China
17:53, 08-Aug-2018
Waves of employees quit jobs in Beijing building without air conditioning
Updated
17:00, 11-Aug-2018
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It has been a summer of misery for employees at an office building in east Beijing – the air conditioning system broke down on June 1 and has been out of operation since.
They have had to endure unbearable conditions at the Greenland center 1, owned by the Fortune Global 500 Greenland Group and located in a rising business area in Tongzhou District.
The Greenland center. /Photo via Greenland Tongzhou official website.
The Greenland center. /Photo via Greenland Tongzhou official website.
Many workers have fallen ill as a result, reported the Beijing Evening News of August 7.
“It was too hot," one of the workers, identified as Ms Yuan, was quoted as saying. "Our leaders had to allow us to go back home earlier."
She said that at 3:00 p.m. one day, the temperature on her 15th floor was 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit).
Yuan also said the company she worked at had bought electric fans and coolers for employees but that hadn't helped. Generally, the temperature in the building was five degrees Celsius higher than outside, said Yuan, noting that many workers would rather work outside or in rented rooms of other buildings.
Many have felt the need to cool down during the summer. /VCG Photo.
Many have felt the need to cool down during the summer. /VCG Photo.
Heat-related illness and accidents were being reported daily, the workers said. A Mr Han, who works on the 9th floor, said a glass-made fish tank suddenly exploded beside him by 2 p.m. a day last week. And it was not a singular case.
The broken air conditioning has caused big losses for tenant companies. Some had to send their employees home half-day on safety grounds. Productivity slowed due to the rough working environment.
Some workers decided to quit their jobs rather than put up with the misery. Yuan said 20 people left her employer alone during the two months.
The building's property management company has said that the repair work is nearly finished and the system is expected back in operation this week.
According to the weather website Tianqi.com, the average daytime highest temperature in Beijing reached 31 degrees Celsius in July and 30 degrees Celsius in August (86-89 degrees Fahrenheit). China has been hit by a heatwave countrywide this summer, with records broken in many places.