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Morality question

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hi all

Recently I took a stop-gap job in a small factory. It was ok, the pay was crap but it kept my head above water so I rode it out til a better (and subsequently, my current) job came along.

I was working at the factory for almost 2 months when I left - and it was made clear to me at the start of the employment that I would be on a 90 day probation, although there was nothing in writing to confirm this. In any case, my understanding of such a probation is the employer can get rid of me without notice in that time should he feel I'm not doing a good enough job and I'd be free to leave without notice too.

Anyway, my current job came calling and I was told they'd need to me start within a few days. I accepted the job but found out my employer was really unhappy at me leaving that way. So much so that my pay was delayed by 48 hours as they sent me a cheque instead of paying it in to my bank account which caused me serious inconvenience - I had failed direct debits hit my account as the funds weren't there. Had they told me my pay wasn't going in, I could have made seperate arrangements.

The above isn't the issue however.

The building is little short of a death trap. It's mainly wooden on 2 floors. The upper floor has no fire escape other than a wooden ladder leading down from a trap door and at the bottom of the ladder is a gas main.

In my opinion, the Health and Safety people would go nuts if they saw the place. Whilst I was working there it never really bothered me as I assumed the windows on the top floor would open - 2 days before I left, I found out they'd been nailed closed for years due to the threat of burgulars.

So now I'm presented with a dilema. Do I inform the H&S about the place? I'd love to say it's because I'm concerned for my former colleagues but in all honesty, my real motivation would be revenge on my ex-boss for the way he screwed with my pay. OK I could tell myself to not be so childish but then again, there is a very real risk.

On one hand if I contacted the H&S, I'm sure the place would be closed down immediately and my former colleagues would be out of work. On the other hand if something isn't done about that place, maybe they'd pay with their lives.

So what do you lot think, should I report my ex employer?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Would you feel more guilty if some people lost their jobs or some people lost their parents/kids/brothers etc.. because that's what could happen.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think that you know the answer to your own question. What's your conscience like?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My conscience is all over the place with this.

    I just don't want to be acting out of spite, that's all. But I suppose whether it's spite or concern, people's lives will be made a bit safer...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would call them, the building sounds so dangerous for this day and age, I'm sure you'd feel worse having not done anything about it if there was a fire.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would do it bar stud.

    Its a matter of probability and potential loss. If you do it theres a reasonable chance that the place will be closed down, at least for a while, and your former colleagues may lose their pay. But they may get compensation and/or pay while the place is being redone, or redundancy pay.

    On the other hand, if you don't, theres a small chance that the place will burn down, and everyone will lose their jobs without pay, and another small chance that someone might be killed, lose a limb, be disabled for life.

    Its up to you of course but personally I'd go for the first one. I'd also let all the tires down on the bosses car and throw a brick through his windscreen.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If the place really is as bad as your making out, i'd definately report it. Then you can enjoy the satisfaction of screwing over your prick of a boss and be happy you may have saved someones life. Don't worry about peoples jobs, there lives are way more important than that.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Report it. If it is closed down, it would probably only be temporarily and the staff can get some benefits to ease them over. Don't report it and you might racked with guilt forever ...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Having seen what happens in dodgy buildings and workplaces like that I say report them.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Report them. They should be doing yearly health and saftey/fire inspections anyway, but I doubt they have. You should be able to report them without naming yourself as well.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Report them. They should be doing yearly health and saftey/fire inspections anyway, but I doubt they have. You should be able to report them without naming yourself as well.

    Neither the Fire Authorities nor the HSE will do yearly inspections, the Fire Brigade used to be able to but the law has changed.
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