Imagine working in a building where the elevator is a necessity, and it breaks. If you were told to use a different elevator instead, would you comply, or would you find a way to prove how important it is to fix this elevatory right away?

In this story, one college student who works in the Hazmat department knows that the broken elevator needs to be repaired right away, but his boss knows that complying with the admin’s request to use another elevator is the best way to get the elevator fixed.

Keep reading for all the details.

Don’t want to fix the elevator? Meet the stinky cart

While I was earning my bachelors in chemistry, I worked for the university’s Hazmat department.

My job involved inspecting labs, disposing of old chemicals, occasionally giving people the “you have to be kidding me” stare and plenty of other fun activities so our esteemed researchers can figure out science in a safe environment.

Quick description of the campus: one building was a more recent construction. It has two wings, and was shaped like the vaguely S shaped Tetris block no one loves.

The east wing was full of laboratories: three full stories, and basement, of labs. Cancer research, Alzheimer’s research, deadly banana fungus research, the place housed a most prestigious staff of brilliant minds trying to solve the world’s problems.

The final wing wasn’t as dangerous.

The West wing housed the administrative offices of the university. Accountants, bookkeepers and assorted bean counters, HR and desk jockeys, all the way up to the dean.

People who, unlike their eastern counterparts, seemed to be the cause of many baffling questions like “Why are our emergency expenditures still not approved?”, “Why is there a problem with my pay slip again?!?!” and “Why is there so much red tape?”

That building was connected to the rest of the campus via underground tunnels, accessed via the basement, and had one elevator per wing.

Here’s how the labs get their supplies…

Now the thing is that the loading dock is in another building.

So when the labs receive their orders of chemical, they grab their cart and scoot down the tunnel to the arrivals, load up their cart and carry it back to the lab to be safely stored (on penalty of getting the “Are you kidding me” stare or a long lecture by my boss).

Important point, the rules prohibit using the stairs with hazmat: elevator only. It’s safer this way.

There was a big safety issue.

So one day the science wing’s elevator breaks down.

I send a request to have it fixed, at least 4 lab employees also send it.

We received the response that we all should use the administrative elevator.

I reply that since one of the labs is on a sort of half floor, the only way to reach it is the science wing elevator or a flight of stairs, highlighted the risk of falling while carrying heavy boxes of chemical in the stairs or how there was no way to safely carry very heavy gas cylinders up those stairs.

The boss’s response is quite suspicious.

They were having none of that: use the administrative wing elevator. They will call to have the elevator fixed, but it is considered “low priority”.

I showed the reply to my boss.

He was the type of guy for who workplace safety is no laughing matter, and I was expecting him to reply with a strongly worded email, and about 4-5 paragraphs from various workplace safety laws text.

Instead, he had a strange smile. “Oh, don’t worry Rum. It’ll soon be a priority to them.”

The fun is about to begin!

2 days later, my boss comes in “Rum, don’t forget the biohazard truck comes tomorrow. You should collect the wastes from the labs.”

Oh boy! Biohazard day! The day where I get to leave my office, visit every lab in the university, jokingly saying “Bring out your dead” as I enter and having a chat with teachers, classmates and various lab aids.

I put on my lab coat and protective goggles.

“And don’t forget: the elevator in the science wing is broken, you have to go through the administrative wing.”

It’s going to be stinky!

Oh now I get it.

See, when the pencil pushers decided that fixing the elevator wasn’t a priority… they didn’t realize that I would be walking around with a cart filled with containers bearing a bright yellow biohazard logo, and returning with them full of old pétri dishes full of culture medium.

And any biochemists/microbiologist worth their lab coat will tell you: culture medium stinks. It smells like regurgitated baby food left out in the sun.

So here I am, walking in front of all those nice offices and meeting rooms, the clack clack clack of my cart full of biohazard announcing my arrival, and the smell of death following me.

People seemed nervous.

Yes, I made sure that all bags were properly sealed, but it’s one of those powerful smells that just doesn’t care about that.

The nice lobby outside the elevator where people wait to meet the dean. Hello, sorry ‘bout the smell.

The meeting room with the open door. Sorry bout the noise. Can I get an update on that elevator?

People walking done the hall in their office suit. Wow, they sure do seem a bit nervous seeing a guy in lab coat driving around containers with the biohazard symbol on them. Should I tell them it’s harmless unless you’re severely immune compromised? Nah.

The compliance was effective.

Oh and my cart has only room for 3 of those containers, plus the new ones I leave to replace the full ones.

Biohazard day is about 2 to 4 trips… per floor.

After the second of such Biohazard day, we got a message stating the elevator will be fixed over the weekend.

Sometimes complying is the most effective way to get what you actually want.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

This person shares some funny things OP could’ve said.

Here’s another suggestion that would’ve made everyone around cringe even more.

Here’s the perspective of someone who had the same job.

Here’s another way OP could’ve hammed it up.

Maybe the elevator could’ve been fixed even quicker!

Scaring people can be quite effective.

Thought that was satisfying? Check out what this employee did when their manager refused to pay for their time while they were traveling for business.