Manager Set Burglar Alarm Off Next to Me

So my manager asked me to come to the backroom one day since he was headed out, he wanted to give me a temporary passcode to unlock the loading dock door in case delivery people needed to come through. So I punched in the passcode I thought of and when that was done he told me he wanted to see if I knew how to turn off the alarm, without warning me, without any delay, he pushes open the loading dock door. I think his idea was to teach me how to do it while it was going off, instead of giving me instructions in advance...

Immediately the burglar alarm goes off above our heads and it's a piercing warbling sound coming from the speaker you can hear all the way from the front of the store. I quickly cover my ears with my hands and leave the room and my manager laughs and asks "Where are you going? You have to turn off the alarm! I don't know your passcode." I entered back to turn it off and he's trying to explain while I have both hands over my ears and stupidly took my right hand away from the ear to enter in the passcode. I gave up within a few seconds, told him my passcode and told him I can't deal with the alarm. I wait outside the loading dock while he turns it off, and when he's done asks me again "What happened there?" I told him I had tinnitus and his response was "What? Tinnitus? How do you pronounce that?" Told him how to pronounce it and that it was permanent ringing in my ears. "Huh. I've never heard of that."

My tinnitus has spiked in both ears now and it's driving me insane because I was already spiking when another worker dropped a pallet on the ground next to me. I think I just about give up. My manager didn't set the alarm off out of maliciousness, but because noise doesn't bother him at all he does these things without hesitation. It's like trying to avoid smokers when you're living in the early 20th century, or having a nut allergy, and everyone is made out of peanut butter. How do you even avoid all these things that make your life worse when they're part and parcel of living outside, short of being a recluse?

 

How long were you exposed? I would take some NAC and magnesium ASAP.

 

Actually, honestly make try to get some prednisone. I had brief exposure to a car alarm months ago and I got a permanent spike.

 

So sorry this happened. This condition is just horrible.

 

That's unfortunate. Work your way up in the company, then fire him.
In all seriousness though, he didn't do it out of maliciousness, but he doesn't come across as an empathic boss, especially after you explained him about your condition...

 

I was exposed for a minute or two. I already took NAC beforehand since I made it a precaution to take 1000mg in the morning, though I don't know what role it played in this.

 

I am so sorry this happened to you.
I hope and pray it is only but a temporarily spike.

This condition is terrible and not many understand it. It affects our lives in so, so many ways.
I hope you feel better soon.
Once

 

Oh my I’m so sorry this happens. My heart really hurts for you, spikes and spikes... all due to others carelessness. You don’t deserve that, your work seems hazardous to your health is there any other options you can take? Can you at least get steroids? Praying it’s only temporary one for you.

 

Hello, just wanted to see how you are doing now. Wishing you well.

 

Please, don't take my post wrong, I am not trying to tell you what to do, I'm just trying to spark an idea or something..

I would try to find a way to wear hearing protection at work, and if that won't work, then I would change a job or change a job position. Just be weary, that they may test the alarm in the future, and you might not even know it..

Also, when going outside of house, I'd just wear some ear plugs or less invasive hearing protection, e.g. noise cancelling headphones. When you're outside, and you're suddenly exposed to some loud sounds, you might be in shock or distracted, and then you will not react in the best way possible to protect your hearing, so I think it would be good to prepare for these kinds of situations.

Please, take care my friend. It's really sad to read such stories, but I appreciate the time you've given to write this.

 

You should have gotten out of there. He could have always followed you to the street where you could have given your code to him...

Try to get Prednisone...

 

I hope you're doing well.

A few years back my coworker activated the alarm while leaving because he's usually the one to leave last. The alarm was very loud. To top it off, I had no plugs with me. I couldn't just leave because I was responsible for closing the damn place. Fortunately, my tinnitus did not deteriorate.

 

I’m so sorry this happened to you
Your manager is an idiot!

 

Sad that things just get worse and worse with time, thank you for the suggestions though, oral steroids are hard to come by here unfortunately.

At this point I might very well have to wear hearing protection all the time, considering I got a new tone from something incredibly mundane. I am looking for a new job though. Thank you.

This is what happens when you're a doormat and think too much about what others think instead of prioritizing your own well-being...

Glad to see it doesn't give everyone spikes, I just hope mine isn't permanent.

I guess if we didn't have tinnitus we'd probably be as unconcerned about exposing ourselves to a burglar alarm in a closed room, what'd I give to feel like that again.

 

@Yoshi I’m sorry to hear it’s only gotten worse. Is it viable for you to take any time off work? I took 2 weeks off after my fire alarm exposure and I think that did me a lot of good. Going back to work has only made it more volatile.

I’m glad to hear you’re looking for a different job. Hopefully something quieter will be beneficial for you. I hope to do the same in the future; wearing ear plugs for 40 hours + per week isn’t the greatest.

I hope it gets better for you. Your case here really resonated with me and I think about you often and hope that you will be ok eventually.