Epping Plaza employees say they ‘can’t breathe’ and are constantly unwell blaming lack of air con

Customers and staff at a major Melbourne shopping say they are “fainting” and “vomiting” as they endure extreme heat and a broken air con system management has failed to fix.

Employees at a major Melbourne shopping centre have been left fainting and vomiting in stifling conditions with claims the air conditioning hasn’t worked since 2021.

Staff at Epping Plaza claim they face “uncomfortable conditions every day” and say centre management had failed to fix the problem and instead resorted to “quick fixes” such as handing out water bottles on hot days and installing shade cloths for kiosks to reduce sunlight exposure.

Epping Plaza employees claim to be constantly unwell because of the broken aircon. Picture: Himangi Singh.

Hairhouse manager Lauren Calder said staff “couldn’t breathe properly” and were “fainting” because of the stifling heat

“This summer we are feeling really unwell. There is no air circulation. It is almost like there is a heater,” she said.

“It is just horrendous. Most of the time it is cooler to be outside than it is inside.”

Ms Calder said the extreme temperatures had caused the business to lose customers.

“We have lost so much money. We’ve spoken to many customers and all they say is, ‘I need to go home; I can’t shop here anymore’ — this has affected business incredibly,” she said.

“The staff are constantly feeling light-headed. I’m not functioning right at work and then when I go home, I’m physically incapable of doing anything because I’m just depleted.

“It’s to a point now where I just want to cry; it’s horrible and dangerous.”

Ms Calder accused centre management of ignoring staff concerns.

“The head office is amazingly cold and we are here suffering. We have no choice but to be here — we cannot just leave if we want to shop somewhere else — this is our job,” she said.

“The plaza is where we earn our income and how we support our families. I would love for them to please think of us and fix the airconditioning instead of building new car parks.”

She said management should “fix what’s broken” rather than making changes to the centre.

Epping Plaza employees say the broken aircon makes conditions intolerable

Hairhouse employee Maddison Moran said the working conditions inside the mall were “inhumane.”

“No one should be expected to come to work feeling this way. It is absolutely sweltering in here,” she said.

“It’s hard for us to maintain the energy required from us, especially for our clientele who want to see us happy.

Ms Moran said last week an employee had to be taken home because she was very close to fainting.

“This has happened on multiple occasions — it’s just appalling,” she said.

“We have to be here 38 hours a week and we deserve a safe environment.”

This week, the Herald Sun spoke to more than 10 employees in the east wing of the shopping centre, who said they were “suffering extensively” and that centre management did “not care” about their wellbeing.

One employee claimed the lack of airconditioning had turned customers away from stores, which she alleges was a factor in her being demoted because she was unable to meet certain targets.

Notice sent to Epping Plaza staff in December 2024 claims the chiller system was fixed. Picture: Supplied.

A Pacific Epping spokesman said the centre was in the process of replacing one of the centre’s chiller systems in the eastwing after the system’s failure in June last year.

“While we work towards a permanent solution, temporary chillers installed throughout December have proven effective,” he said.

“We appreciate the discomfort this issue has caused and sincerely appreciate our community’s patience and understanding as we work to rectify the problem.”

A petition has been organised and has attracted 305 signatures from staff and customers.

The petition states each day was a “battle” because of management’s “indifference toward turning on the airconditioning or heating”.

“This predicament is not just our concern but also a violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) laws that mandate employers to provide a safe and healthful work environment.

“An inefficient HVAC system promotes the breeding of viruses and bacteria, affecting the overall wellbeing of both staff and shoppers alike.”

WorkSafe Victoria said it was monitoring the situation at Epping Plaza.

It comes after the Herald Sun revealed Albert Park College — widely praised for its green “passive cooling” — cut classes early because the eco-friendly sustainable campus was too hot for learning.

The high school sent students home 20 minutes early on Monday and slashed lunchtime by 20 minutes due to the temperature reaching more than 37C amid an extended heatwave.