Re: Nastiest paid Jobs
 

Actually had a nasty one today.

Got called out by a regular customer to see if I could fix a "leaking tap" at her mothers place.

Turned up to discover her mother, a grand old chook of 93, actually had a problem with the flexi hoses from where the pipework comes through the wall, up to the tap in her bathroom sink.

The problem? it had been leaking, and despite being 93 and still reasonably with it, she's a bit of a hoarder, and her bathroom is pretty chockers with empty shampoo and handwash bottles, etc, and under the sink was the same, you know the kinda junk that accumulates in there.

And it was all wet, every single bloody thing.

Wet, rancid, a little moldy, and just that god awful funk that wet chipboard develops.

I've got a strong enough stomach, and dear god I've encountered a few rank things, but this had me wanting to hurl.

Pipe was capped off at the wall untill I can get a new hose in the morning, bathroom window opened to help dry things out and all the water was cleaned up.

No way was I leaving a 93yo without running water, but when her daughter(s) get back to town, oh boy am I going to have a few words with them.

And yeah.... the dripping taps got new washers too.

Re: Nastiest paid Jobs
 

Re: speed cam operator
These last few comments remind me of a Simpsons skit... where homer is applying for a job? and the guy on the other side of the desk says "you know, I'm the guy that invented the speed camera". As quick as a flash Homer reaches over the desk and smashes this guy in the face with his fist., Guy behind desk says "yeah I get that a lot" :notworthy

Tried to find a clip for youse, but couldn't as I don't know the exact search string to use as far as the original dialogue goes.

:afro

Re: Nastiest paid Jobs
 

Now back on topic,
speaking of bad smells... the one nasty paid job that sticks in my head is when I had to fix a cold room at the Murarrie Meatworks in Brisbane circa 1984.

1st impression: there was a large stainless steel 'chute', about 3 meters wide by 3 meters deep where trucks would reverse to tip dead cows etc into, the a feed screw at the bottom of said 'chute' would move them along into a 60cm opening... crunch crunch grinding away. That was the 1st bad smell.

Next it was onto the job itself. This involved working in the blood and bone part of the processing plant. I was up a ladder at the ceiling, steam covering me all the while surrounded by the smell of death. Man I know it pails in comparison to what others have said.. BUT keep in mind I was 17 y.o. It is still THE WORST thing I have had to do and get paid for doing it.

Even worse than the tannery on Cormack rd kinda smell, and that was putrid and even worse in summer if that is possible. :vomit

Re: Nastiest paid Jobs
 

One of my commercial customers supplies processing equipment to abattoirs, they also do breakdown servicing and repairs.
Now, if a machine breaks down and the tech can’t get it working insitu, it will be wrapped in cling wrap (still full of meat bits) and loaded onto a truck to this workshop for repairs.
I use their bin to dispose of lawn clippings, sometimes the site foreman will warn me if it’s been loaded with random meat waste, sometimes he doesn’t…..

Re: Nastiest paid Jobs
 

I think the stinkiest place to work that I have visited (not worked at) was the whaling station at Albany in WA was was sadly still operating in the early 1970's. The smell hit you like a brick wall. That and the obvious cruelty made it very much not a pleasant place to visit.

Re: Nastiest paid Jobs
 

Those take my hat to are the Police Rescue Squad.
I recall many many years ago I got to see some pics that you normally wouldn't see of someone being run over by a train, followed by some car accident pics of people just ripped to shreds.
I think being first at the scene and dealing with this wonder how they sleep well some nights.
Huge kudos to these wonderful people don't know why you tend to like doing this work.