Ever since we moved desks a couple of months ago I'm back to sitting opposite someone who smokes. I have someone behind me who also smokes, who has to come past me on her way in from a fag break, but I don't generally notice her smelling.

The person I sit opposite, though, stinks when he comes in. Which is bad enough - I always get up and go for a wander to do something else for a couple of minutes until the smell calms down. But what's really getting to me, especially now that the weather's cold (for some reason) is that it's giving me a headache, making me feel sick and setting my asthma off. The air conditioning (which is also our heating) doesn't do much for my breathing either, which doesn't help.

I could move desks, but the only one I could move to is next to where I am now. So I'd have another smoker behind me (don't know how bad that would be) and all three would come past me when they come in from their fag break, rather than just the one. So I don't know that it would help - and I'd have far less space.

None of them show any signs of even considering giving up. I have considered getting some air freshener and spraying it liberally when he comes back in, but since that also sets my asthma off, and in the end only covers the smell up, not get rid of it, that's not going to work.

So now I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do.

2 Responses to “Need help”

Fuzz Says:
Tuesday 27th November 2007 at 7:13 pm

There does exist proper smell neutralisation stuff, but I've heard it gives some people migraines.

So probably doesn't help. Not sure what else I can advise, tell management, although that might get you noticed as a complainer. Or find something you like the smell of and keep lots of it around you at work. There is always the solution I've heard pathologists, etc, use. Rubbing something strong smelling under your nose.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Nic Says:
Tuesday 27th November 2007 at 10:43 pm

Too late, I am already known as a complainer! Which might lead to them being more likely to ignore me, I don't know. I do have some white musk pot pourri which you do have to put under your nose to smell, but I do love the smell of white musk.

(and this'll be a good test of my new plugin to see if you get an email of this comment!)