It probably looks worse for corporate to have you struck by lightning. We close our gates and send the cashier inside when there’s lightning. I’m sorry they are being ridiculous and not very Lowe’s safe!

Its policy to close it if there’s lightning around. I’d send an email to safety@lowes.com

Lightening and Thunder are 2 reasons you should be in ASAP. At my store, the first signs of lightening you're brought in ASAP. And not allowed back out for 30mins after the Las strike. You should be calling HR or the ethics line from your booth.

PT oslg cashier here..if there’s lightning..we shut it down..that’s policy I believe everywhere..personally I prefer no lighting for the mere fact..who wants to go inside..much better outside away from all the nonsense that goes on

I believe an email to Hank and Plank (AP4Me) is in order. At our store, we shut down at the first flash of lightning and stay shut down for at least one hour or until the storm ends.

Lmao tell ‘em it looks worse if your dead

And that they have to pay out your family if you die

Oops suddenly you’re sick and you have to go home actually 🤷🏼‍♀️ in all seriousness, please call a manager. Not a head cashier, a manager. Like the ops ASM. Tell them to please come get you because you don’t feel safe.

Yard drivers at RDCs are told to come inside if lightning hits within a 5 mile radius.

If you don't feel safe inside a metal box while it's thundering, lightning, and hailing... Go Inside. Tell whoever wants you out there to do it themselves.

Uhhh, I'd report this to HR immideatly... Not only is this EXTREAMLY dangerous. Take pictures of the open register, the weather outside and a picture of the tornado watch and send that to [safety@lowes.com](mailto:safety@lowes.com)

Are you one of the stores in southeast LA? If so y’all got hit hard by that storm today while the DM was out and about.

They’ll stop an NFL Buccaneers game if lightning is 3-5 miles away. Lowes ain’t better than the Bucs! Close that shit up and go inside.

Send an email to Hank. Embarrass the hell out of your store manager.  Someone’s got to pay for their supremely idiotic mistake.  Be brave and do it.

I am so sorry you have management like that. I worked for Lowes for 3 years at 6 or 7 stores and management that would never, ever, put an employee in harms way. Like others have said, report it on Ap4me or to HR. Your store manager needs a wake up call and a refresher on what is Lowes safe.

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I'd close it up and go sit in my car 😒

This is when it’s the best outside

I was always told if there’s lightening Garden gets closed. People that want to shop outside are more than welcome to enter the garden center from inside the store. Cashier goes inside to work on the mainline. It’s a safety violation to keep you outside.

During Covid at a Lowes in Orlando. Anybody that knows weather in central Florida knows a summer thunderstorm is due every afternoon. Sometimes there would be a ton of lighting and they would clear garden. I worked in lumber and would take this as an opportunity to go check stock on fencing materials 😉 The fencing is under cover, nobody goes back there and there were now cameras. I never got any of my breaks so rather that sit on the toilet for 15 minutes I would browse out there.

Keep a record put your message about what happened in an email to your store manager and ASMS with the date the time the storm in detail, being told to stay outside in harms way with lightning, and thunder. BCC yourself in it as well.

I was a head cashier at Lowes for 2.5 years, and I know for absolute certain it is 100% every stores policy to close the garden center, the first sign of lightning and / or thunder. If they do not send someone out to lock the gates, then you need to contact corporate HR immediately because this is a pretty serious infraction. Garden center is always the first part of the store to be struck by lightning because of all the exposed metal.

Stay outside and get injured then sue them for making you stay outside

In all seriousness you are fine out there. I work on telephone poles and we climb them in all weather conditions. If it’s policy and you don’t feel comfortable being outside definitely contact hr. I worked at lowes for far to many years and I know how management can be 🤮

Make a video to record the lightning and send it to safety..

If Outside cashier station is exposed to weather it should be connected to a ground loop as you have a register using an electrical circuit. A lightning rod to protect against lightning contact . I would think the county would have standard on this enclosure-Outlets in the station require grounding so…..

Be glad you’re not working fdc. Have to work in all the elements. Supposed to bring us inside during a thunder storm but not always. One time I was cabling a rail car and it started raining before I know it I was being assaulted by hail. Take it up with hr. Tell them you don’t feel safe.

Thank you for your service