Moaning about the heat

[turboped]

If any of you were employing someone in the service industry to come and do some work at your house, a plumber or electrician for example, and the temperature was high would you be happy to pay that person to go home or sit in the shade or keep popping off to buy drinks or would you expect that person to carry on if they wanted to get paid?

[wonderwoman1]

i had 2 workmen in yesterday removing furniture and carpets, they were dying in the heat but they carried on. they got paid and i brought them drinks every half hour and made them their lunch to take away with them and they were really grateful.
i think people in the service industry should carry on in my opinion.

[whiffey]

I think you have to show a bit of compassion. I had a guy perched up on my roof in heat such as this, he was doing a very difficult piece of work, and his back was suffering. I made him come down frequently for cold drinks and 5 minutes in the shade.

The job was completed so well I phoned his company to praise him.

[caz21]

I think you've got to be a bit more flexible with breaks in this heat, but at the end of the day, its their job, and if they werent at your house theyd be at someone else's. we all have to work in this weather, so i wouldnt be letting them go home especially paying them to, but i would let them take more drinks breaks as whiffey said!

[raysparx]

Wonderwoman,

You are the sort of lady I like working for, last week we were working in a loft, I was sweating buckets,the fibreglass was over one foot deep and all the woman did was moan at the time we were taking,like I wanted to be up there longer than I needed to, she never even made us a cold drink, she phoned me again yesterday, to put more sockets in the loft,my only reply to her was to find somebody else to do it, a cup of tea doesn't cost much does it, and like it or not a happy builder/plumber/ or electrician will always go out of there way for nice customers, I have been in a loft gain this morning and it drains all your energy, so I have come home for a shower and change of clothes, oh the joys of being self employed !!!!

[raysparx]

Should have said to you as well whiffey,what you did was perfect, well done the whiffey,

[WendyS]

I think one has to be a little flexible in this hot weather, especially for people who are doing really hard physical jobs in hot environments. Everything becomes so much more of an effort, and nobody is going to be able to do a good job if they're suffering from heat exhaustion. Nobody should have to make themselves physically ill to complete a task. Offering plenty of cold drinks and a chance for some brief breaks in a cool shady place seems a considerate thing to do in the circumstances.

[Amara]

Here in Spain everyone has a siesta between 2 and 5 so they don't all die from heat exhaustion. Please try and give a little leeway on this one I think

[joko]

as long as they are not being paid by the hour then regular breaks are essential. if they want to stop or leave then they must expect not to be paid

[raysparx]

Breaks are essential anyway joko, have you ever worked in a loft in these temperatures? it is stifling,you have to have a break,the temperature goes to well over 100 C,
so we need to have lots of water , Ray

[joko]

of course breaks are essential ray, i meant stopping every five minutes and sitting about while they are on the clock.

my point was that the deal shouldn't be an hourly rate, and as long as they werent expecting to be paid hourly then they can have as many breaks as they like