Emails

The sort of email I have to deal with. The sender may not have a first language of English, but I really took offence to the sub-texts of "The H&S Dept does no work", and "This is what your job should be". The sender is merely a Project Leader. His manager replied very simply and (un)helpfully: "I agree".

First email
"I don’t want to be funny but I just would like to ask what is supposed to appear on the nice white board you have installed in (building number) (this is obvious but it is currently as white as my face the day after a serious wine tasting).

Also I suppose that H&S will be insuring that it is kept up to date and that there is enough members of each ‘teams’ (it would be nice if it could be done by a member of H&S rather than a XXXX chemist ‘detached’ by H&S such that it could give you a excuse to come around and check that every thing is OK in our building)

Thanks in advance (obviously this is more to remind you that we are still part of the company and that it is important that the H&S regulation are well followed here too almost a few days before an audit :)"

His email response to my reply:
"Which is exactly why a weekly scheduled by one of the permanent members of the H&S visit could/should be put in place-10/15minutes every week is not too much I think? This would show to the chemiss the willingness of our H&S to ensure enforcement of the in house policy is done as well as them been accessible for suggestion…(basically what some of us have been asking you to do for the last 4 years-sorry).

(To manager): would you agree with this approach?"

Maybe I'm getting sensitive in my old age but this is not acceptable by email. I'm not exactly far away and am certainly on the end of the phone. Of course, it was copied to every man and his dog. What was even more galling was the fact that I was on my way to his building (which he has only been in for 4 days) the next day.