RJ::Equipment Issues 01

Yesterday I nearly made a rookie mistake in the office restroom. Just after my second cup of coffee, I made my routine stroll into the closest WC (that's water closet for you non-brits). Due to some overflow/flooding issues, I had to forego my regular stall and move down to next cleanest stall. As I took my seat, and just prior to reaching the point of no return, I noticed that there was no toilet paper in the dispenser. Phew, disaster averted. I changed stalls yet again.

While I accept full responsibility for a momentary laps in judgment, I would like to point out that there has been a recent equipment change at my home field (so to speak). Industrial Cleaning has replaced the TP dispensers... and not for any reason you might think.

I know what you're thinking; big deal, right? Actually I'm quite thrilled with the new design. You'll notice that the new dispenser has gone away from the rounded top, making for a nice shelf on which to place a coffee cup. That's besides the point. It's the reason behind the change that really grinds my gears: smokers.

You read right, smokers. Turns out that some of the 3rd shift employees have taken to smoking in the boys room, as if they were still in grade school. Okay, so I can only assume it's the 3rd shift employees because I've only encountered any evidence of smoking very early in the morning, prior to cleaning. "But wouldn't cigarette smoke set of the smoke alarms?" I hear you asking. Normally yes, but these guys have an ingenious way around that: they break open the TP dispensers and blow the cigarette smoke into the side of the industrial size toilet paper roll, thereby acting as super filter and eliminating the smoke from the air. This of course is only my interpretation of the evidence:

- toilet paper dispensers are constantly broken (exposing the roll)

- cigarette ash on the ground inside stalls

- toilet paper smells like an ash tray

Yeah, I'm a real freaking detective... I've seen harder episodes of Blues Clues. I guess it's only a matter of time before these new dispensers are broken and smelling of smoke as well... for now, I'm going to enjoy fresh smelling toilet paper and a handy place to rest my cup.