We're probably not the only ones, but our office is our server room and the noise is now starting to get to the point where we're getting constant headaches. Its not a loud noise as such (70db) but its the constant 'hum' from the switches and servers (9 of them).
We have a health and safety visit next week. Should I mention it? I've asked the head about relocating to non-used room but he said no chance. These working conditions are awful.
Yes, mention it and also get your union H&S rep in, if you are in a union. Constant droning from servers can cause permanent damage to your hearing, it needs sorting asap.
We moved recently as our office was at 75db, air con was kicking out at about 18oc to keep the servers at about 28Originally Posted by teejay
Much better now, just got the hum of our workstations and a single (new) 3com switch.
Gary
good to know this, we have the same situation... its a large'ish' office, but we have a full rack of servers and switches and im not going to lie, its doing my nut in, that teamed with the Aircon constantly on full to keep the room cold...
so every day i go home with a headache and cold hands
do i need to join the local union ?
You should be in a union if you work in a school, full stop. There is too much that could go wrong these days that it really isn't worth not being in one.
The H&S officer at the union will get it sorted out, the school really has very little option once they are involved.
Our previous office was also the server room. We didn't dare bring up the noise as a H&S issue as the preferred and cheapest solution would have been for us to wear ear protectors.
Reminds me of this:
I'd swap for the hum of servers!
I'm right next to where students congregate during breaks and free periods and the noise (and behaviour) is driving my stress levels through the roof!
I can't even think about concentrating on a challenging task because my train of thought is shattered by ear splitting teenagers!
My office has no windows and a single door which I leave open so I can breathe! I had to shut it today because I was at breaking point! I now have a pounding headache through breathing stale, computer heated air!
I don't say anything because I fear for my job, but the situation has become absolutely intolerable for me. I can see me being made ill by it before long.
It's a constant daily drain on my nerves.
In fact, I'm going home now, early. I've had enough.
@all:
EH!!! you what!!! can't bl**dy hear a damn thing with this niose in the background........................................ ....................Ahhh! that's better............................................ .......................Thanks webman for turning those things off............................................... ...............peace and quiet for once.............................................. ....Awww bl**dy hell what now the phones are going off.............Can't bl**dy well win.............................................WE BMAN!! turn those bl**dy servers back on again the phone keeps ringing and it keeps waking me up!
Yah knows I needs me beauty sleep.......................................snorrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeee!!!
Yer not wrong there young'un!
Sylv3r (1st December 2009)
hmmmm need to have a pester of unison (i think it is around here anyway)
Aye, similar conditions here, v.noisy old switches, servers, aircon... but we're due for a rebuild in just four short years, and they promise we'll get a better office then...
If its BSF build, it will be in some posh data centreAye, similar conditions here, v.noisy old switches, servers, aircon... but we're due for a rebuild in just four short years, and they promise we'll get a better office then...
Snap!!
We have moved back in with the potentially ear damaging servers because of the same situation with the students. They smashed our door to our no window cupboard sized office till the concrete around the hinges flew off. Punched it, kicked it and passed racist notes about my tech under the door. When we pulled the latch across and ignored it, they climbed up on a radiator outside the door to the top internal window pane and banged on the glass laughing at us from above to wind us up. All the while i am told not to go out and confront them because it could be potentially a bad situation. When we do open the door and try to question their immature behaviour all the 6th formers bolt out the building laughing or smirk and claim they did nothing. This would happen all day and reporting it to staff got us nowhere.
The SMT refused us a single little camera to catch them in the act. I can not recognise them because i don't teach and the MIS photos are next to useless because the kids look totally different. We call the "patrol" team and they fail to turn up all the time. After they were swearing at us last week for about an hour or two and two failed attempts to get patrol across i ended up calling the deputy head. Solved it on that occassion but it is pretty much a daily thing because of the location and the lack of behavior control and sanctions.
Now they have to find us a new office or i will either be seeing the union about my health over the noise in the server room or be off sick with stress should they insist i go back to the cupboard office.
So i can well understand your situation
If the noise levels in your room are at a particlar amount (can't remember the exact number) say 75db and you are likely to be in there for 8 hours a day more or less give or take a few trips out then you should have ear protectors or be moved i was told. We can not hear the door knock half the time in the server room and would not be able to hear the phone with ear muffs as we can barely hear it now. Constant sore throat from shouting at the technician 5 yards away but i guess its better than braining some kid for driving me over the edge in the other room.
All the while the SMT are moving staff about so they get large cushy offices to themselves and offices are turned into private post 16 study areas. What about us? We are not teachers so we don't count
They are looking into it..... 6 months in the cupboard while they looked.... a year and a half in the noisy server room before this while they looked.... I found the cupboard although i wish i hadn't now. No place better till they kick some slacker out of their palace and move em in with someone else i guess.
Thus is the life of the tech.
We had our health and safety visit today. What was pointed out to me:
- Not a nice environment to work in. They wouldn't like to work in it for more than 20 mins.
- Server room is noisy.
- Air quality is poor
These are the best bits.
- Its like sitting on an airplane. - so we are renaming the office to the Virgin Atlantic Suite.
- Get some plants to help with the air quality. But you're not allowed to water them due to health and safety regs!
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