Allergies/Sensitivities - The Social Responsibility?

Hack · 07-13-2011, 09:40 PM

I work for a government agency that has a lot of public meetings. As the press officer, I put out press releases or media advisories about most of the meetings. We take accessibility very seriously, and are careful to make sure the meeting locations are accessible for persons with disabilities. We used to include a requirement that our meeting spaces be "scent-free," but we took an inordinate amount of public ridicule for it that we no longer include that language in our public information about meetings. I mean, I was getting calls from the media about, bloggers who follow our agency were trashing us as overly-PC, considering most of the audience for our meetings are men who smell like Old Spice, stale beer and fish guts.

I get bronchitis if I am in an enclosed space with cigarette smoke for too long. I am careful to avoid those situations. I can understand peanut allergies and being hyper-vigilant with kids. But I often wonder ... I would be hard-pressed to name one kid I ever went to school with back in the 1970s and early 1980s who had a peanut allergy. Is this a fairly new thing (the last 15 years or so?) or did I just grow up in such a small town that we didn't have a peanut allergy sufferer?

Jake

Rockinonahigh · 07-13-2011, 10:01 PM

We have a new receptionist at work,omg,she takes a bath in whatever sents she is wearing,has really big hair,brassy earrings,four inch long nails...not kidding u folks this is real.THe smell of hair spray will gag me in a minit..not normaly but she over uses evrything.Today she said ,sweetie gotta go put in my lips...duhhh says me I swear I never have seen that color lipstik on anyone..holy moley.Needless to say I dont go to the office much.

suebee · 07-13-2011, 10:38 PM

At times I find that some people say allergy when what they really mean is that a smell bothers them or they're sensitive to it. I'm one of those people. But that sensitivity may mean that I spend the rest of the day in a darkened room with a migraine or sneezing and coughing. Minor - but it sure can ruin my day.

I used to work with special needs kids. I had one little boy - Alex - who had severe food allergies. And not just if he ate certain foods. Often just smelling the food could provoke an anaphalactic reaction. They lived too close to McDonald's. They had to move. They used to go camping. Too many grills with beef on them, so they stayed home. When they went to see the ultra-specialized allergy doctor they had to fly because they couldn't risk having a reaction on a train. The airline had to make sure no beef or peanuts or a dozen other things were in the same cabin as Alex - or leftover smells of any of those things. God bless them - they were fabulous to deal with. I was involved in trying to make arrangements for Alex to go to school. Teleconferencing was an option, but that would mean he would never have any socialization other than his siblings. The school board was fabulous too. I didn't get to see how it turned out because I changed jobs and cities. But I thought that the little guy deserved the chance to go to school, because - quite frankly - I didn't think he would live long. Even when he was at the hospital he was exposed to life-threatening allergens - and this even though everyone was supposed to be informed and arrangements made accordingly.

So when I think of allergies I think of Alex, and I wonder if he's still alive and hope that he's having, or had the best quality life possible. I think that's worth a little inconvenience on my part. Sorry if this sounds a little melodramatic, but the changes I'd have to make to accomodate someone with allergies to food, or smells, or most other things for that matter, seem pretty minor compared to the difference it can make to them.

Sue

betenoire · 07-13-2011, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Medusa

What do you all think? If there is a group of people in a situation and one of them is allergic to something, should the group be sensitive to that and give up their peanuts, perfumes, etc? Or should that person find another way to interact?

Here's the thing: being exposed to certain scents, foods, ect can bring a lot of harm to some people. Not being allowed to wear perfume to work isn't going to hurt anybody. Sally isn't going to drop down dead because she couldn't bathe her stank ass in Anais Anais every day before work, but Sarah certainly COULD drop down dead because Sally was allowed to continue to bathe her stank ass in Anais Anais. Bobby isn't going to die if he can't have PB&J for lunch, but Brandon certainly COULD die if Bobby gets his PB on the table and Brandon accidentally comes in contact with it.

Sarah has the right to have a job. Brandon has the right to get a public education. Sally and Bobby's rights stop where they put Sarah and Brandon in danger.

I sit in the scent free section at work, by the way.

Mike · 07-14-2011, 12:26 AM

our whole building at work is scent free

betenoire · 07-14-2011, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

our whole building at work is scent free

The job I'm at now is the first one that hasn't been completely scent free. This one has a "low scent" policy (you know, scented deoderant and body wash is okay, but no perfume), and a section set aside where you can't use any scented products.

Medusa · 01-10-2012, 01:35 PM

Let's revisit!

The "scent free" lady at work has now sent a formal request that all employees be required to eat their lunch in the lunch room rather than eating at their desks while working because she said the smell of food makes her sick.

Is this reasonable to you?

I would say that 80% of the employees on our floor do a "working lunch" and gnosh at their desk rather than eating in the lunch area (which would be too small for everyone to be accomodated at one time). This will have a pretty severe impact on all employees if the company decides to institute this policy. (I dont think they will because most of upper management realizes they get an extra hour a day out of us while we work through our lunches at our desk)

This person has also advocated for a completely "scent free" environment in the common areas and has removed all the air fresheners from the women's restroom. It appears that she is severely allergic to smells or at least severely affected by them.

At what point does a workplace need to accomodate?

07-13-2011, 10:38 PM	#3
suebee Member How Do You Identify?: TOWANDA! Preferred Pronoun?: Queen Bee Relationship Status: Good 'n married. Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Eastern Canada. But if I make a wrong turn at the lights I get stopped by a border guard. Posts: 1,499 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,355 Thanked 2,756 Times in 820 Posts Rep Power: 16450092	At times I find that some people say allergy when what they really mean is that a smell bothers them or they're sensitive to it. I'm one of those people. But that sensitivity may mean that I spend the rest of the day in a darkened room with a migraine or sneezing and coughing. Minor - but it sure can ruin my day. I used to work with special needs kids. I had one little boy - Alex - who had severe food allergies. And not just if he ate certain foods. Often just smelling the food could provoke an anaphalactic reaction. They lived too close to McDonald's. They had to move. They used to go camping. Too many grills with beef on them, so they stayed home. When they went to see the ultra-specialized allergy doctor they had to fly because they couldn't risk having a reaction on a train. The airline had to make sure no beef or peanuts or a dozen other things were in the same cabin as Alex - or leftover smells of any of those things. God bless them - they were fabulous to deal with. I was involved in trying to make arrangements for Alex to go to school. Teleconferencing was an option, but that would mean he would never have any socialization other than his siblings. The school board was fabulous too. I didn't get to see how it turned out because I changed jobs and cities. But I thought that the little guy deserved the chance to go to school, because - quite frankly - I didn't think he would live long. Even when he was at the hospital he was exposed to life-threatening allergens - and this even though everyone was supposed to be informed and arrangements made accordingly. So when I think of allergies I think of Alex, and I wonder if he's still alive and hope that he's having, or had the best quality life possible. I think that's worth a little inconvenience on my part. Sorry if this sounds a little melodramatic, but the changes I'd have to make to accomodate someone with allergies to food, or smells, or most other things for that matter, seem pretty minor compared to the difference it can make to them. Sue __________________ "Compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind." -Albert Schweitzer

07-14-2011, 12:26 AM	#5
Mike In Loving Memory and Many Thanks Relationship Status: connected, emotionally and physically Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 511 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,188 Thanked 2,454 Times in 416 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	our whole building at work is scent free __________________ Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself. Harvey Fierstein

01-10-2012, 01:35 PM	#7
Medusa Mentally Delicious How Do You Identify?: Queer High Femme, thank you very much Preferred Pronoun?: Mme. Relationship Status: Married to JD. Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Atlanta Posts: 10,446 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 5,995 Thanked 42,686 Times in 7,831 Posts Rep Power: 10000025	Let's revisit! The "scent free" lady at work has now sent a formal request that all employees be required to eat their lunch in the lunch room rather than eating at their desks while working because she said the smell of food makes her sick. Is this reasonable to you? I would say that 80% of the employees on our floor do a "working lunch" and gnosh at their desk rather than eating in the lunch area (which would be too small for everyone to be accomodated at one time). This will have a pretty severe impact on all employees if the company decides to institute this policy. (I dont think they will because most of upper management realizes they get an extra hour a day out of us while we work through our lunches at our desk) This person has also advocated for a completely "scent free" environment in the common areas and has removed all the air fresheners from the women's restroom. It appears that she is severely allergic to smells or at least severely affected by them. At what point does a workplace need to accomodate? __________________ . . . Buy ButchFemmePlanet Merch Here: https://teespring.com/stores/butchfemmeplanetcom-merch

07-13-2011, 09:40 PM	#1
Hack Just a guy. How Do You Identify?: Just a guy Preferred Pronoun?: male Relationship Status: Sparkle's consort Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: MA Posts: 1,458 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 807 Thanked 3,776 Times in 958 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	I work for a government agency that has a lot of public meetings. As the press officer, I put out press releases or media advisories about most of the meetings. We take accessibility very seriously, and are careful to make sure the meeting locations are accessible for persons with disabilities. We used to include a requirement that our meeting spaces be "scent-free," but we took an inordinate amount of public ridicule for it that we no longer include that language in our public information about meetings. I mean, I was getting calls from the media about, bloggers who follow our agency were trashing us as overly-PC, considering most of the audience for our meetings are men who smell like Old Spice, stale beer and fish guts. I get bronchitis if I am in an enclosed space with cigarette smoke for too long. I am careful to avoid those situations. I can understand peanut allergies and being hyper-vigilant with kids. But I often wonder ... I would be hard-pressed to name one kid I ever went to school with back in the 1970s and early 1980s who had a peanut allergy. Is this a fairly new thing (the last 15 years or so?) or did I just grow up in such a small town that we didn't have a peanut allergy sufferer? Jake

07-13-2011, 10:01 PM	#2
Rockinonahigh Senior Member How Do You Identify?: stone butch Preferred Pronoun?: makes no diffrence,I know who I am. Relationship Status: single,maybe looking if the right person comes along. Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: shreveport,Louisiana Posts: 4,907 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 4,682 Thanked 14,933 Times in 3,938 Posts Rep Power: 21474856	We have a new receptionist at work,omg,she takes a bath in whatever sents she is wearing,has really big hair,brassy earrings,four inch long nails...not kidding u folks this is real.THe smell of hair spray will gag me in a minit..not normaly but she over uses evrything.Today she said ,sweetie gotta go put in my lips...duhhh says me I swear I never have seen that color lipstik on anyone..holy moley.Needless to say I dont go to the office much.