When Managers Interfere with Saftey Measures

[Chucky]

A new law came out a couple years ago that any commercial sleeping quarters must have Carbon Monoxide detectors on each sleeping floor due to some recent deaths caused by faulty heating systems. As the safety officer it was up to me to get it done. Well after I was finished installing them strictly as prescribed by law the Satellite campus manager (4 feet from the floor, Not less than 20 feet from the nearest heating source Etc.) called me into his office and informed that the presence of these detectors would scare the clients and that I was to relocate them in the nearest closet out of sight.

This guy is not one to be told he is ever wrong and if you cross him your time was only a matter of time. I showed him the law and suggested that he reconsider. Nope! but if the $$it hit the fan under the bus I would go. So I complied. By reinstalling them in the closet they were rendered totally useless.

Just as a point of interest the amount of false alarms to the fire dept by Carbon Monoxide detectors has far out weighed the false alarms by Smoke Detectors in this state. Most are caused by the placement of the detector being to close to the heat source and most oil fired systems will give a short puff of Monoxide on start up.

[CameraMan]

So... the site manager decided to put everyone's life in danger by rendering all your CO detectors useless? Because "not scaring the clients" is a higher priority? Good, maybe you should suggest not having any lighting in the building, so your clients can't see anything scary. Also be sure to disconnect the internet and all phones. Don't foget to cover all surfaces with foam rubber, in case someone trips and falls.

Seriously, who's a$$ will be on the line when someone dies of CO poisoning, your or his? Either way, I think an anonymous call to the building inspector or other AHJ is in order, like yesterday.

[FireEMSPolice]

I think an anonymous call to the building inspector or other AHJ is in order, like yesterday.

I agree!


Our company could give a rats rear end about Safety and it shows. Otherwise, they would implement some suggestions we mention. Not only are they good ideas, but save money in the long run. NOPE.

[craig333]

Building department is okay, but if you want quick action call the fire department (not the emergency number).

My gym decided to padlock the emergency exit. A call to the FD took care of that in a hurry.

[integrator97]

In the states the Fire Marshal / Inspector is usually the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) regarding life safety. I would at least make your boss put it in writing to move them, acknowledging the requirements. Maybe he'll back down.

[Chucky]

This was the Conference center for MIT and one of the very few depts that were a for profit at the school. That said it was a self supporting entity unlike all the others that were financed through grants. The manager was from a non academic back ground and acted that way. People working in the academic world are goal oriented. And people from the private sector are money oriented.

There are a lot of people that wanted the center to close as it did not fit in with the schools image and were afraid of losing their academic way of life to large vulture companies such as Aramark and a few others that were slowly taking universities and basically privatizing them. So rather than make waves that may get many of my friends out of work I took the chicken way out and took a very profitable early retirement. If I stayed or left when the bus if ever comes it would be my word and a couple of the managers worms against his. Just another brick in the wall from the country I grew up in.

[Swifty]

I would like to preface this with the fact that my boss (non-safety person) hated me when I first started with my current company.

I had a couple of similar situations come up when I was new with this company and encountered the call to the bosses office a few times. On the second round of this type I explained my side of things, presented the laws and liability associated with continuing down the path he wanted to go and was amazed at how fast my arguement got shot down. At the end of the conversation I went to leave and on my way out the door I asked him to send me an E-mail directing me to do what he had already told me to do. He asked why and I told him that when I get called to court on this matter I didn't want any questions about who made this decision and I walked out of his office.

About 30 minutes afterwards I got an E-mail telling me that he appreciates my dedication to the job and that I should do what ever my expertise tells me is best.

Most astonishing turn around not involving an air taser I've ever seen in my career.

[txinvestigator]

A new law came out a couple years ago that any commercial sleeping quarters must have Carbon Monoxide detectors on each sleeping floor due to some recent deaths caused by faulty heating systems. As the safety officer it was up to me to get it done. Well after I was finished installing them strictly as prescribed by law the Satellite campus manager (4 feet from the floor, Not less than 20 feet from the nearest heating source Etc.) called me into his office and informed that the presence of these detectors would scare the clients and that I was to relocate them in the nearest closet out of sight.

.

So you broke the law by installing them illegally. I hope you reconsider as you will be criminally responsible.

I don't believe "my boss told me too" is a valid defense.

I hate thse situations.

[SentrySam]

I have the good fortune of being a cousin to our local fire marshall and would have had him read this manager the riot act along with having him re-install all the carbon monoxide detectors to their rightful locations personally had he been in my neck of the woods. geez just how many rocket scientists are in the managerial field???? Sam

[integrator97]

I have the good fortune of being a cousin to our local fire marshall and would have had him read this manager the riot act along with having him re-install all the carbon monoxide detectors to their rightful locations personally had he been in my neck of the woods. geez just how many rocket scientists are in the managerial field???? Sam

That's the problem. Good rocket scientists are too valueable to move into management.

[therepguy]

Evening

When Managers Interfere with Saftey Measures...you end up with the iCodes!