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mocycler
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22

1 edit

2 recommendations

mocycler to coma9

Premium Member

to coma9

Re: Fire Alarm at work

said by coma9:

My question is this though, after so long of standing outside in the cold, isn't there a point where they're supposed to just send us home and comp us for the day? If it's a state law or something, we're in Utah if that matters.

Short answer: No.

Long answer: There is no law in Utah or anywhere that says there is a time limit for how long they can make you wait outside while a fire alarm clears. You are still on the clock. If they want to pay you to stand around, then that's their call to make.

However, there are rules about your employer's obligation to provide a safe work environment, and one could plausibly argue that twenty minutes outside in the cold without proper apparel is a health & safety hazard. In that case you could have sat in your car with the heater on, gone to a nearby mall or business and waited it out, or gone home. If you go home they do not have to pay you and they probably do not have to excuse the absence.

You sound like a young person or someone without a lot of work experience. In your career you will be asked to do a lot of things that are not pleasant. There is no "right" to time off with pay over every little discomfort. Get over it. Move on.
coma9
join:2013-02-05
United State

coma9

Member

said by mocycler:

said by coma9:

My question is this though, after so long of standing outside in the cold, isn't there a point where they're supposed to just send us home and comp us for the day? If it's a state law or something, we're in Utah if that matters.

You sound like a young person or someone without a lot of work experience. In your career you will be asked to do a lot of things that are not pleasant. There is no "right" to time off with pay over every little discomfort. Get over it. Move on.

Yes, for the women standing outside in 20 degree weather wearing dresses and skirts, for an hour, let's just tell them to move on, and get over it. This isn't a job where they often ask you to do anything other than what's exactly in the job description, and the emergency planning was horrendous to say the least. Watching everyone slowly trickle out of the building was a joke, and the 15 minutes it took the fire department to even arrive was even more of a laughing matter. Had it been a live fire or dangerous situation, it would have ended very ugly.
Myself, had no problem standing outside, but felt very sorry for the people with nothing covering their legs.

totamak
And they call me nuts?
join:2000-10-24
Los Angeles, CA

2 recommendations

totamak

Member

So no one bothers to grab their coats, gloves, and what not they had on in the morning coming into work. Just left those behind? Seriously. A fire alarm doesn't mean you can't take a few seconds to grab one's cold weather clothing, then go.

SparkChaser
Premium Member
join:2000-06-06
Downingtown, PA

1 recommendation

SparkChaser

Premium Member

said by totamak:

So no one bothers to grab their coats, gloves, and what not they had on in the morning coming into work.

Yes, really!!

I used to work in a secure lab. I'd lock up what had to be locked up, shut things down, grab my coat and KEYS and then leave. One time we were out for well over an hour before the building was cleared to return.

Johkal
Cool Cat
MVM
join:2002-11-13
Pennsyltucky

Johkal

MVM

said by SparkChaser:

said by totamak:

So no one bothers to grab their coats, gloves, and what not they had on in the morning coming into work.

Yes, really!!

I used to work in a secure lab. I'd lock up what had to be locked up, shut things down, grab my coat and KEYS and then leave. One time we were out for well over an hour before the building was cleared to return.

When I was 1st employed at my present job, I made the mistake of not grabbing my keys & jacket when we had an actual situation. After that, I always grab my stuff whether its a drill or a real situation.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to SparkChaser

Premium Member

to SparkChaser
I always kept my coat hanging off my chair or the cubical wall.

Though i do admit, security of the system or facility would be at the bottom of my list in a real fire. the FD is going to fire axe anything that gets in their way if it means putting out a fire.