Getting in bother if you think you're unable to get to work?

CurlySue2017

Just really mirroring what everyone else has said - your safety is definitely more important than getting to work.

Check (when you can obvioulsy) your employment contract.

I know that in our contracts, there is a section relating to this and although I don't know it off the top of my head it does basically say that if it is unsafe to travle to work, then you should use the same procedure as if you were going to be off sick.....basically letting your manager know as soon as reasonably possible.

Stay safe

trailingspouse

If you can't get in, you can't get in.

Years ago I lived in Northumberland and worked in Tyne and Wear, about 30 miles away. We had thick snow at home, but there was a little light drizzle at work...

We set off, but got stuck the wrong side of two lorries who couldn't get past each other due to snow drifts at either side of the road. We tried to help dig them out, then noticed that the snow plough that had passed us in the opposite direction earlier had got stuck going up the hill. Then it started to snow again.

At this point we decided we were beaten. I rang work (it was 8.30, we'd been on the road 2 hours and had travelled about 5 miles), and I could tell the boss wasn't at all impressed. Basically, he didn't believe me.

I took photos - lots and lots of photos. When he saw them he said, 'Oh, you did have a lot of snow...'

Yes mate, I did - and you didn't believe me.

I didn't get a bo!!ocking, but I definitely was made to feel I was exaggerating or that I should have tried harder (!!!).

phillw

All you can do is try. If you stay in bed because you believe that you're not going to make it then you're not trying hard enough.

I had to phone someone up and let him know the roads weren't blocked, he was busy building a snowman with his kids as the school was closed. He was very shocked when I suggested that it would look better for him if he made the time up.

Be vigilant for your safety and take photos if you get stuck. Then see if there is an alternative route in, even if it means a long round trip. It took me three hours to get to work once when a road was closed, but I made my way via small country lanes that most people don't even know existed. I wasn't the last to arrive, as some people just waited for the road to open. Some people just stayed at home, AFAIK all the people that made it in got paid for a days work.

Keep your employer informed of where you are & if you think it's going to take longer to get in, then leave earlier.

Ronaldo_Mconaldo

dori2o wrote: »

You cant do anything until you get up in the morning and see what the situation is.

Maybe get up 30 minutes earlier just in case you might be able to make it, but also consider the forecast for later on to ensure you can get home.

I personally agree that personal safety trumps work.

I remember after the Manchester Arena attack we went to work on the Tuesday (the day after) and as we work just off Deansgate in central Manchester it took us 2 and a half hours to travel the last 4 miles of a 12 mile journey having taken only 30 minutes to do the other 8 miles. I did think about turning around and going home having sat idle for an jour and travelled just about a mile, but was worried about the management view of doing that.

If its still as bad tomorrow I'd weigh it up then phone work at the earliest possible opportunity and just tell them the truth and see what they say. Maybe agree to look at the situation hour by hour and go in later if things improve.

Are you for real? I work not that far from you and go down Trinity Way right past the Arena to get to work everyday. I got to work about 20 minutes later than normal on that day. Just find a different route and put your foot down if traffic is bad or roads closed.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Is there genuinely NO route in at all where the roads are not closed/dangerous? So essentially either where you are or where you work is is cut off from the rest of the country completely? Even if you take a 40 mile round trip?


If it were just "I don't want to risk it" then personally in that position I would ask if I could take a day's holiday at short notice. I wouldn't expect to be paid for a day where I had made the decision not to go in.

PasturesNew

One year where I lived there was really bad snow. My little old mum had a little part-time job in town 3 miles away and she was 68. She went to the bus stop but there were no buses running that day ... so she walked all the way there and all the way back, for a 3 hour shift that "anybody" could have done/covered, or "nobody" and it wouldn't have mattered.

While the world grinds to a halt, OAPs are usually to be found "just getting on with it", like they did in the War.

Ozzuk

PasturesNew wrote: »

One year where I lived there was really bad snow. My little old mum had a little part-time job in town 3 miles away and she was 68. She went to the bus stop but there were no buses running that day ... so she walked all the way there and all the way back, for a 3 hour shift that "anybody" could have done/covered, or "nobody" and it wouldn't have mattered.

While the world grinds to a halt, OAPs are usually to be found "just getting on with it", like they did in the War.

Great story however H&S has moved on a fair bit since the war and IMO an employer shouldn't encourage staff to put themselves at genuine risk.

WibblyGirly

Years ago it snowed badly where I lived. I waited an hour in the snow for my bus which was late. Got the edge of my village to see traffic backed up on the main road. When it backs up to my village I know it's really really bad! 12 miles of traffic not moving. I just got off the bus and walked home. Called my boss to say I couldn't come in. He was kinda annoyed like I wasn't trying hard enough because he'd managed to get in. (Lived in a different area). 10 mins after that the shopping centre I worked in shut for the day! Others I knew on the bus who stayed on it had a 4 hour round trip! Glad I got off.
If I can't get in or it's going to be very difficult to get in/ get home I won't do it. My safety is more important. However I will come in to cover colleagues who cannot come in from their areas if I'm able to. All areas are different and have weak points etc.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Ozzuk wrote: »

Great story however H&S has moved on a fair bit since the war and IMO an employer shouldn't encourage staff to put themselves at genuine risk.

No sensible employer does. However, walking 3 miles in the snow is hardly putting yourself at risk. Who decides when the risk becomes unreasonable?

In the OPs case if she can't get through a certain road, fair enough. However if there are other roads, no matter how out of the way, she needs to spend her time trying to find a route that is passable. If she can't then again, that's fair enough.

rubble2

Given the OP's user name a bit of flood water shouldn't prove too much of a problem:rotfl: