Guest guest Posted August 26, 2004 Report Share Posted August 26, 2004 Hi Group, I'd like to introduce myself to the group. My name is Michele, I live in NY. I just joined a few days ago. I'm having a problem that is perplexing & hope maybe someone can shed some light on this. I'm allergic to the carpet in my office. I'm not permitted to remove the carpet so it's either I deal with it or quit. I've been dealing with it for two years. I think it's the chemicals in the glue or carpet. I think it's the glue though. I get horrible pressure headaches – almost like sinus headaches. My nose gets clogged & so does my ears. Sometimes the pressure is so intense that I have to go to sleep in order to escape the pain. Pain relievers whether natural or synthetic do nothing to alleviate the pain. Sometimes Sinusalia by Boiron works, most times it doesn't. I've tried other natural remedies/antihistimes but nothing helps. Is anyone familiar with this or have any suggestions? Thank you. Michele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2004 Report Share Posted August 26, 2004 Dear Michelle, You are in between a 'rock and a hard place'. On the one hand you proberbly need your job or like it otherwise you would have quit, on the other hand your health is so very important considering the quality of life you have while you are alive on this planet. If it were me, I would strongly consider my communication skills and bring this up to the management, they may click with the idea they that they have subjected you to a harsh working environment for some time now and they may come up with a solution. Secondly, I would sincerely weigh in on changing my environment. What is the ventilation like there.Any windows with fresh air? If you continue to subject yourself to this indoor polution you may find that your life is going to be even more miserable and may actually be shortened. I wish you all the best. Let us know what you do! In the meantime, remember we all need FRESH AIR and GREAT Communication with others. Kathy New and Improved Mail - Send 10MB messages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2004 Report Share Posted August 26, 2004 At 01:36 PM 8/26/2004, you wrote: >Dear Michelle, >You are in between a 'rock and a hard place'. On the one hand you >proberbly need your job or like it otherwise you would have quit, on the >other hand your health is so very important considering the quality of >life you have while you are alive on this planet. >If it were me, I would strongly consider my communication skills and bring >this up to the management, they may click with the idea they that they >have subjected you to a harsh working environment for some time now and >they may come up with a solution. Secondly, I would sincerely weigh in on >changing my environment. What is the ventilation like there.Any windows >with fresh air? If you continue to subject yourself to this indoor >polution you may find that your life is going to be even more miserable >and may actually be shortened. I wish you all the best. Let us know what >you do! In the meantime, remember we all need FRESH AIR and GREAT >Communication with others. >Kathy boy, i agree with kathy here. i can't imagine it's good for the quality of life for you to be in this situation. if the management cares so little about your sinuses, they prolly don't much appreciate your work, either, so you're prolly feeling crappy mentally as well as physically. you would be surprised how very much is possible in life if you put to your mind to it - i'd counsel you to quit. happy things, -katja Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Hi Michele, You are most likely having a reaction (allergy) to the formaldehyde outgasing from not only the carpet, but just about everything in the office. This is a medical condition and if it is known your employeer is usually required to take reasonable steps to remediate the situation. If you want to make a big deal out of it you could call OSHA. Employeer are required to keep a safe and clean work place including making allowances for allergies and chemical sensitivity. But you may just want to find another job. Good Luck, James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Actually... Before you quit, i'd recommend the following: Write a letter to your HR Director or the owner of the company and let them know that although you appreciate your position (even if you dont) you really need their help on maintaining a cleaner work environment. Mail it certified return receipt DO NOT HAND IT TO SOMEONE. One of two things. if they get it in writing they may do something about it, or... if they terminate you, you will be eligible for unemployement benefits and or Workers COMP!, and potentially other damages depending on what state you are in. I was afriad to say something to one of my bosses and even went to the etreme of buying a small air filter and putting it in my office. One day my boss walked in and asked what the little noise in the background was and i told him that it was an air filter and that the reason i often sniffled and sneezed in the office was due to some allergan present there. he had the building maint people come and clean all filters and clean carpets in our office immediately and it helped some. Sylvia herbal remedies , katja <katja@a...> wrote: > At 01:36 PM 8/26/2004, you wrote: > >Dear Michelle, > >You are in between a 'rock and a hard place'. On the one hand you > >proberbly need your job or like it otherwise you would have quit, on the > >other hand your health is so very important considering the quality of > >life you have while you are alive on this planet. > >If it were me, I would strongly consider my communication skills and bring > >this up to the management, they may click with the idea they that they > >have subjected you to a harsh working environment for some time now and > >they may come up with a solution. Secondly, I would sincerely weigh in on > >changing my environment. What is the ventilation like there.Any windows > >with fresh air? If you continue to subject yourself to this indoor > >polution you may find that your life is going to be even more miserable > >and may actually be shortened. I wish you all the best. Let us know what > >you do! In the meantime, remember we all need FRESH AIR and GREAT > >Communication with others. > >Kathy > > > boy, i agree with kathy here. i can't imagine it's good for the quality of > life for you to be in this situation. if the management cares so little > about your sinuses, they prolly don't much appreciate your work, either, so > you're prolly feeling crappy mentally as well as physically. you would be > surprised how very much is possible in life if you put to your mind to it - > i'd counsel you to quit. > > happy things, > -katja Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 Yes, certified return mail is excellent, it will demonstrate to them that you mean business. -This is a very effective psychological technique. herbal remedies , " Sylvia " <h10feet> wrote: > Actually... > > Before you quit, i'd recommend the following: > > Write a letter to your HR Director or the owner of the company and > let them know that although you appreciate your position (even if > you dont) you really need their help on maintaining a cleaner work > environment. Mail it certified return receipt DO NOT HAND IT TO > SOMEONE. > > One of two things. if they get it in writing they may do something > about it, or... > if they terminate you, you will be eligible for unemployement > benefits and or Workers COMP!, and potentially other damages > depending on what state you are in. > > I was afriad to say something to one of my bosses and even went to > the etreme of buying a small air filter and putting it in my > office. One day my boss walked in and asked what the little noise > in the background was and i told him that it was an air filter and > that the reason i often sniffled and sneezed in the office was due > to some allergan present there. he had the building maint people > come and clean all filters and clean carpets in our office > immediately and it helped some. > > Sylvia > > herbal remedies , katja <katja@a...> wrote: > > At 01:36 PM 8/26/2004, you wrote: > > >Dear Michelle, > > >You are in between a 'rock and a hard place'. On the one hand you > > >proberbly need your job or like it otherwise you would have quit, > on the > > >other hand your health is so very important considering the > quality of > > >life you have while you are alive on this planet. > > >If it were me, I would strongly consider my communication skills > and bring > > >this up to the management, they may click with the idea they that > they > > >have subjected you to a harsh working environment for some time > now and > > >they may come up with a solution. Secondly, I would sincerely > weigh in on > > >changing my environment. What is the ventilation like there.Any > windows > > >with fresh air? If you continue to subject yourself to this > indoor > > >polution you may find that your life is going to be even more > miserable > > >and may actually be shortened. I wish you all the best. Let us > know what > > >you do! In the meantime, remember we all need FRESH AIR and GREAT > > >Communication with others. > > >Kathy > > > > > > boy, i agree with kathy here. i can't imagine it's good for the > quality of > > life for you to be in this situation. if the management cares so > little > > about your sinuses, they prolly don't much appreciate your work, > either, so > > you're prolly feeling crappy mentally as well as physically. you > would be > > surprised how very much is possible in life if you put to your > mind to it - > > i'd counsel you to quit. > > > > happy things, > > -katja Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 Hi Everyone, Thank you for all the suggestions. I will try the mag & vit. C. I also appreciate all the suggestions regarding what to do to alleviate the office conditions. Unfortunately, my employer is a stupid selfish person and will not do anything about this. I have even offered to pay for the carpet & removal but he just ignores me. I've worked there almost 8 yrs & my symptoms started 2 months after the carpet was installed - just about 2 yrs ago. I have written letters, & produced Dr's notes from 5 different specialists. I have two fans on the floor to push the air out of the office. I've contacted OSHA & workers comp. & they both tell me that since I'm the only one having these problems, then there's nothing they can do about it. Since it's not a lasting disability, I can't go out on workers comp. I also contacted my attorney & have no legal options. I have an air cleaner but all it does is clean the dust. It does nothing for chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene... I even looked into the living air cleaner but all it does is purify the air from dust & the like. What I've been doing for the last 3 months is open my office at 9:00 & turn the fans on. Go to another office & talk to my coworkers for 30 - 45 minutes. Then go back into my office & do some work for an hour. Go outside to get fresh air for about 30 minutes. Go back to my office for an hour. Then I go to lunch for an hour & then repeat the cycle again. If I keep to this schedule, the headaches/pressure is less. But some days I have to go home for a few hours in order to get rid of the headache. I think it would be cheaper for him in the long run if he pulled out the carpet! I'm out of my office maybe 3 hrs a day & I'm getting paid for all this down time. He's penny wise & dollar foolish. Too stupid to see how much money this toxic carpet is causing him! Thank you all again Michele Win 1 of 4,000 free domain names from Enter now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 well, if you really want to keep this job, reading this made me think of one other suggestion: when i lived in russia, i had friends who worked in the hoklama factories (that pretty lacquered wooden art they do). the painting rooms were stuffed to overflowing with green plants all the time, to help filter the chemicals from the laquer from the air. maybe if you made your office into a greenhouse, it would help. if nothing else, it would certainly get the message across! -katja At 01:20 AM 8/28/2004, you wrote: >Hi Everyone, > >Thank you for all the suggestions. I will try the mag & vit. C. > >I also appreciate all the suggestions regarding what to do to alleviate >the office conditions. Unfortunately, my employer is a stupid selfish >person and will not do anything about this. I have even offered to pay for >the carpet & removal but he just ignores me. I've worked there almost 8 >yrs & my symptoms started 2 months after the carpet was installed - just >about 2 yrs ago. > >I have written letters, & produced Dr's notes from 5 different >specialists. I have two fans on the floor to push the air out of the >office. I've contacted OSHA & workers comp. & they both tell me that since >I'm the only one having these problems, then there's nothing they can do >about it. Since it's not a lasting disability, I can't go out on workers >comp. I also contacted my attorney & have no legal options. > >I have an air cleaner but all it does is clean the dust. It does nothing >for chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene... >I even looked into the living air cleaner but all it does is purify the >air from dust & the like. > >What I've been doing for the last 3 months is open my office at 9:00 & >turn the fans on. Go to another office & talk to my coworkers for 30 - 45 >minutes. Then go back into my office & do some work for an hour. Go >outside to get fresh air for about 30 minutes. Go back to my office for an >hour. Then I go to lunch for an hour & then repeat the cycle again. If I >keep to this schedule, the headaches/pressure is less. >But some days I have to go home for a few hours in order to get rid of the >headache. > >I think it would be cheaper for him in the long run if he pulled out the >carpet! I'm out of my office maybe 3 hrs a day & I'm getting paid for >all this down time. He's penny wise & dollar foolish. Too stupid to see >how much money this toxic carpet is causing him! > >Thank you all again > >Michele > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Win 1 of 4,000 free domain names from ><http://us.rd./evt=26640/*http://promotions./goldrush>Enter >now. > >Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: >1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. >2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural >remedy. >3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and to >prescribe for your own health. >We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as >they behave themselves. >Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person >following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. >It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from >list members, you are agreeing to >be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and >members free of any liability. > >Dr. Ian Shillington >Doctor of Naturopathy >Dr.IanShillington > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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