fireworks

jayelled

I work in a supermarket which is selling fireworks. I have an intense fear of fireworks. Can my employer force me to handle and sell them?

tomtontom

They cannot force you to do anything, that would be slavery. However they can discipline you if you refuse a reasonable request.

What is the reasoning behind your fear, have you looked into how you can overcome it?

agrinnall

What size supermarket is it? Unless it's a very small one I'm sure that if you tell them they'll find you work for the next few weeks that doesn't involve handling fireworks.

dawyldthing

Could you swap to shop floor work for a few weeks?

Sncjw

I thought fireworks are sold via a lockable counter which one person sells from.

Maybe you should tell your employer nicely about your fear so your not put in that area

usefulmale

jayelled wrote: »

I work in a supermarket which is selling fireworks. I have an intense fear of fireworks. Can my employer force me to handle and sell them?

What do you do on bonfire night then?

BlueEyedGirl

usefulmale wrote: »

What do you do on bonfire night then?

I think it is the handling of the fireworks they are worried about not them going off. Although to be fair to the OP, growing up I was terrified of fireworks being in the house. All those safety videos in primary school about the danger of them put the fear of God in me... I was terrified they would blow up my house! I am not scared now though, older and wiser me loves fireworks although does not buy them!

DKLS

Does the supermarket make exceptions for other staff whose beliefs and/or phobias affect what they can handle? Such as alcohol or Pork. If not I think you would have to suck it up or be up for a disciplinary/sacking/reduced hours.

FBaby

Phobias are horrible and unfortunately misunderstood by those who don't share them.

Your best way of dealing with it is acting pro-actively. Don't want to be asked to do it, go and ask to speak with your supervisor, say that you had a fear of fireworks for ever, that you'd hope to overcome it because you don't want to let it rule your life, but that you haven't been sleeping for the past week at the prospect of coming to close contact to them. Say you appreciate it might be difficult for him to ensure that you don't have to do so, but you'd be massively grateful if he could see if it might be possible.

People are human, if you show that you are very upset about something despite trying to overcome it, most will show empathy. They do not when people think they have a right to special treatment.

bluelass

I really feel for you. Im scared silly of elevators as im very claustrophobic. When I first started at where I work now I was a domestic and was required to push a cart with cleaning goods etc around in other words I would have to use the lifts to get from each floor I was responsable to keep clean. I mentioned this to my supervisor who thankfully was good about it and said I wasn't the first. I carried my mop bucket and spray bottles etc to the 3 floors I was responsible for leaving my cart in the cupboard I was allocated only using the cart on the floor my cupboard was situated on. Don't suffer in silence just mention it politely and you will probably be fine. Phobias can drain peopleits awful.

PasturesNew

Fears aren't silly if you're the one with the fear.... says the person who can't even heat up a pie due to an oven phobia