16 November, 2007

Not crate

Over three weekends, the individual offices on my corridor are being vacated in preparation for building work (we 'decant'* across campus for about a year, then return to an open-plan layout).  The contents are being placed in plastic crates for a removal firm to transfer, as Health & Safety regulations prevent us moving anything ourselves.

I couldn't help noticing that the end wall of each rectangular crate is printed with a square marked 'LABEL' i.e. a preferred location in which to attach a label indicating its destination. Presumably, this is to assist the removals staff, who presumably stack the crates in their van in such a way that the end walls are readily visible.
Yet no-one, not one person, has actually used that designated space – all crates are neatly labelled, but on the long side wall, or on top.

I wonder who's at fault. Is it the office staff for not paying attention? Or could it be that the crate markings themselves are poorly designed, failing to convey their message?

*: Yes, 'decant' is the officially documented term.