my little fire hazard...

[madscot13]

I know that sometimes (on the downhill) I can really burn tire, but today my bike was cited as a fire hazard! I'm not bitter, actually I think it is really funny.

I bike into school, its only a mile away but at night I don't want to be walking around DC! On really late nights and rainy days I park my bike in a neglected stairway. This is a large stairway (one of three on the floor by the way) and it is not just a stairway but a rather large room that amply holds my bike against the rail that keeps you from falling down the stairway pit- not the hand hold rail, a coat rack for lab coats, a desk, a chair, and a shopping cart- yes a shopping cart?! Well my professor said I could lock it up there because no one really uses the stairs and no one would see it. We are on the sop floor and there 11 people in my hallway and in the most terrible fire we would not be traffic jammed in the stairway room.

Today, during the rainy day I locked the bike up to the stair rail. Some tool of OSHA from the University stopped by and said that the bike had to be moved. It was not okay there. It was a fire hazard and couldn't be in the stairway. I like that she did not say that the bike was not okay inside (ahem it may not be). So my mentor cheekily asked if she could keep it in the lab. yep. or if she could keep it in the workroom. yep. my mentor just smirks. those areas are more of fire hazards than the stairwell. the stairwell is larger than the workroom and almost as large as the main part of the lab.

So that is my odd story on how I can create a firehazard by removing a firehazard. seriously.

[Mr. Bloom]

"Form" over "Substance" attitudes really frustrate me..."It's OK that you do the 'wrong thing' as long as you do it the 'right way'"

[wemoon]

I'm always amazed by how rules contradict each other all the time. Well, at least you have a place to keep your bike? LOL

[LBTC]

ah, yes, but did they document the incident?

H&B
~T~

[Running Mommy]

Ahhh sounds like typical OSHA.
And consider yourself lucky, CAL- OSHA (CAL as in california) is worse!
My family owns a rock quarry and concrete plant. We were once told that we needed to add a hand rail to something. We did. Then a different inspector came out and told us we must remove it immediately and cited us!

[snapdragen]

RM - that reminds me of a time when the County inspectors came out to look at our neighborhood sidewalks. Many trees, with roots pushing the walks up to create tripping hazards. Unfortunately, we got an overzealous inspector. Not only did he want everyone to fix their walks in front of their house (naturally, not a problem) but anyone who lived on a corner was told they had to have ramps installed on the corners; for accessibility. Enough folks screamed that the higher ups came out and "Oops, if ramps are to be installed, that will be done on the County's dime. So sorry" I love bureaucracy.

[HillSlugger]

I hope they let the shopping cart stay!

[madscot13]

I hope they let the shopping cart stay!

yeah I need something to ride through the halls!

[RoadRaven]

We have the same thing at our work - we keep getting reminders that taking bikes into offices is a fire/earthquake hazard...

I keep taking my bike into my office... it is open plan for 26 staff and we can have up to six bikes parked inside on a good day (2 other members also bike, but they lock their bikes up outside in the grotty bike racks)

I always reply to the emails with an explaination that I would be happy to lock up outside when that lockup is secure and gentle on my steed - no way am I leaving $NZ3500 outside in a nasty metal frame that will bend my front wheel and that can nicked - or that can have the bits nicked off it!