Allergies/Sensitivities - The Social Responsibility?

[pinkgeek]

Interesting..... I worked at one very very very large semi conductor company where we were never allowed to eat anything at our desks because the CEO hated walked down the hall and ever smelling food. The man signed our checks, I kinda let it go. (The executive carpark was down the hall from my office so I never broke the rule - possible the only rule I haven't bent or broken in my life.....)

However at the most recent tech company I was at, if someone wanted us to all eat in the lunch room we'd be standing on the foosball table and eating off the server racks to accommodate said "scent free lady".

Even so.... The smell would have get into the office not to mention that at that point I'd have lost enough productivity not being able to eat and work that I'd never set foot in my office and neither would anyone else.

Long story short - I think she needs a work from home allowance or a personal bubble. But then I'm that girl who wears a different Chanel for each season.

Originally Posted by Medusa

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?

At what point does a workplace need to accomodate?

[*Anya*]

There are a couple of ways to look at this. Yes, social responsibility and empathy towards others vs. personal rights and freedoms.

I have asthma. It is well-controlled and I take my asthma meds, which is my responsibility to do.

I can have a someone walk by me, or be trapped in a bus, office setting or airplane with someone that put on a very strongly scented perfume or colone and fairly rapidly, start wheezing.

Do I think that people have the right to wear scents- yes they do. Do they also have some responsibility to not put so much on that I can smell them 30 rows down in the airplane? Yes, I believe that they do. I also have the right to be able to breath.

Cooking smells are a little trickier because frequently culture is involved. I worked at a county mental health department during the time that a great many Vietnamese folks came to the US after the Vietnam war ended and the county started a mental health program for them. Of course, they brought their foods and culture with them. All of us were unfamiliar with them and some of the cooking odors did last in the building for hours.

The smell did not make me wheeze but after several hours, maybe a little queasy, in the same way that any food of any culture, smelling it for hours in an office would. I dealt with it, as all of us did out of sensitivity.

Can I see that someone might not like smelling food in an office setting? Yes. Do we have the right to demand that people not eat the food of their choice or culture at work? Not so much.

We all should just follow the golden rule, right?

[aishah]

i have relatively mild mcs - i'm allergic to a lot of scents, dyes, perfumes, chemicals, etc. in small doses it's not the end of the world, but it's a huge inconvenience and it's painful and irritating. in large doses it can make it really difficult for me to do anything for the rest of the day thanks to pain, fatigue, etc. i work with and organize with a lot of people with more severe mcs than i have so i'm used to setting up, requesting, and pushing for scent-free space.

one thing most people don't understand is that not everything that has a smell will trigger mcs - most people with mcs have different levels of sensitivity, but even so, things like food normally don't trigger mcs (unless there is some sort of chemical in it). or, for example, the smell of coconut oil (i hate the smell, but it's a great non-toxic alternative to scented moisturizers and massage oils and it usually doesn't trigger a reaction for folks w/mcs). another common misconception is that all "natural" scented products are okay to wear around folks with mcs - for example, essential oils and incense ARE often toxic to us, and even things like lavender can cause reactions for some people.

i get really frustrated sometimes with this and "accommodations" for my other disabilities. it is NOT that hard to use scent-free soap in public restrooms or restrooms at work, church, etc. you may not be able to get people to stop wearing massive amounts of scented body product to a place but exchanging soap in the bathrooms and not using highly scented air fresheners in the building is a good start. and hello - most of the stuff that people with mcs are allergic to - we're allergic to it BECAUSE THE SHIT IS ACTUALLY TOXIC. which means it's probably toxic to you too, you just aren't as sensitive to it (yet). for years i didn't realize i had mcs and i didn't understand why i constantly had allergies until i became friends with other people like me because no one ever talks about how toxic the chemicals we put on our bodies actually are.

i understand the frustration some people have with not wanting to change their personal routine to suit other people, but sometimes when we are in community together i'm like - look, either you want to be in community with me and you care about me or you don't. access needs outrank personal preferences, in my opinion. it's sort of like, with my mobility issues, when i go to an event that's held upstairs and no one bothered to tell me or even give a shit that a disabled person might want to come. recently this happened when my coworkers at a mental health dis org planned a community mental health event they knew i was coming to because i was deeply involved. i got there and there was a huge flight of stairs. it felt like a slap in the face. even with my partner sometimes this is a problem - he is really great about dealing with my physical disabilities but sometimes he still sees dealing with my mcs as him doing me a favor (because he frequently wears men's deodorant, cologne, etc. and it makes me really sick).

i also think people have a responsibility to keep food that causes allergic reactions for others out of a space once that need has been articulated. we had that issue at a meeting recently - we were eating oranges and someone was severely allergic. the oranges got thrown away, moved into the other room, and we all washed our hands and face with unscented dr. bronner's. to me it's just human decency. did i want to eat oranges? yeah. was i upset that i had to stop? was it an inconvenience? not at all. i cared about that person and i wanted them to be able to be in the space.

edited to add...on the upside...femme allergy masks for the win! http://www.icanbreathe.com/store/page12.html

[canadianmusician]

I have anaphylactic allergies. Peanuts, all treenuts and tomatoes.

In terms of tomatoes, I can't touch them, but I can be around them if the person eating is in far enough distance.

Peanuts and nuts, I stay FAR away from. And believe me, people have been quite ignorant. Even with my tomato allergy. Servers have asked "Is ketchup or BBQ sauce ok?" Oi.

I was dog sitting for a friend. I went to her place the night before she left as she was leaving at 6am. It was about 7pm, and I needed to look something up so she let me jump on her computer, which she'd been on earlier. I felt my lips start to tingle, got red spots on my hands and my throat was getting tight. I asked her if she had any peanuts she might have left out and she informed me she had eaten a snickers bar when she was on the computer and thought it wouldn't harm me if I didn't know and she ate it quietly, disposed of wrapper and washed her hands. I ended up in the ER and she had to delay her trip by a couple of days until I was well enough to dog sit. This wasn't the first time she made a mistake, and she wasn't the last person to make a mistake. The last landed me in the hospital again only this time I needed an extra dose of epinephrin, injectable diphenhydramine, on an IV and a nebulizer of salbutamol and steroids.


The problem with peanuts and nuts, is that they have very potent oils in them. When you smell peanuts, you're not just smelling the food, you're inhaling the essence of them. My allergist is with the AAAI and has won many awards, taught in universities and done LOADS of research in immunology. He's taught me so much and if not for him and the stuff he's informed me about, I would be dead.

I fully agree with banning peanuts from schools. Kids are kids. They share pens, participate in sports together, rough house with each other, they have physical contact. Let's say I didn't have an allergy and someone else's kid did. My kid just ate a bag of peanuts at lunch and forgot to wash their hands, they go and give your kid a high five. Your kid goes into shock and dies. Sounds extreme, but it is very possible.

Some people want to complain about peanut/nut allergies and how they have to 'be careful'. A persons life would be far more complicated if they were claiming their space as a peanut eater and the person next to them drops dead from a reaction.

I rarely eat at other people's houses and I only will if I really, truly trust them and know for a fact they know how to be safe. I usually make a joke about it. "I know it sucks having to go to all the trouble, but I think there'll be more trouble if I'm on your floor..." and it always gets a laugh.

A place I'm on the board of directors for had a 'social bonding time' at one of the other board members places, who happens to be a doctor. There's also another doctor on the board, so I had two at hand in case anything went down at dinner lol Of course, all I had to worry about was tomatoes as there were no peanuts or nuts there.....but the theme was Mexican, so my anxiety was way up lol

If I date someone, they have to give up peanuts and nuts, because the oils remain in the skin and mouth for a day or so, despite flossing and brushing. It is far too risky. Tomatoes, they could eat, but not if they want to get intimate that night lol. My home is peanut/nut/tomato free and always will be. There are alternatives, I have soybutter instead of peanut butter and make a killer chicken 'satay' with it I eat roasted soybeans and order my trailmix from NoNuttin, a company here in BC.

I carry my own little allergy kit. Epipen, benadryl, inhaler. I have a medicalert bracelet.

In terms of scent allergies, I understand those, but it is impossible to avoid. Many health centres here are scent free. But if you go to someone's home, you take that chance of being exposed to a scent, or any other allergen. The only thing we can truly control, is what goes into our own homes.

Food...there are restaurants I know I just shouldn't go to. I was upset when one of my favourite local small restaurants incorporated peanuts into their milkshakes, desserts and some of their food. I had to stop going there. But I adjust, I research, I do all I can to stay safe.

[aishah]

Originally Posted by canadianmusician

In terms of scent allergies, I understand those, but it is impossible to avoid. Many health centres here are scent free. But if you go to someone's home, you take that chance of being exposed to a scent, or any other allergen. The only thing we can truly control, is what goes into our own homes.

i agree. for people with mild or moderate mcs it is possible to go into spaces if there's been an effort to make the space scent-free, but for a friend of mine with severe mcs, she has to wear a gas mask all of the time essentially, and even then taking in chemicals through skin and mucus membranes causes a reaction for her, though the mask does help. we're in the process of traveling together to a conference and trying to figure out the best way to make our personal space while we're staying there scent-free because she has to at least have some place she can go where she can take off her mask. usually that would be one's home. but it can be hard for partners who don't understand...my partner is starting to make the transition to unscented products now. it's also a problem when around family or friends who don't take it seriously. most of my friends with more severe mcs are pretty socially isolated because of it.

but, like...if the church i go to instituted a scent-free policy where they got rid of scented soap and air fresheners and encouraged folks to not use cologne/perfume, church would be much more bearable for me and other people who have mcs. as it is i'm considering buying a mask because that's one of the most highly toxic places i go on a regular basis. obviously the detergent folks are using and the cleaners used to clean the church are still toxic but the level of chemicals would be somewhat more tolerable for my body. when i'm at my sister's house, i spend most of the time feeling physically like crap because she refuses not to use scented candles and air fresheners. etc. it's not just public space that's the issue (i accept it as a fact of life when i go into public spaces) but also private spaces and community spaces. it really frustrates me when people who are supposedly working around disability issues or who are involved in social justice movements and supposedly want to build community together with me (and friends with mcs) just completely disregard this, because it's basically excluding a lot of people. and it makes me angry that it's treated as a preference or something when it is an actual allergy and it has physical consequences for our health. a friend of mine recently went to a social justice event where the organizers allowed the use of flash cameras and she told them she was going to get a seizure if they didn't ask people to turn the flash off and she got a seizure and they acted put out - but said they wanted her there (she's a well-known writer and activist). to me, if someone cares about me or wants my presence in their life it should be an issue. but i'm beginning to accept that i'm going to have to just wear a mask more often because people's desire to wear scents is more important than other people's health. i'm in the process of becoming more assertive about these issues with folks in my life, but it's something that i accepted for so long as part of the norm (not having access and having to overcompensate myself) and i'm used to being the doormat/peacemaker so taking on that role when it comes to my health is difficult. it's hard to get people to understand that their preference (wearing scents or organizing things that are up huge flights of stairs) means i'm not going to be able to get out of bed the next day or week because of pain. i'm used to accepting that their preference is more important than my health and working on changing that over the last few years has been good for me health-wise but really difficult emotionally, especially with social anxieties and misunderstanding.

i can't believe your friend did that with the snickers bar, though - i mean, eating it before you got there and then trying to hide it and pretend it wouldn't be a problem, knowing that you can't be in spaces where peanuts have been. that to me is incredibly insensitive. :\ i can't wrap my mind around how people can think their desire to consume peanuts is somehow more important than a child's right to not go into anaphylactic shock on the playground. our individualistic society has gone to a ridiculous extreme of just not caring about each other's needs AT ALL, so much of the time. wanting to eat peanuts should not be more important than someone's right to be in a community space like a school or even a public space without dying or having a severe allergic reaction.

[Apocalipstic]

I have allergies.

I am 48 years old and yes, I am allergic to peanuts and a ton of other shit.

When I was a kid I had allergies and was sick non-stop, but back then no one really cared and they just told me to deal. If it got really bad I got a shot or breathing treatments. My entire childhood was spent sick. I had no idea what I was even allergic to, and most people would insist I was faking.

As an adult I take allergy and asthma medicine and avoid things I know I am allergic to. Sometimes a friend will laugh at me or make a remark and I just swallow it.

I make as small of a deal about it as I can.

I don't ever ask anyone else to change what they are doing. if there is too much smoke, I go outside. Turkey for dinner? I just eat veggies. peanuts? I don't eat them. Melons, banannas...don't eat them. Rabbits and horses? Avoid. Hay? avoid when I can. and on and on.

I try to not spend the night away from home that much becasue I am allergic to most laundry stuff and need detergent for sensitive skin.

Yes, some people go overboard, but some people are pretty hurtful complaining about other people's allergies.

We don't have allergies to inconvenience you. It's not pretend.

As long as you are OK with my asthma attacks when I come in contact with something I am allergic to I don't even know is there, you can hang out with me.

And I don't care who you are, don't invite me to fucking Logan's, or anywhere else there are peanuts everywhere. And if you do? and I don;t go...don't talk about how I won't go anywhere any more.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Kobi

If a kid at a school has such a sensitivity that all peanuts and peanut vapors in a 10 mile radius (exaggeration here)need to be eliminated, it is reasonable for your child to be tutored at home or attend school via teleconferencing. That seems to be a reasonable compromise.

I read a story not too long ago about a girl who uses a robot to 'attend' school due to her heightened allergies. This is absolutely an option.

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2011/10/2...ous-allergies/

Originally Posted by Linus

So I have a question: if the smell of food is making her sick, what does she eat? I realize how sensitive odour allergies can be but I have to say this is a first. I would suggest to management that perhaps telecommuting might be a better option for this employee so that they can better control their work environment (i.e., home) if it is that extreme.

Originally Posted by Medusa

Ha! Good point! I get that sometimes people heat up really odorous things in the microwave and that it can sometimes be really foul (hello! fish in curry sauce!) but I gotta say that she seems to be sensitive to even the "smell" of hot tea. It was suggested to her to just work from home all the time and her reponse was that she wanted an office so that she could shut her door.

We'll see where it goes!

Something 'smells' ba dum BUM with this lady.

Originally Posted by Linus

Could she being going beyond what she is actually experiencing just to get an office?

Ding, ding, ding!

We have a winner.

[Random]

Originally Posted by Apocalipstic

Yes, some people go overboard, but some people are pretty hurtful complaining about other people's allergies.

We don't have allergies to inconvenience you. It's not pretend.

As long as you are OK with my asthma attacks when I come in contact with something I am allergic to I don't even know is there, you can hang out with me.

This hits home with me...

I had to *explain* myself to HR when I had an allergy/asthma attack at work... My lead had the cube next to me and had went heavy on her musk that morning... Her need to feel pretty vs my need to breath...

Nothing like being told you just need to suck it up when your airways are closing...