Updated: Smell at work question

[ohyouknow]

UPDATE:  I went and talked to her. She is pissed about taking it down. She claims she's used it for 2 years and no one complained before and but to "keep the peace" she won't plug it in. However, she's not letting it go - as I was talking to her she grabbed a bottle of perfumed lotion and starting slathering it all over her arms. I said "well maybe it's the lotion I'm smelling if you say you removed the plug-in" and she shook her head and said "Nope. It's not." My office still reeks. It is super apparent she is using something in there to stink up her office. She says that is her "thing" - people always tell her how good her office smells. I don't know what to do. I'm in the military, she's a government employee of some sort - we don't work for the same agency or have the same leadership/supervisor. It's not like I can move, and she's being a stubborn asshole.

Original post: I work in a typical office building - hallways with offices every 10 feet or so. The lady whose door is directly opposite mine installed a new Glade Plug-In yesterday. Every time she left I shut her door, as it was POWERFUL. Today I came to work and as soon as I got off the elevator (probably 100 feet away), the smell hit me. I already have a headache after 10 min of sitting in my office. She's not in yet. I don't know her, although I've waved and said hello. (She travels  for months at a time, and when she's back in the US she's in and out.) What should I do? Pull the plug-in and put it on her desk? Ask the boss to say something? Wait and see if she comes in today and say something to her? I already shut her door, but this thing is like a nuclear explosion of fake flower scent.

[drloretta]

I would talk to her directly instead of going to your boss. "Mary, while I love the scent you chose for your Glade Plug-In, it's REALLY powerful. Is there any way to keep your door closed for the time being?" Or something along those lines.

Can you close your door?

[ohyouknow]

I can close my door for a little while, but this thing has spread throughout the floor. I also can't keep my door shut all day.

I don't mind talking to her, but I don't even know if she's coming in today. She is very sporadic. We work for different government agencies.

[Deleted]

I'd tell her you're allergic (I'm allergic to those things) and ask her to pretty please remove it because your allergies are out of control with it plugged in.

[jenn248]

Jul 23, 2014 7:32:26 GMT -5 v said:

I'd tell her you're allergic (I'm allergic to those things) and ask her to pretty please remove it because your allergies are out of control with it plugged in.

Agreed (my coworker also has bad allergies and has asked that none of us wear strong perfume or cologne).  If she isn't in, I'd pull the plug-in and let her boss know.

[ohyouknow]

Alright, I just went into her office and unplugged it and shut her door again. Hopefully the smell starts clearing out soon. I'm guessing she isn't even coming in today.
Thank you!

[mbcdefg]

I think it's OK to unplug it for now, but I'd leave a note. And/or email your boss or HR (paper trail) as a heads-up that you unplugged it because of health reasons.

[womet]

Jul 23, 2014 7:45:47 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

I think it's OK to unplug it for now, but I'd leave a note. And/or email your boss or HR (paper trail) as a heads-up that you unplugged it because of health reasons.

I agree with this.

[Deleted]

Send her an email that it gives you headaches.

Is there another type of freshened that doesn't? If so, suggest that.

[ohyouknow]

I can't email her - I don't even know her name or what agency she works for or if she's a contractor or what. She just came in a few minutes ago and saw it sitting on her desk and looked pissed and then shut her door. I'll mention something to her when she comes out again. I just don't understand why people do stuff like that. Same with playing loud music at work....what makes people think that's okay? Grrr.

[quickstepstar]

Jul 23, 2014 7:32:26 GMT -5 v said:

I'd tell her you're allergic (I'm allergic to those things) and ask her to pretty please remove it because your allergies are out of control with it plugged in.

Yes! I am allergic to those things too. They are VILE!!

[dexteroni]

Ugh, those things are so gross. Yes, definitely go with allergies and document the issue with whoever you need to.

[ohyouknow]

I updated in the OP. I'm at a loss.

[sa]

I think now is the time to go to your boss. What an ass.

[CloudBee]

These things drive me crazy.

I hope the smell fades by next week.

[orangeblossom]

That sucks. I'm not sure what you can do, short of going to your boss or HR, and even that may not help.

I had an old coworker ask someone to stop wearing her perfume as it was really aggravating her asthma and other thjnfs. She said no. It was escalated to our director. Director sent out an email for everyone or be mindful. Still wore it. Went I HR. In the end she still wouldn't stop wearing it, and coworker moved to another area and wears a mask when she passes that specific smelly area.

I have no idea if it was noted in smelly coworkers file that she would not stop wearing the perfume, it rest assured people took note and it wasn't a positive one.

Good luck.

[hopenotlost]

Jul 25, 2014 14:05:26 GMT -5 Dig Ophelia said:

Smells suck.

Get some fans and aim them toward her office so the stink blows in the other direction?

Go "faint" in front of her office and when people help you up/ask what's wrong, tell them that there must be some kind of toxic chemical leak in the building?

Grab something stinky for lunch because it's war?

I like all of these suggestions.  

I would talk to your boss...it's ridiculous that she has to have it THAT strong that it affects everyone around her.  

[Saint Monica]

Jul 23, 2014 9:52:03 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Those glade things stink. ew. I'd absolutely say something to her. Strong scents have no place in an office.

You are right!  Cinnamon brooms are much better

[msmerymac]

My old apartment building put those things in the common hallway. It seriously smelled like hair dye chemicals and gave me an almost instant headache (and I was never sensitive to perfume or anything before that incident!). They are so gross and fake. I ended up throwing out the one they put near my door, but that was an easy fix.

What adult DOESN'T know that slathering yourself or your things with perfume or chemical scents pisses people off more often than not AND sets off allergies in many people?

[Deleted]

Ditto on contacting facilities management.

[Deleted]

Jul 25, 2014 14:26:08 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

What adult DOESN'T know that slathering yourself or your things with perfume or chemical scents pisses people off more often than not AND sets off allergies in many people?

My entire office. It took me three years before I was able to convince my co-worker that he didn't need to bathe himself in AXE body spray and my boss insists on using Bath & Body Works for all hand soap, lotion, etc.

It's like a big chemical melting pot.

[imojoebunny]

I am sorry. Sounds like she doesn't take the pain she is causing you very seriously. I feel for you. I have had a similar situation, with lotion, not a plug in. It was not fun to work through a day with red eyes, stuffy head, hard time breathing, and a headache. I sort of got where I wanted to hurt the dumb coworker and I am not a violent person. I could not for the life of me understand why her lotion was more important than me being able to breathe and not feel sick each day.

I ended up talking to my boss about it, which might be an option, even if you don't have the same management/division, maybe HR can help. It was truly debilitating and effect my life even after I left the office. I can't understand why people do not realize that fragrance in the office is no more healthy than smoking.

www.lung.ca/protect-protegez/pollution-pollution/indoor-interieur/scents-parfums_e.php

[BioNerd]

I'm so sorry you're going through this, YUCK!

FWIW, DH's cousin is a firefighter and he says that those things cause the most home fires and refuses to have them in his house. I haven't done the research, but it could be a good point in your argument...

[spunkarella]

Jul 25, 2014 14:17:14 GMT -5 @juno said:

Do you have some sort of facilities manager? We have a front desk staff that handles ALL these sorts of things. They are militant and will search your space and take your ish away if you are bothering other people; none of us are in the same group since we're a satellite office, but we ALL answer to facilities.

I think this is a really good suggestion! I'm sorry you are having to deal with this. 

[lime]

Jesus, what a jerk.

[bryantpark]

Heat fish in the microwave!!!

[redheadk]

Jul 25, 2014 21:11:32 GMT -5 bryantpark said:

Heat fish in the microwave!!!

Or hide some in her office  (devil)

[vanillacourage]

Go to the doctor, get a note about chemical headaches (not faux allergies, eww) and submit it to HR. They're obligated to intervene.

[rubytue]

Jul 25, 2014 20:10:21 GMT -5 BioNerd said:

FWIW, DH's cousin is a firefighter and he says that those things cause the most home fires and refuses to have them in his house. I haven't done the research, but it could be a good point in your argument...

I'd go with this tactic. When I worked for the military, they were very big of safety inspections. You couldn't plug in anything unauthorized. Heck, my office was flagged bc I hadn't emptied my recycle bin and the diet soda cans were spilling out (*blush*).

[audette]

Jul 25, 2014 14:17:14 GMT -5 @juno said:

Do you have some sort of facilities manager? We have a front desk staff that handles ALL these sorts of things. They are militant and will search your space and take your ish away if you are bothering other people; none of us are in the same group since we're a satellite office, but we ALL answer to facilities.

This. I'd talk to the building/office/site manager (or person responsible for the site). And I'd suggest implementing a no-fragrance policy for medical reasons.  I have visited worksites before that had this policy.