Didn't clean up the poo. WIU?

[YouLookNiceJackie]

I'm a cleaner and one of my jobs is at a large charity shop. I go in just before they shut and clean the staff only areas and then once the shop shuts I clean the shop floors. Tonight, there was a really bad smell as soon as you walked up the stairs. It smelt like someone had bad wind. I couldnt do anything about it as the shop was still open and I didn't want to offend/embarrass anyone by squirting airfreshener in case the culprit was still there! I cleaned the rest of the shop (3 floors) and the went back to that part to hoover, and the smell was even stronger. I sprayed around with airfreshener and went to get the hoover and found the biggest pile of diarrhoea hidden behind a suitcase and tshirt in a bit of an alcove on the shop floor. It was down the wall, all over the carpet, up the door frame and all over the skirting board. The smell was horrendous and made me feel ill. I tried to ring the manager but she is on leave and didn't answer. IMO it needs professional cleaners with protective gear on. This person was clearly quite unwell and I didn't want to risk contamination and then go and get in my car/go home to my children. The only thing available that I could have used to clean it up was paper towels. I covered it up and blocked off that area. After I got home the manager rang me and she did not sound happy that I had left it. She kept saying well someone needs to clean it up. I suggested a professional company and she said she "would consider this if one of the ladies at the shop who has her head on her shoulders and would probably just do it herself, thinks it's too big of an issue to deal with. If someone had made a mess in the toilet I would have dealt with it but this was another level! I am also concerned that this person could have covid or a stomach bug. I said I don't think this person should clean it up plus she'd be then handling things for sale and serving customers without going home to shower. Again the manager just said well someone needs to! Sorry for the long post, I'm just a worrier and work really hard so I'd be mortified if they all just think I just left it for someone at the shop to deal with. I also explained that I had to leave to pick my child up and I'd stayed a little bit over. Should I email headoffice tomorrow and explain?

[GlennRheeismyfavourite]

I think you did the right thing - if you don't have the right protective clothing/infection control stuff no way should you be expected to deal with that! I would email to clarify the situation.

[Lovestonap]

I agree with you. Ppe and proper equipment should be used for human waste. How unpleasant for you.

[Beagledbybeagle]

Yes i think you should phone head office.

[HaveeeeYouMetTed]

You definitely did the right thing. My partner used to work for a company that got called out to deep cleans mainly in hotels & poo was one of those reasons. The hotel / business would contact the company instead of allowing their usual cleaning staff to deal with it because it would be cleaned with proper chemicals while wearing the correct ppe.
Phone head office & please don't over think that maybe you should of dealt with it. Definitely not part of your job.

[Schmoozer]

You did the right thing, 👍👍👍

[stackemhigh]

You absolutely did the right thing. Whoever does it should have protective gear over clothes, shoes, face etc. If the manager doesn't want to pay for that and thinks 'someone has to do it', then she can bloody well do it!

[FallenSky]

You 100% did the right thing.

How disgusting!

[Aquamarine1029]

Cleaning up human excrement is a biohazard level situation that needs proper ppe and cleaning equipment. No way is that part of your job description, and I wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole either. How disgusting. Email the office and don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. It would be completely unreasonable for anyone to expect you to clean that up.

[RB68]

And who the bloody hell does that anyway - people are so disgusting. She was being unreasonable for sure especially in these times

[WhereverIGoddamnLike]

Email head office. Make sure you mention that protective clothing, carpet cleaner and proper disposal would have been required and you are not contracted for that.

[MinnieJackson]

Just ring head office, it's hazardous waste and not a cleaners job. You did the ring thing, blocking it off and covering it.

[RB68]

Thinking on it it completely is a Health and Safety issue - no proper ppe or cleaning materials (tools for the job) etc. so if they start on then raise that and ask for the risk assessment and method statement for you job

[nimbuscloud]

You did the right thing

[JaJaDingDong]

Diarrhoea is a symptom of Covid.

[Suzi888]

No, that is not your job!!!!!

What the hell!!!!! Disgusting! As PP states you need proper equipment for that.

[gah2teenagers]

Well done for standing up for yourself. Definitely a full PPE job.

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

You absolutely did the right thing.

[HOkieCOkie]

That’s disgusting and you absolutely should not have to deal woth that.

[TheLastStarfighter]

Definitely not your job, and how very worrying that the manager is going to try to get someone else to do it.

The person who cleans it won’t be safe, if they then carry on working they could spread something nasty around, and the area won’t be properly cleaned and will still be hazardous.

Yes to contacting head office ASAP to detail what has happened.

[TheQueensCousin]

It's a bio-hazard, you absolutely did the right thing. I'm a worrier too and I'd also ring head office although you did nothing wrong. Well done for acting responsibly especially in these uncertain times. Remember that an upset stomach can be a symptom of COVID-19!

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

Absolutely YANBU.
I wonder who that 4% yabu are👀

[Tattoocrazymum]

You did the right thing
Definitely needs proper ppe and cleaning equipment

[Cheerybigbottom]

Ask to see the biohazard reporting and clean up policy.

You should have reported it to your manager upon discovery (after making the area safe, as you did).

Biohazard specialist cleaning companies are on call 24/7. Your manager should be arranging this, or failing that donning the appropriate PPE and bringing the right cleaning products to complete the job themselves. If they know how to do it

Absolutely was not your task at that time with what you had available and considering your other duties

[52andblue]

Poor person who left it there was clearly very unwell at short notice.
Could be a bowel condition but more likely a violent stomach bug or perhaps a Covid symptom, therefore unwise to start to mess with it (sorry) without proper materials and PPE for you.
You did what you could to contain it. It will need specialist cleaning.
Don't feel bad. You could have pretended not to see /smell it.
You have given the manager a heads up for the morning.

I'd email head office to cover your own backside (sorry) too though.

[Sexnotgender]

Oh wow. YANBU at all. You need proper PPE to deal with that.