engineer from Daikin is on his way to you with the parts
Me: Thank you *hangs up*

The guy is working on the system now. He’s had to shut off the other motors so it’s getting rather warm in here but he knows he’ll be able to fix it. I love it when I know full-well I’m clued-up enough to Pwn these people X3

[protege]

28 C (82.4 F) isn't all that bad. It's been in the low to mid-90s (F) here the past few days in Pennsylvania. Heat wave going on lately. As such, several people have had A/C failures--my home unit finally went Thursday night. I've been without it since then, and it's unbearable at home. At least it's getting taken care of today--rather than fix the old one, it's getting replaced. I couldn't see putting more money into a 22-year-old piece of junk

Good call on leaning on those bastards

[AdvancedFlea]

28 C (82.4 F) isn't all that bad. It's been in the low to mid-90s (F) here the past few days in Pennsylvania. Heat wave going on lately.

to be fair though, you're used to it I'm from ENGLAND. 28 degrees C is very hot to us.

but yeah, I whole heartedly agree with you, putting money into an AC unit that old probbily aint worth it ^^; you'll probibly get a more energy efficiant one now anyway

[crazylegs]

Um, flea, are you aware you are required by law to alert (someone, I forget who) under RIDDOR when you have someone be ill due to a excess/insuficient heat in store...

Just so you can cover your arse.

[AdvancedFlea]

Um, flea, are you aware you are required by law to alert (someone, I forget who) under RIDDOR when you have someone be ill due to a excess/insuficient heat in store...

Just so you can cover your arse.

yes, but it's not me that has to alert them all that kind of thing is taken care of by group security.

we have to alert a.n.other organiseation (yeah, I forge who too) but we don't actually have to DO anything about it. only if a member of staff collaspes because then it becomes a health and safty at work issue.

[Anthony K. S.]

The weather was actually pretty nice over here in New York . . . until a few days ago, that is, when the heat wave hit. Right now, the temperature is up to 96 degrees F, but the humidity puts it at just above 100 degrees. Bleh.


You know, AdvancedFlea, your story kind of reminds me of something that happened at my previous job :

I used to work in the back office of a small retail store in Manhattan. (It was a simple data entry position. I just typed information from packing invoices, sales slips, and delivery slips into the store's inventory database.)

It was a typically hot summer in New York, and one day, the air conditioner in the back office broke down. The air conditioning out on the sales floor was still working fine, so the customers and salespeople were okay . . . But those of us in the back office had to suffer the full brunt of the summer heat. It was miserable.

You know, every time that one of the salespeople walked into the office, they would say, "Wow, it is really hot back here!"

Gee, thanks, we never would have noticed if you hadn't pointed it out!

You want to know the real kicker? This was an appliances store - We sold air conditioners, for crying out loud!

Somebody did suggest replacing the broken air conditioner in the back office with one of the air conditioners from the store's own inventory. But our boss didn't want to take anything away from sales, so that idea was out.

We didn't repair appliances in our store. (We only sold them.) But some of the guys downstairs (in the delivery office, where the air conditioning was working just fine) did know how to repair them.

So we asked them to come up and repair the air conditioner . . . But, you know, there always seemed to be something else they were busy doing at any given time, and they just couldn't seem to spare anybody to help us out.

Finally, our bookkeeper had had enough. She called downstairs and insisted they send somebody up to fix the air conditioner. When they told her that they couldn't spare anybody, she replied :

"Look, fellas, it is really hot up here. It's so hot, that I'm having a hard time getting any work done. I just may have to take the store's entire payroll and stick it in a drawer, and not issue any paychecks to anybody until the air conditioner gets fixed!"



To this day, I honestly don't know if she would have followed through on her threat or not. Because, in very short order, the air conditioner was fixed.

[Evil Queen]

eh. 82 (F) isn't too hot. I'm having to deal with 95 F (34C) right now (with 48% humidity). My guests are ready to kill me.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Hmmmmm....somebody (like a corporate office perhaps) trying to save a few dollars by refusing to fix the A/C?

[Terry]

Keep in mind the guy was probably just doing his job and following procedure.

[AdvancedFlea]

The weather was actually pretty nice over here in New York . . . until a few days ago, that is, when the heat wave hit. Right now, the temperature is up to 96 degrees F, but the humidity puts it at just above 100 degrees. Bleh.


You know, AdvancedFlea, your story kind of reminds me of something that happened at my previous job :

somthing tells me she WOULD have carried out that threat. I most certainly would have, if I was her.

what astounds me is this company values it's sales guys...even though the techs make a thousand times more profit than the sales guys, but they worship the sales guys and not us...if they are uncomfortable, they loose focus.

eh. 82 (F) isn't too hot. I'm having to deal with 95 F (34C) right now (with 48% humidity). My guests are ready to kill me.

I've said above, I am british, none of us are used to this kinda heat :-P

Hmmmmm....somebody (like a corporate office perhaps) trying to save a few dollars by refusing to fix the A/C?

yep, that is precsisely right. thats why I gave them a bollocking >)

Keep in mind the guy was probably just doing his job and following procedure.

You and I BOTH know there are times when procedures have to go out with window. particually when you have customers falling down because of the heat, machines failing because of the heat and staff constantly having to go outside because of the same.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

yep, that is precsisely right. thats why I gave them a bollocking >)

Then I would advise you to be prepared to repeat the bollocking in case somebody further up the chain tries to cancel the repair again.

At my store, the climate control is controlled by the corporate office. If it isn't working properly, it can be like pulling teeth to get it fixed because corporate just considers it convenient savings when the A/C and heat aren't running full bore.

We haven't had problems with people fainting or anything from the heat, but it's pretty damn warm in the summer sometimes.

[AdvancedFlea]

Then I would advise you to be prepared to repeat the bollocking in case somebody further up the chain tries to cancel the repair again.

there's many things in our store controlled by head office. The lights, the alarm, the door locks and even the power, but not the air con. they could kill the power to it but that would mean taking out ALL service electrics. a big no-no.

[tropicsgoddess]

It's been around the high 80's to low or mid 90's in Florida. Once mid-morning comes, the humidity is a bitch to deal with. The low 80's is perfect for me.

[gaspode]

In this weather i'm glad i work in the chiller, because its only 3 degrees.Going to have BBQ tonight for the kids, bet it starts raining!.

[Geek King]

eh. 82 (F) isn't too hot.

Please note, guys: That's outside. You know how quick a store full of display electronics and people can heat up inside. Especially if the sun is out, and double if the sun's shining through big front display windows.

**Not picking on Queen in particular, she just had the shortest quote.