I'm venting here to keep me from exploding at work...

[gutterpunk]

I work in an office where 4 of us are close together, but not on top of each other. It's an open space, but one where if you turn on a space heater, it heats up the whole place, fast.

Myself and another girl are here today. It is 89 outside with high humidity. They keep the air in the building at 77. She has turned the heater on. She does it everyday. I didn't mind in the winter, even though it would get stuffy, but in the summer????????? Come on!!! It's so hot in here people keep commenting when they walk past "wow, it's stuffy over here!"
When I do politely ask to turn it off for a bit, she pouts, but does it. For a bit. I mean about 20 minutes, then it's back on.

Today I told her she should wear pants and socks and a sweater if she is so cold all the time. She's in a sundress. She can put clothes on to keep warm, I on the other hand, would get in trouble if I started taking my clothes off to keep cool.

We are both early 30's by the way. She thinks it's cute and laughs.

I'm going to break in at night and smash the heater.

Okay, rant over, but it just burns me up. (pun intended)

 

[mickeyboat]

I always keep a sweater at work just for that reason - the A/C sometimes is too cool for me. Buy her one.

Denae

 

[gutterpunk]

I always keep a sweater at work just for that reason - the A/C sometimes is too cool for me. Buy her one.

Denae

Oh, she's put a sweater on over her dress. Along with a scarf.

I'm sorry, but even the other women here think she's nuts. At this point I swear she does it for attention. Seriously.

But tonight I'm buying a fan. Everytime she turns on the heater, I'm turning on the fan. I hate to be passive-aggresive like that, but talking to her about it doesn't help. And it's not something I want to go to the boss over.

It really gets hot in here, no kidding around.

 

[Chicago526]

I had the oposit problem. My boss and I would be freezing and my one co-worker would still want to crank the AC full blast. She was always hot no matter how cold it was in the office. It was even worse in the winter because she'd come dressed in heavy sweaters and then not want to turn the heat on at all.

Fortunatly, we now all work from home! We can have it as hot or cold as we each like!

 

[tlens]

if it's 77 deg and she's still putting on a heater and a sweater she has some medical problems she needs addressed. That's not normal and she does not have the right to infringe on everyone else's comfort.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Ugh. I go through that a little bit at work. I'm a para educator and spend my days in three different classrooms (well, last year I did). One kept it at a normal temperature (usually between 75-76) and the other two kept it really high. One time the thermostat in one of the rooms read 91! It was awful.

I'd definitely say something to your boss.

 

[Dee & Greg]

Stay late after work and hide the heater

 

[NMAmy]

We used to have a young girl who worked in our office who would wear...well, very little clothing. Then she'd turn on the space heater. Only problem was that she sat immediately in front of the thermostat--meaning that the A/C would be freezing out the rest of us.

Her supervisor and I stole her space heater one day after she'd left and then he notified her the next day that they were not allowed in the office--which is true. Just for the record, this was not something she owned but something a previous employee had left in her desk area. We hadn't realized it was there until we figured out what was going on.

 

[mamacatnv]

Management is paying to keep the office at a comfortable 77 (well not for me, I control my space and it is 73-74) and she is turning on a heater Why has management not addressed this issue, they are actually paying more to cool their building because your co-worker is not dressed appropriately for her internal thermostat.

Curious?
Does she wear sandals, flip flops or other open type shoes?
If she does, get her a pair of socks and take away the heater.

 

[mickeyboat]

Is it possible she sits under the A/C duct and cold air is blowing on her? If so, could her desk be moved?

 

[Robinrs]

I'm a POLAR BEAR... always has been, hate heat with a passion.... I know, so why did I move south... 2 words...
CENTRAL AIR!!!!!
She and I would come to blows!

In the meantime I'd bring in a fan for my own person pleasure!

 

[Amlee]

I had this problem once.

This women insisted on having the heat on, so after days of going back and forth with her I had enough. I let her know I was down to taking off my top and working in my bra. I can only take off so much, before I'm down to nothing. She would rather bring clothing to keep warm then see me running around the office naked.

Needless to say she stopped wearing her sundress and started wearing things that would cover her.

 

[gutterpunk]

She wears skirts/dresses and shoes with no socks, she is not sitting under a vent. That's why I made the comment about wearing pants and socks! I wear that stuff too, but I'm not cold all the time!

She says it's because she has low blood pressure from being a runner. Whatever, it's giving me high blood pressure!

I don't think management even knows. I work in a hospital and the only ones around us are doctors (their private offices), so they don't pay attention.

I find myself not talking to her anymore because I feel she is very self-involved and thoughtless. She knows how uncomfortable it makes me, yet doesn't even ask if I'd mind if she'd turn it on for a while. She just does it, and leaves it on for hours. I'm not unreasonable, I could live with an hour on, an hour off or something, but just to do it without a thought for your coworkers?

I am one of those of people who thinks a job is a job, and I have to make do with whoever I work with. But she is making it really hard for me not to turn witchy.

 

[goofyernmost]

This seems a little underhanded, but, I can't imagine management that is so cheap as to keep the building at 77 degree and not be concerned about running a space heater while air conditioning. That is usually a corporate no-no. So maybe informing the right people may solve the problem since she doesn't seem to be taking the hint.

I know we had a person in our office yesterday when the outside temp. was 94 degrees and very humid with her window open and the AC going full blast. That end of the building was like a sauna. She was wearing pants and long sleeve shirt. I personally think that someone with that little circulation shouldn't be able to stand without passing out, but, what do I know.

 

[kelleigh1]

That drives me nuts. You're right, they can add layers if they are cold, but you can't undress if you're hot. And majority should rule.

I always have a sweater in my office - year round. But other people borrow it more often then I wear it. I'd be going nuts if the girl next to me brought in a space heater for the summer.

And if she's that cold when it's 77 in the office, she might want to go to the doctor.

 

[Amlee]

I'm a POLAR BEAR... always has been, hate heat with a passion.... I know, so why did I move south... 2 words...
CENTRAL AIR!!!!!
She and I would come to blows!

In the meantime I'd bring in a fan for my own person pleasure!

OH I'm with you! The worse comes out in me, when I'm hot.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I used to work in an office that was freezing. I was the only one who was cold. You know what I did? I dressed warm! I wore heavy sweaters in July with pants and boots! I looked like a weirdo going to my car and my family used to laugh but I hated being cold. Your co-worker sounds like a selfish person. Oh- and 77 is not even cold! When my house is 77 we are ready to pass out!

 

[breezy1077]

I'm surprised they allow her to have a space heater at work. I think they're a fire hazard, and I'd never allow them in our office. Call the fire marshall and ask them annonymously if they're allowed - then, if they're not - tell management.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

I'm huddled next to my space heater reading this... Our airconditioner was broken last week but now it's working... and I think it's set at 72 degrees. Problem is that we all have air vents directly over our desks and the thermostat is out in the lobby. If it's more than 65 in my office I'd be shocked. I think I'm going to go out and visit some customers this afternoon so I can thaw out. It's 90 degrees outside.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Boy, it would be a real shame if the plug some how got cut off of that space heater. . .