I work in an open-plan office with at least 150 other people. I only really know the people sat in my immediate vicinity; I work in a team of around 10 people, though I wouldn't say I know any of them well enough to be aware of any allergies. From experience, I've found that illnesses spread like wildfire in this sort of environment (within this office they do, anyway).
Quite often, I like to bring small portions of nuts with me to work, to snack on throughout the day. I've seen stories where people have had severe allergic reactions on planes, when people sat around them have opened packets of peanuts - could this occur in open-plan offices? Is there an "office etiquette" when it comes to eating nuts within this sort of environment?
I do know quite a few people with food allergies, and I personally wouldn't class them as uncommon. I'd bet my bottom dollar that there are a few people within this office with some sort of food allergy. If somebody were to have a severe allergy, would this sort of information be brought to workers' attention, as to avoid such a reaction taking place?
Is it acceptable to eat nuts in an open-plan office?