I tried to fix a printer jam with a butter knife and the fire alarm went off

Our office printer in the break room has been acting up for weeks. Yesterday it jammed again, and I got tired of waiting for IT. I saw a video online about using something flat to clear the rollers, so I grabbed a plastic butter knife from the kitchen. I wedged it in there, and it sparked. Not a big spark, but enough to set off the smoke detector right above it. The whole floor had to evacuate for 20 minutes. My boss just asked for 'a full report' on what happened. Has anyone else caused a minor office disaster trying to be helpful?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_ben10h ago

My old boss banned office DIY after I fried a microwave with a paperclip.

hugos678h ago

But what did you expect to happen with a paperclip in a microwave? Honestly, that sounds like a pretty clear safety issue, and the boss was right to shut it down. It's not just about the one microwave, it's about preventing a real fire or someone getting hurt. Sometimes rules exist because people do things without thinking them through. A total ban might be the only way to keep things safe for everyone.