So I'm a forklift operator, I loved my job, to be honest.
But today I got a lot done, I worked a lot outside and I push myself and don't realize I'm not drinking enough water until it's too late.
So not only am I forklift operator, but I do a lot of physical labor as well. I sweat a ton and I can get dehydrated quickly. I was running around a lot in the warehouse as well as spending most of the day in the sun in my work uniform on the forklift.
So I started noticing I had a pounding headache, I don't normally get headaches so I was slightly concerned. My buddy had ibuprofen so I took one and felt somewhat better. But then later on, about an hour or so before closing time. I started getting a bit dizzy, slightly blurry vision and couldn't think straight at all.
I overheat pretty eàsily and I sweat like mad.
So I finally stopped pushing so much cause I didn't feel safe on the forklift being that dehydrated. So I decided to go into the shop and sit down in the ac, drink some water and just cool off before helping my coworkers bring all of our equipment inside for the night.
I was right in front of my manager and 4 other employees doing pretty much nothing but bullshitting, which is a regular occurrence in the shop and I don't mind it, I enjoy fucking around with my coworkers and bullshitting. But I was mainly there to relax and recover. I was visibly dripping sweat like crazy, having trouble catching my breath and just trying my best to chug water and focus on bullshitting with my coworkers to kind of ground myself because my mind was insanely foggy. My manager was even bullshitting with us and didn't say a word to me about sitting around and not doing my job.
About 5 minutes later, he takes off early and the rest of the guys aren't doing any work, just bullshitting.
But for some reason, the owner thought it was a good idea to call the only person in the room who was dripping sweat, chugging water and insanely dirty/greasy.
He said he was “watching the camera and tired of seeing my warm up the chair” told me there's plenty of work to do and I need to clock out or get back to work. Followed by a shitty remark “if you can't find work to do , you call me and I'll find you work”. I was caught off guard. I knew there was a camera there, I just felt comfortable taking a personal break for myself because I knew I was severely dehydrated at this point. So dehydrated that I hadn't even gone to the bathroom a single time the entire day and I still haven't and I got off work 6 hours ago.
At first, I was just stunned and was trying to be professional and just said “ok, you got it boss”. I wasn't really thinking clearly enough to tell him how dehydrated I was. But it is also extremely unprofessional for him to not only single me out when Im visibly drenched in sweat, but he also didn't ask my why I was sitting around. Had he asked me, I would have realized to inform him that I'm dehydrated as hell and I was planning to get back to work in about 5 minutes.
Well, after he hung up, I got really pissed off and purposely made a comment because the cameras have audio. I said “yea, cause I'm the only fucking that sits around in this place” and then slammed the door to get back to work.
Then I could feel my anger building up, so I didn't want to get on the forks being dehydrated and angry. So I clocked out, sat in my car, had a smoke and blasted some music to drown out my thoughts because I was so angry and frustrated. I just couldn't believe he had the nerve to say that after I had a really productive day. I felt motivated all day, I got a lot done and took on things without being told what to do. I genuinely had a great day and felt proud of myself, up until he called.
So I finally calmed down and went back, clocked in and helped my coworkers bring in all the equipment and shit, because I left a couple things out and I don't want my coworkers to have to do my job. So I got done with that and went home, still very pissed.
Finally realized the best decision for my mental health was to text my manager and let him know I'll be turning in my uniforms tomorrow and that I simply will not put up with being talked to like a slave. I have anger issues, I've worked on it a lot and know when to walk away now. So I know if I stay there and hear one more comment like that, it isn't going to be pretty and I wouldn't care at all if customers were there, I would flip out very badly.
I'm genuinely curious if I could get a lawyer and go after him for that, considering it was a huge violation of my rights as a worker and I felt humiliated in front of my coworkers.
Also, there are so many OSHA violations there, they would be shut down immediately if I reported it. I don't want to because I like all of my coworkers and I don't want them to be out of a job.
And the owner is well aware of mental issues I have. I deal with anxiety, PTSD and major depression.
I've had to go to the mental hospital 3 times because of it and all 3 times have been during this job.
So I don't know why he thought it would be a good idea to try and make me feel like shit when he knows I'm already constantly beating myself up over everything.
What the hell do I do?
I'm genuinely lost. I feel like I made the right decision to quit, but now Im dealing with thoughts I've had before when I didn't have a job and I hate it. I loved what I did and now I'm lost and don't know how I'm going to stay sane without my job.
It helped a lot with my mental bullshit, it took my mind off of the shit I deal with and now I dont have that anymore… After trying my best to be kind, respectful… Treating his equipment and his business like it was my own, taking safety very seriously…. Treating customers with pure kindness and professionalism…. It feels like a slap in the face.