To think it’s not my job to dispose of rat droppings?

[Coffee21]

Long time lurker here, I don’t normally post but need advice. I’m not sure if I am just being precious and need some perspective.

So I am a project worker in a house for 5 young adults with autism. I am in a team of about 12 project workers, 1 supervisor and a manager who occasionally will pop in. The house backs onto an industrial site, and we had a bad rat problem this winter 🙁 Fortunately the rats never came inside the house but the garden and out buildings were overrun. They got professionals in to get rid of the rats, but the shed and the garage are covered in shit. It doesn’t help that they were using the garage to store excess Xmas food, rubbish, ect. Anyway yesterday I come into work and find they have bought thick rubber garden gloves. I asked what for, and she said we must clean out the garage and shed. There are lots of tins stored in the garage and they want us to disinfect them and bring them inside. It’s not just a few droppings, the entire garage and all the surfaces are covered in rat poop and probably rat urine too. My role as a project worker does involve domestic tasks like deep cleaning the kitchen and cutting the grass, but aibu to think this is a step too far?

If you are to clean up rat shit, and more worryingly, their urine, ideally you need a respirator.
I’d just bag and bin the stored food!
I had a rat in summer and did clean up the poo, but there was not much of it.
I used gloves and bleach.

For a heavy infestation get in professionals with correct PPE

Your manager is way out of line. This needs a proper H&S assessment. Can union or HR advise?

www.worksafebc.com/en/health-safety/injuries-diseases/infectious-diseases/types/hantavirus

How to reduce the risks
If a worker or workers could be exposed to Hantavirus, the employer must develop and implement an exposure control plan (ECP). This plan must identify the workers at risk of exposure and the controls required to protect those workers.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)
This is the least effective type of control. When used, there must always be at least one other control in place as well. Some questions to consider:

Are workers using respirators?
Are workers using protective clothing and goggles and gloves?

I wouldn't do it, don't people who are trained to clean up this kind of stuff normally paid hazard pay aswell?

Could you suggest to employers that it is a biohazard, and offer to find the appropriate professional help to get rid of it. That way you won't have to take any risks. Rat urine let alone faeces are potentially dangerous as they can pass on serious disease.

@Coffee21 glad you've got good advice on here. There will probably be some summary online you can print and give to your employer regarding bio hazard waste and it's removal. I don't have a link unfortunately.

It's not just a quick clean job and especially if your pressured to keep anything from the contaminated area!!

@sheworkshardforthemoney
Indeed. Thank you to everyone who provided useful advice. I will do it, but only if they do a proper risk assessment, and provide suitable PPE. I think that’s fair.

You can buy the white suits and masks in a DIY store - the sort used for going into a loft and laying insulation where there are/might be mice or bat droppings. What I mean is PPE is readily available, though the employer should pay the bill.

@CaptainMyCaptain

It wasn't my job as a teacher to clean up after rats but, when we had a rat get into the classroom, I did it - and washed and disinfected everything else that had been in the cupboard just to be on the safe side.

That's what any decent and sane person would do. We have rats in our barn all the time. We just wear gloves and then afterwards wash our hands. The whole set up sounds dodgy though.

i do it in my job. we have a contract with rentokill for the ongoing problem with rats but as our store is near food sources its never going to stop

those saying call the professionals, it costs hundreds for rentokill to come out and they will just say better housekeeping required, they don't clean it up usually, just deal with the rats

i tend to collect up the half dead rats and store them safely. so sweeping up droppings i dont give a second thought to. hygiene hygiene hygiene. gloves, mask and jeyes

@Everleigh2021

i do it in my job. we have a contract with rentokill for the ongoing problem with rats but as our store is near food sources its never going to stop

those saying call the professionals, it costs hundreds for rentokill to come out and they will just say better housekeeping required, they don't clean it up usually, just deal with the rats

i tend to collect up the half dead rats and store them safely. so sweeping up droppings i dont give a second thought to. hygiene hygiene hygiene. gloves, mask and jeyes

Sorry but there is no way I’d be touching an actual rat, dead or not. You are clearly much braver than I am!

no need to touch the things. they are usually half dead via poison when have found them, perhaps 2-3 a year so not loads

its either deal with them or the staff and customers see them so don't really have a choice

I think the task is do-able with reasonable precautions, however, since your employer send to be slack in other ways, it wouldn't be a shock to find they put pressure on you to do it without the loft overalls type stuff etc a pp mentioned. If they start being difficult over it you could contact your local authorities environmental health team for advice this is exactly what they are for, to regulate businesses management of this sort of thing. They will back you up and give good advice. Most will not go in with big size 9's but will provide your employer with an incentive not to be stupid about it.