Loud Spitting

Mousewar

Bit of a strange one.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard this staggeringly unpleasant noise coming from the restroom that is near my office. It was, basically, the sound of someone hocking up and spitting in the sink. Now, we've all heard this before I'm sure but this was the creme de la creme of hocks, like they were trying to drag up a golf ball or something. You could hear it all the way down the corridor. The person did it several times, each one so very loud. I'm pretty sure if I'm on the phone the person on the other end would be able to hear it.

Well, I heard this a few times that day and eventually saw the person leaving the restroom. It was a woman. She's relatively new in my building. To be honest, I'm surprised she could generate that noise. I assumed it was going to be some burly man.

Anyway, I know this is a cultural thing (she's Chinese) but it's a really unpleasant sound and right outside the restroom is one of our meeting rooms where we have visitors and bigwigs in, not to mention if I have anyone in my office with me. She now does it several times every day.

Dealing with this kind of thing is part of my job but I'm just wondering can I say anything here? Or am I being culturally insensitive? Also, she is doing it in the restroom afterall (not in the kitchen where we had to put up a sign banning it because of previous incidents).

chanelfreak

Mousewar wrote: »

Bit of a strange one.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard this staggeringly unpleasant noise coming from the restroom that is near my office. It was, basically, the sound of someone hocking up and spitting in the sink..

I think you should DEFINITELY say something, for hygiene reasons if nothing else! That is absolutely disgusting :eek:

DeltaWhite

Ugh, makes my stomach turn.

My friend has very bad IBS. I wont go into detail much, but lots of vomiting in work every morning. But she doesn't use the bloody SINK!!! WTF! It has actually been said to her, but she just explained her IBS is uncontrollable at the min until she gets the right meds and that was that.

In your case however... my god, I wouldn't be able to eat my lunch daily hearing that. You say it used to happen in the kitchen?? Christ on a bike That is rank! I think something needs to be said!! Imagine a meeting full of people next door listening to that!!

Lux23

Would you ask HR for some sort of sign about spitting and the public health implications. Stick it up in the bathroom and see if she gets the message.

Having been in China, I know instead of blowing their nose they do this hocking thing and it just sounds horrible. I know they tried to ban it during Olympics but I don't think it really got across.

Mousewar

Yeah it happened with other people in the kitchen sink before but we stopped that. I was comfortable saying it as it was the kitchen but this is the sink in the toilet so I wasn't sure about it. It seems almost essential to some people from that part of the world so if she's not doing it there where will she do it? Or can I expect her not to do it at all?

chanelfreak

Tell her she can't do it at all!! I mean, not only is it absolutely rank, unhygienic and plain nasty, if a client or someone external hears that kind of thing going on then it's really not the best impression of the company.

If I was you, I'd be getting onto HR as you don't want this coming back on you (if she feels picked on I mean).

Lux23

Do you think she knows that her co-workers think it is disgusting?

helimachoptor

very much a cultural thing.

In my place we have 3 showers and the chaps from that part of the world are doing it in the showers, sounds like they are trying to regurgitate a small animal, thank god for flip flops

Stheno

helimachoptor wrote: »

very much a cultural thing.

In my place we have 3 showers and the chaps from that part of the world are doing it in the showers, sounds like they are trying to regurgitate a small animal, thank god for flip flops

Can I ask why it is that they do it? Is it to clear their throats?

dazed+confused

We have restrooms in Ireland?

Mousewar

dazed+confused wrote: »

We have restrooms in Ireland?

Sorry, the jax.

helimachoptor

Stheno wrote: »

Can I ask why it is that they do it? Is it to clear their throats?

I have no idea, they work for a different company in the same building but its fcuking disgusting

uck51js9zml2yt

Try being on a bus with Chinese in China.....Suffice to say if you drop something on the floor, it stays there

Mrs OBumble

chanelfreak wrote: »

I think you should DEFINITELY say something, for hygiene reasons if nothing else! That is absolutely disgusting :eek:

I totally disagree: but it's the bathroom, into a sink. That's what bathroom facilities are for.

If you are going to say that this employee cannot split into the sink, then you are going to have to say that every other employee who wants to brush their their teeth after lunch (or before a dentist appointment or whatever) that they may not spit into the sink.

And while you're at it, deal with the fact that some of your employees who sneeze are probably doing so into a grotty handkerchief which they then stick back into their pockets, and use again next time Yech!

Frankly, if the noise can be heard from the meeting rooms or offices, then so can lots of other bodily function noises. Sort out your sound-proofing.

Qualitymark

Is there a doctor or nurse for the staff? Maybe get them to tackle it?

chanelfreak

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I totally disagree: but it's the bathroom, into a sink. That's what bathroom facilities are for.

Sorry Mrs O Bumble, but that is horrific - you cannot be serious? There is a massive difference between expelling phlegm into a communal sink and people brushing their teeth. Seriously, if it has to be done then that kind of thing needs to be done into a toilet and absolutely not a sink.

Mousewar

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I totally disagree: but it's the bathroom, into a sink. That's what bathroom facilities are for.

If you are going to say that this employee cannot split into the sink, then you are going to have to say that every other employee who wants to brush their their teeth after lunch (or before a dentist appointment or whatever) that they may not spit into the sink.

Well, yeah this was my hesitation. To be honest, I'm not bothered about the hygiene factor that much. No one is using that sink for anything to do with food. It's just the noise which leads me onto...

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Frankly, if the noise can be heard from the meeting rooms or offices, then so can lots of other bodily function noises. Sort out your sound-proofing.

Yeah, I'll just pay a few grand to soundproof a toilet.
You really need to understand how loud this is. Other noises are not audible. It's a small room with a sink when you walk in and then a single toilet cubicle beyond that. Nothing from the cubicle is going to heard because it's two doors in. But the sink is only one door in. Anyway, that's not really relevant. There's no soundproofing that could block this noise. She's obviously perfected the art to such a level that she could almost shatter glass with it. It's so loud that if you're anywhere in Dublin and you listen very carefully I bet you'll be able to hear it faintly.

Qualitymark

Mousewar wrote: »

Well, yeah this was my hesitation. To be honest, I'm not bothered about the hygiene factor that much. No one is using that sink for anything to do with food.

They're washing their hands in a sink into which someone's expelled germy phlegm.

Irish_Elect_Eng

This is a cultural thing, and dealing with it falls squarely into the "cultural sensitivity" domain. We Irish often pride ourselves on our ability to gt on with others, but in my experience we are a long way behind other cultures in dealing with the changing reality of the diversity of population that most countries are experiencing.

"So the short answer: Why is there so much spitting in China? Because a lot of people pretty much see it as a necessity, and the idea of swallowing all that spit is just gross!"

Another Interesting Article

But there is certainly two side to every coin, think of it from your colleagues point of view, has she already modified her behavior to not spit/hork in public and restrains such behavior to the bathroom? If so she is changing bases on the culture around her to adapt.

If you can hear spitting, you can hear toilets flush and other interesting noises, you need to get the noise issue sorted out, to avoid seeming unprofessional to visitors.

The lady I feel does not need to hear of your concerns, it's none of your business when done in private.

chanelfreak

Irish_Elect_Eng wrote: »

The lady I feel does not need to hear of your concerns, it's none of your business when done in private.

But that is the issue, it isnt being done in private! It's being done in a shared bathroom into a sink, which isn't on at all IMO.

Mrs OBumble

Qualitymark wrote: »

They're washing their hands in a sink into which someone's expelled germy phlegm.

They're putting their hands under running water which flows from a tap into the sink. No contact is being made with the sink.

Qualitymark

Is there a hygiene officer in the job or the union? Perhaps they're the best person to consult about this.

Irish_Elect_Eng

Qualitymark wrote: »

Is there a hygiene officer in the job or the union? Perhaps they're the best person to consult about this.

Seriously?

Are there workplaces where there is somebody responsible as a "Hygiene Officer"

Anyone one here a "Hygiene Officer"? I would love to hear the war-stories :-)

EDIT:

Other than possibly the food industry of course.
But in an average office/factory job like the one described here.

Qualitymark

You're right, it's work safety; hygiene would come under its aegis.

Stheno

Irish_Elect_Eng wrote: »

Seriously?

Are there workplaces where there is somebody responsible as a "Hygiene Officer"

Anyone one here a "Hygiene Officer"? I would love to hear the war-stories :-)

EDIT:

Other than possibly the food industry of course.
But in an average office/factory job like the one described here.

Health and Safety would fit the bill in some places I worked in.

One place they used go around on Friday when we were at lunch to check who were using risers with their laptops and if you weren't using a riser, you'd to have a fecking meeting with them to explain :eek:

TheDoc

To be honest it looks like a cultural thing, and that your colleague has already made a shift to meet the culture in your company by moving into the toilet, doing it into the sink(and I assume then running some water).

Sure **** I've plenty of colleagues who seem to spit in the sink as habbit while they wash their hands, can't say I'm offended or find it a health hazard, it's a toilet...and a sink.

If you can hear her hock, that means youd hear someone cough or sneeze, and the walls must be paper thin, so probably wouldn't be a problem if the walls weren't made of paper?

Satriale

I'm never eating Chinese again...