Woman who rarely gets headaches starts getting regular headaches at work. (This follows move to New Building, but she does not realise the link initially.) Headaches become particularly acute when using Dreamweaver to do website updates, as this requires fiddly detailed stuff and lots of squinting.
Woman notices her monitor is flickering rather a lot, and calls helpdesk. Helpdesk remove monitor, which is new and still under warranty, and replace with temporary (inferior standard) substitute.
Temporary substitute flickers too, only a bit worse. Woman calls helpdesk again. Helpdesk replace graphics card.
Temporary monitor still flickers. Helpdesk advise that problem is due to proximity of monitor to PC tower in New Building set up and advise replacement of monitor with TFT (flat screen) alternative. Helpdesk do not bring back original monitor, despite repeated requests.
Woman completes compulsory health and safety workstation assessment following move to New Building, noting flickering and marking workstation set-up as requiring management action. Woman prints off action sheet for discussion with manager.
Not completely convinced of direct link between flickering and headaches, and freaked out by increasing severity of headaches, woman also makes appointment at opticians to check glasses prescription.
Optician reports that eyesight has not deteriorated but asks if there has been any change in work set up. Woman describes Office Move and setup in New Building. Optician postulates that headaches are due to monitor on new desk being closer to woman than her eyes are comfortable with, thus causing stress headaches which are exacerbated by flickering and also pop up at weekends as eyes are stressed and tired, and advises getting a) TFT monitor which can be moved further away or b) getting special VDU glasses which have in-built 'prism' lenses.
Woman returns to work and proposes purchase of TFT monitor to manager, based on recommendations of helpdesk and opticians, and in order to address health and safety issue highlighted by (compulsory!) workstation assessment. Manager agrees.
Director refuses to sign off £150 purchase order for new monitor as woman is leaving team for another one round the corner once she has served out every nanosecond of her 12 week notice period and therefore her new manager should pay for it.
Woman decides not to update website until new monitor is purchased.
Nobody notices.
ENDS
So that kind of sums up a small but significant chunk of my workplace relations over the last six weeks. Next week, I predict this will happen:
Woman starts going home at 3.30 every day, announcing loudly "I am going home with a headache, caused by my faulty workstation set up and flickering monitor".
What are they going to do, sack me?
joella
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