# working while sick/hungover



## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Ask me again in thirty years what I came in to work like 60 years ago......


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

dietdrkelp said:


> Do you do it?
> 
> Call out if it's bad enough, not go in with the sniffles, go in half alive, what have you.
> I just got another cold but came in anyway. If I was worse I'd call out.


If you can get out of bed , go to work.

Also stop washing your hands so much, that's why you're getting sick.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

HARRY304E said:


> Also stop washing your hands so much, that's why you're getting sick.


You are whacked Harry, truly whacked. :laughing:


And if we ever meet I will not shake that hand of yours.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

sniffles ? are you serious ? How much do you like your job ?

half dead to zombie - depends on how busy the workload is. generally if I'm full zombie I might take off.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

sniffles ? are you serious ? How much do you like your job ?

half dead to zombie - depends on how busy the workload is. generally if I'm full zombie(fever) I might take off.

hangover ? if you can't show up you're fired.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

BBQ said:


> You are whacked Harry, truly whacked. :laughing:
> 
> 
> And if we ever meet I will not shack that hand of yours.


Read about it people are getting sick from washing their hands with the anti Bactria soap you immune system needs some of the Bactria to fight off all these bugs


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> Read about it people are getting sick from washing their hands with the anti Bactria soap you immune system needs some of the Bactria to fight off all these bugs


That may be true.. but I wash my hands soon as I come in from the outside world...

I touch too many door handles during the day to take a chance of letting a "bug" get past my kitchen sink.. :no::no:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

HARRY304E said:


> Read about it people are getting sick from washing their hands with the anti Bactria soap you immune system needs some of the Bactria to fight off all these bugs


I am very glad you do not run a food service business. :laughing:

Yes, some bacteria is good for us.

A general statement not to wash our hands so much is dumb.:laughing:


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

Every Monday morning I wake up at 5:30 and the first thing I do is die a little inside, then I have a short cry. Then I spend a minute or two acting out the scene in my head where I call in and take the day off. Then I get out of bed take a shower get dressed and go to work. On the way to work I cuss myself for drinking so much in the weekends and vow to never do it again.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

I learned a long time ago, that hand washing prevents illness. Not the other way around.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Lets not forget Harry is able to lick his own balls.. :laughing:


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

going to work with a hangover is the norm in this area....


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

B4T said:


> Lets not forget Harry is able to lick his own balls.. :laughing:


:laughing:


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

I've been running around all day with a beak full of novacaine

~CS~


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## daveEM (Nov 18, 2012)

One bad sneeze, 68 men and a woman call in the next day sick. 

Keep your germs at home... and wash your hands.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

If I'm sick I stay home.
We get ample sick leave time for that. 

If your hung over,, pray to the porcelain goddess that you don't have to work with me. 
I'll do my best to drive you into the ground in the hottest nastiest hole I can find us. Oh ya, I don't drink except 1 beer on Veterans Day.


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## aftershockews (Dec 22, 2012)

Just avoid the hangovers by staying drunk:laughing:

It depends on how sick or what is causing me to be sick.

I can't even remember the last time I was sick.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

B4T said:


> Lets not forget Harry is able to lick his own balls.. :laughing:


:laughing::laughing::blink:


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

Called in sick 2 times in 32 years. Went to work once with the hang over from hell. Drove to my first job, set up my work site, hung my tool pouch on the cross-box door. I thought I would relax for a few minutes before getting busy and promptly fell asleep...for 2 hours. Bad part was, it was in the parking lot of the District Office with all the big wheels.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

HARRY304E said:


> Read about it people are getting sick from washing their hands with the anti Bactria soap you immune system needs some of the Bactria to fight off all these bugs


It's the *anti bacterial paradox* Harry, something the pharmacabal doesn't really want _too much _publicity about 

Although Numerous literature seems available on the issue

Score yet another one for the 'ET sleeper'.....:thumbsup: ~CS~


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## aftershockews (Dec 22, 2012)

The body builds up natural immunity when exposed to things.
Live in a bubble and what do you think will happen when you are exposed to something?


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

dietdrkelp said:


> Do you do it?
> 
> Call out if it's bad enough, not go in with the sniffles, go in half alive, what have you.
> I just got another cold but came in anyway. If I was worse I'd call out.


 drink lots of water, ...and take a bong hit to get yourself right...repeat if necc


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

captkirk said:


> drink lots of water, ...and take a bong hit to get yourself right...repeat if necc


:laughing:

When I was in the army, we would get trashed every night and get up early and run 4-5 miles every morning like it was nothing. I have no idea how we did it!

Your only invincible for a very short period of life, and then it seems like your body plays catch up wayyy before your mind does. :jester:


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## aftershockews (Dec 22, 2012)

MHElectric said:


> :laughing:
> 
> When I was in the army, we would get trashed every night and get up early and run 4-5 miles every morning like it was nothing. I have no idea how we did it!
> 
> Your only invincible for a very short period of life, and then it seems like your body plays catch up wayyy before your mind does. :jester:


 At the age of 45, 4 24oz cans of ICE beer the evening before a work day, makes me a little less cognitive for the first few hours of the next day.


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## fanelle (Nov 27, 2011)

I have only called out once in the last two years. I've gone in hung over, no sleep, and sick as a dog. The only time I called out in the last two years was because I had a girlfriend stay over and we were having a wild evening which turned into a wild night that went on till lunch. Went in and explained what happened to my boss and he told his superiors that he lost my vacation slip.


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## walkerj (May 13, 2007)

I've been sick as a dog for 2 weeks and have worked through it 12-14 hours a day. I look and feel like death. 

I haven't called in for 7 years and I wasn't really sick then. I just didn't feel like going to work that day. 

I did miss some time when my dad was in the hospital getting killed by doctors.


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## Acadian9 (Jun 6, 2009)

I had an apprentice that came in one day hung over. When it was time to leave our shack, he said he'd be up in 5 minutes. 5 minutes goes by, no apprentice. 30 minutes goes by, no apprentice. 1 hours goes by, no apprentice. 2.5 hours goes by it's break time. I go to the lunch room and find him sleeping the lunch table.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

Wirenuting said:


> If I'm sick I stay home.
> We get ample sick leave time for that.
> 
> If your hung over,, pray to the porcelain goddess that you don't have to work with me.
> I'll do my best to drive you into the ground in the hottest nastiest hole I can find us. Oh ya, I don't drink except 1 beer on Veterans Day.


That explains alot.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

I get sent to a Walgreens job. Foreman tells me to go help a guy named Yanni count fixtures in the trailer. I go out, Yanni tells me to start counting and then disappears for about 10 minutes. He comes back reeking of hard liquor.  This was at 7:15 AM, mind you.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

ponyboy said:


> Every Monday morning I wake up at 5:30 and the first thing I do is die a little inside, then I have a short cry. Then I spend a minute or two acting out the scene in my head where I call in and take the day off....


 I will lie there and honestly think of how much money I would be willing to pay if I could somehow buy another several hours of sleep. It's not hard for me to decide it's worth at least 3 figures.

As far as actually calling in, the only way I'll consider it is if I'm in such bad shape I'm glued to the toilet. And that only happens on weekends and holidays and vacations.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Wirenuting said:


> If I'm sick I stay home.
> We get ample sick leave time for that.
> If your hung over,, pray to the porcelain goddess that you don't have to work with me.
> I'll do my best to drive you into the ground in the hottest nastiest hole I can find us. Oh ya, I don't drink except 1 beer on Veterans Day.


If you treated me that way when I was hung over, imagine how I would treat you every day? :whistling2:



aftershockews said:


> The body builds up natural immunity when exposed to things.
> Live in a bubble and what do you think will happen when you are exposed to something?


If you ever find yourself with 8 grandchildren, you will know better.



MHElectric said:


> :laughing:
> 
> When I was in the army, we would get trashed every night and get up early and run 4-5 miles every morning like it was nothing. I have no idea how we did it!
> 
> Your only invincible for a very short period of life, and then it seems like your body plays catch up wayyy before your mind does. :jester:


It was not all that long ago, I could drink several beers (12) on a work night without a problem.
Now, if I drink enough to have a good time, I am not worth **** the next day.
In fact, it takes me more than one day to recover.



aftershockews said:


> At the age of 45, 4 24oz cans of ICE beer the evening before a work day, makes me a little less cognitive for the first few hours of the next day.


Do you mean IceHouse Edge? 8% alcohol?
That stuff will gives me the worst hangover. But its what the doctor ordered for a buzz.


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## heavysparky (Jun 2, 2009)

the best cure for a hangover. Vicodin. An old drunk I use to work with taught me that he had a script so it was all good for him


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Aint nothing like going to work with a good case of gas and cropdusting the site.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

John Valdes said:


> If you treated me that way when I was hung over, imagine how I would treat you every day? :whistling2: .


 Why should I or anyone have to carry another worker around all day simply because they don't know how to drink? I've yanked to many of the kids out of the truck simply because they are so hung over or still intoxicated to work.. Were we work everyone earns the same amount of sick time each payday.. That's 4 hours of sick time every 2 weeks.. If you don't burn it, it can add up to about 2000 hours after 20 years. That's more them enough to cover you for a heart bypass and ingrown toe nails. . 

If your sick every Monday morning,, you end up with nothing but a hang over at work.. 

Would you want to carry me all day simply because I'm irresponsible? I would hope not. 

BTW, I have 9 grand kids and one in the over.. Water & gator aid works good for hang over head aches.. Dehydration causes the head ache.. I gave up drinking over 25 years ago.. I got tired of being the hungover fool everyday.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

MTW said:


> I get sent to a Walgreens job. Foreman tells me to go help a guy named Yanni count fixtures in the trailer. I go out, Yanni tells me to start counting and then disappears for about 10 minutes. He comes back reeking of hard liquor.  This was at 7:15 AM, mind you.


This is with your new job or old job??


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

B4T said:


> This is with your new job or old job??


This was back in '07 when I worked for a large commercial EC.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

HARRY304E said:


> If you can get out of bed , go to work.



No, stay the F home. 




HARRY304E said:


> Read about it people are getting sick from washing their hands with the anti Bactria soap you immune system needs some of the Bactria to fight off all these bugs



Is English your second language?


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## LightsForTheDarkRoom (Sep 25, 2013)

First post, new to the site. Hey, all.

I'm with WireNuting. If I'm working with you, and you're super hungover, I'm going to make you pay for every second of that day, solely because it's so much damn fun. If I am stupid enough to come into work in that kind of condition, I'd expect the same from any of the guys I work with. To me, it's deserved. I party hard on my days off, but I make sure to take it easy Saturday night, because it's off to work Sunday morning.

Sickness: If you're really sick, stay home. You'll recover faster if you just relax and allow your system to recover. If you've got something that's nasty contagious, stay home so that other people at the site aren't getting it. I used to be a construction site foreman(before I got my electrical apprenticeship) and sent a guy home because he had pinkeye. He was completely capable of working, but we don't need that going around.

That said, don't be a baby about it. If I wake up with the sniffles, or a cough, I go to work and gut it out. I think most people do.

To expand the original post, how do you treat sleep issues? Do you stay home if you're completely exhausted? If you're an employer/manager/foreman, do you keep people off the site if they haven't slept? Seems to me that a guy who hasn't slept all weekend could be just as dangerous as a guy who partied too hard on the weekend and came in ridiculously hungover(I bet there's a study on that somewhere; I don't know that the Mythbusters' experiments should count without supporting evidence).


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

We found one apprentice sleeping it off in the stockroom once, snuck up behind him with a large piece of metal hung on a line & a ball peen hammer

raised his azz a good 2' off his seat!

~CS~


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## aftershockews (Dec 22, 2012)

I'm not under the alfluence of incohol
like some theople seem to pink I am
but the drunker I sit here the longer I get.


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

Wirenuting said:


> .. I gave up drinking over 25 years ago.. I got tired of being the hungover fool everyday.


You got that right!


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## SparkyDino (Sep 23, 2013)

when I was a cub, the JW's would buy me beer on break & lunch.

they said "to be with us you need to be a cut above the rest, if you can't learn this inebriated then we don't want you" [they also had me carry tool bags & wash cars, which I gladly did & they taught me everything they knew about our craft]

they also wouldn't let me buy, claiming I was the dime & they were the dollar, & I couldn't afford it. when I 'turned out' it would be my turn to buy.

so I never was at work hung over, because we were always drinking. oh my, how times have changed in 30+ years.

I no longer drink, and even though I had many good times on the job back then, I wouldn't recommend being constantly intoxicated while doing electrical work :no:

If someone shows up drunk on my job, I send them home. If it happens more times than not......they are down the road. But, I will try to find out what is going on with them 1st to see why they are such a mess & if I can help them.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

aftershockews said:


> The body builds up natural immunity when exposed to things.
> Live in a bubble and what do you think will happen when you are exposed to something?


I agree with you.

But washing ones hands is not 'living in a bubble'  it is just good hygiene 

If you don't like antibacterial soap just use basic soap.


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## aftershockews (Dec 22, 2012)

BBQ said:


> I agree with you.
> 
> But washing ones hands is not 'living in a bubble'  it is just good hygiene
> 
> If you don't like antibacterial soap just use basic soap.


 I agree. I wash my hands. I have the feeling though that these days folks are overdoing protection to the point it can cause more harm than good.
A flip side example. When a doctor prescribes antibiotics, you are instructed to take per whatever time frame until all are taken. Miss one or two days and whatever the medication was for can build up an immunity to it.


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## duque00 (Sep 11, 2008)

My 2 cents - this past year - I caught the norovirus - the one where you puke and crap your brains out for like 24 hours. Came on about 1am - I was curled up next to or on the bowl - barely got any sleep.

(Working Resi - 8a-4p)
Call the Foreman told him I was running late be there 1 hour late - actually showed up 30 minutes late (8:30am). Should of stayed home. 90 minutes on the site go outside and puke. Foreman says go home - you're going to get everyone sick. Don't know who else besides him would get sick - no one else there???

I go home. Owner texts me that night - you're fired.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

BTW - the Foreman quits 2 weeks later. Owner was a real ****-bag to him I heard.


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## dietdrkelp (Sep 22, 2013)

duque00 said:


> My 2 cents - this past year - I caught the norovirus - the one where you puke and crap your brains out for like 24 hours. Came on about 1am - I was curled up next to or on the bowl - barely got any sleep.
> 
> (Working Resi - 8a-4p)
> Call the Foreman told him I was running late be there 1 hour late - actually showed up 30 minutes late (8:30am). Should of stayed home. 90 minutes on the site go outside and puke. Foreman says go home - you're going to get everyone sick. Don't know who else besides him would get sick - no one else there???
> ...



wow. sorry to hear about that crappy situation. hopefully you got employed again?


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## duque00 (Sep 11, 2008)

Actually no - some stuff here and there but nothing steady.

That was Sandy work too.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

duque00 said:


> My 2 cents - this past year - I caught the norovirus - the one where you puke and crap your brains out for like 24 hours. Came on about 1am - I was curled up next to or on the bowl - barely got any sleep.
> 
> (Working Resi - 8a-4p)
> Call the Foreman told him I was running late be there 1 hour late - actually showed up 30 minutes late (8:30am). Should of stayed home. 90 minutes on the site go outside and puke. Foreman says go home - you're going to get everyone sick. Don't know who else besides him would get sick - no one else there???
> ...


What company ? Most shops out here are owned by dooshbags


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

dooshbags never need pooptime either.....

~CS~


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> dooshbags never need pooptime either.....
> 
> ~CS~


Most shops send the kids out there to butcher jobs, very few shops out here employ seasoned skilled electricians. 
The boss just wants to sit behind a mahogany desk with a cigar in mouth while sending employees out in a hooptdy van and personal vehicles. I was running around repairing the work of a local one that would buy these non programable Chinese X10 knockoffs online, go around installing them in attics and outdoors on new work. He got laughed out of the residential line , it seems all his customers hate him after he ripped them off.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Shockdoc said:


> Most shops send the kids out there to butcher jobs, very few shops out here employ seasoned skilled electricians.
> The boss just wants to sit behind a mahogany desk with a cigar in mouth while sending employees out in a hooptdy van and personal vehicles. I was running around repairing the work of a local one that would buy these non programable Chinese X10 knockoffs online, go around installing them in attics and outdoors on new work. He got laughed out of the residential line , it seems all his customers hate him after he ripped them off.


Lots of places around here are notorious for the same. Young guys or broke-joke old drunks, They love 'em. Pay them terribly, Send them all over the place, let them screw all kinds of stuff up, send them back to fix it, bill customer. :laughing:

It amazing how these bigger companies run their companies like this and thrive so well.


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## duque00 (Sep 11, 2008)

Shockdoc said:


> What company ? Most shops out here are owned by dooshbags


I couldn't even tell you. The guy changed names so often - I think he was hiding or running from something. I got cash every day and that was that. Didn't care if he was Tom one day, Harry the next or ****.

I think it was AAA Electric - small shop, fly by night...


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

duque00 said:


> I couldn't even tell you. The guy changed names so often - I think he was hiding or running from something. I got cash every day and that was that. Didn't care if he was Tom one day, Harry the next or ****.
> 
> I think it was AAA Electric - small shop, fly by night...


I've seen him around....my helper once wrote" One day at a time" on the magnet of his Dodge van.


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## Michigan Master (Feb 25, 2013)

dietdrkelp said:


> Do you do it?
> 
> Call out if it's bad enough, not go in with the sniffles, go in half alive, what have you. I just got another cold but came in anyway. If I was worse I'd call out.


Sniffles? Seriously? Go to work.

Actually sick or waking up with a headache... Typically by time I'm up and moving, showered, and down a cup of coffee I'm feeling better. Calling in is not a decision to make while lying in bed. I can count the number of times I've called in sick during the past 15 years on 1 hand. 

Our company also has a pretty good attendance reward program, and poor attendance (or showing up drunk) will get you fired.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

It's not some badge of honor to go to work sick. It's a selfish ahole thing to do.


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## Michigan Master (Feb 25, 2013)

15millionand5 said:


> I hate working when I'm 100%.


Save your sick days for when you're feeling good? :laughing:

I know several folks who always burn up their sick days with that philosophy "no sense wasting a day off sitting at home feeling like crap."


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## BababooeyHTJ (May 31, 2013)

Shockdoc said:


> What company ? Most shops out here are owned by dooshbags


That is exactly why I want to work for myself. I want to be the douchebag.


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## NacBooster29 (Oct 25, 2010)

Way back when I worked for a vinyl siding co. I went in hung over. Maybe still drunk. Ok still drunk! 
I got all my stuff setup, working by myself. Pumped the pump jacks up to where we left off the day before. And was doing my thing. 
All the sudden the booze hit me. I stumbled to the edge of the scaffolding and let loose the previous nights drinks all in the customers bushes. 
I washed up and kept drinking gatorade and just kept working..
That was then. Maybe 13 years ago..
I don't drink now. 
If I'm sick unless I have something that is urgent I try to stay home. I don't get any medals for spreading germs, or sharting my pants.


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## HadItUpToHere (Aug 16, 2013)

I go in unless I'm stuck to the toilet. I usually need the money. My company has no form of sick days.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

I guy I had working for me kept talking too much, I mean he wouldn't shut up for a hour long trip, even into the building. So I let a nasty one go as the elevator doors shut figuring he'd hold his breathe, He still kept talking.


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## Bidder (Oct 1, 2013)

talkin bout a potty mouth!




Shockdoc said:


> I guy I had working for me kept talking too much, I mean he wouldn't shut up for a hour long trip, even into the building. So I let a nasty one go as the elevator doors shut figuring he'd hold his breathe, He still kept talking.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Its one thing if I get sick, its worse if the kids get it. If I am that sick, unless its that important, I am staying home. I run the show and thats one of the perks. I'd rather not fall, get whacked, screw something up whatever.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Been hungover for the past two days at work, one hour of sleep yesterday, four hours today. Good behavior till Friday again


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## BababooeyHTJ (May 31, 2013)

How do people not get laid off for that sort of thing? Isn't coming in hungover (which is completely avoidable unlike being sick) extremely dangerous in this line of work?


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

He's the boss/owner like I am. His choice.


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## duque00 (Sep 11, 2008)

Only 5 more days till party time Doc.

Hey you can check out the new German Beer Hall in Franklin Square. 30' Cathedral ceilings and 12' roll up garage doors. Haven't been there yet - just "officially" open this past Friday but has been going for about 3 weeks....


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## BababooeyHTJ (May 31, 2013)

nrp3 said:


> He's the boss/owner like I am. His choice.


I guess thats one of the perks. Its not the sort of decision that I would make but whatever. I wouldn't work for him.

I don't even have time to party on the weekends.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

duque00 said:


> Only 5 more days till party time Doc.
> 
> Hey you can check out the new German Beer Hall in Franklin Square. 30' Cathedral ceilings and 12' roll up garage doors. Haven't been there yet - just "officially" open this past Friday but has been going for about 3 weeks....


Where at? I was up in the Square last night on a service call. Near
Plattadeuctch?


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## duque00 (Sep 11, 2008)

Shockdoc said:


> Where at? I was up in the Square last night on a service call. Near
> Plattadeuctch?


Yup - in the back yard. Here is a pic.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

duque00 said:


> Yup - in the back yard. Here is a pic.


I used to live down the block from there until I found out the house was haunted.


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## duque00 (Sep 11, 2008)

Maybe time to go back and unleash some other demons....:no:


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

duque00 said:


> Yup - in the back yard. Here is a pic.


I gotta make the trip ive heard nothing but good things about the place. Im around the block


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

Shockdoc said:


> I used to live down the block from there until I found out the house was haunted.


Farnum?


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Next72969 said:


> Farnum?


116 Farnum


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

Shockdoc said:


> 116 Farnum


Lol my " mother in law " lives on barrymore seen the trucks a few times


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Next72969 said:


> Lol my " mother in law " lives on barrymore seen the trucks a few times


That guy "Georges Auto repair @ the corner sucks, don't ever consider them. 

Was I driving safely?:laughing:


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

Shockdoc said:


> That guy "Georges Auto repair @ the corner sucks, don't ever consider them.
> 
> Was I driving safely?:laughing:


Trucks were parked in the driveway. Ive heard about them, friend of mine got burned there.


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