To be shocked by what DD told me about her workplace?

[whatinthenameofcrapisthis]

DD(17) has a part time job at Greggs around her college hours. She told me today that they (the staff) regularly find used needles in the toilets from people injecting drugs, and that it's well known that particular people spend a long time in the toilets doing that. The same people also often shoplift sandwiches and drinks. I asked DD what the policy is for dealing with this, ie do they contact the police, and she said "we don't ring the police, we just report the drug use via a specified number", ie a drug hotline for Greggs itself (?), and that some staff have protective equipment to pick up needles. I was so baffled by this.

Surely used needles being left in toilets is a matter for the police? Greggs staff are not paid enough to have to deal with this surely? I told my daughter she should not be doing this.
Granted it's not the best area where the store is that she works at, lots of poverty and crime etc, but still... This has really shocked me!

AIBU to expect my teen daughter who is paid minimum wage in Greggs not to have to handle used needles?!

Nobody touches the needles. You use a litter picker and sharps bin.

Agree with pp - they need a code on the door and would also suggest that none of the items should be available for public to pick up - if it were behind glass and the customer needed to order them then it would not be possible to shoplift

You’re not being unreasonable; this is a horrible working environment. I’ve worked in plenty of minimum wage jobs and have never had to clear up needles; maybe I’ve just been lucky. Honestly, I think I would walk out if if I was ever asked to clear up a needle; it’s not worth the risk. Just because it’s commonplace, doesn’t mean it’s ok.

Personally, I’d be encouraging your DD to start looking for a different part-time job. If she’s hard-working and personable, she’ll find something better out there eventually! At least she’s in college so this isn’t her ‘forever’ career.

In my town, there is a security guard outside of the toilets in the shopping centre, all McDonald's type restaurants have the toilets locked with codes and keys, Greggs doesn't have a toilet, you are expected to use the shopping centre toilets. The blue lights are in places slightly out of town. Oh and lots of public loos have just been closed down. There have even been needles in the kids sandpit at one of the parks. It's a really sad state, but unfortunately it's in most towns now. I live a few miles out of town and it's not a problem here, cafes have open loos ect. Never seen a needle or an addict. They seem to all hang around town, one side more than the other. It's a shame, town centres just aren't going to last much longer. Ours is constantly being turned into flats for commuters.

Many supermarkets and other shops with more than one exit have closed the extras off to prevent SLs from leaving.

The side exit is still can be unlocked for colleagues to enter and leave outside trade hours if they are walking.

Noticed that one of the stores I walked past in a town which i haven’t been to in years has converted the side door to a solid one with a keypad which probably can put a pass card onto it. Guessing that probably be done with our side door.

Not a police matter but I used to work in retail and you could phone the council to collect I think. As used to have a lot round the back of some stores. Staff were told not to handle it…sharps issue etc

Tbh if you can have people living in the town rather than on the edges you have more of a chance of keeping it going - it retains foot fall for local shops and people being around keeps the centre alive and prevents it being taken over by street drinkers etc

I’m not surprised the police won’t deal with it - not the resources sadly .
I would be searching for alternative employment for my 17 year old I think .
Yes , they need the codes back for toilet users !

Wow an I’m not surprised that’s why the toilets are probably usually closed off to customers. I’ve noticed this in our city centre near the stations where lots of homeless congregate around the Greggs. She shouldn’t have to deal with it but

This country has gone to the dogs. This level of behaviour to me is something that thankfully I have never witnessed. My children too would be shocked by the acceptance of this behaviour. Why can't Gregs ban the shoplifters? I would write to their head office explaining the situation and ask what steps are being taken to address this. Well done to your daughter for working in retail, its not easy and certainly character building.

Most shoplifters will technically be banned from stores, but the issue is enforcing that ban. Thankfully Greggs seem to have a sensible policy of not expecting their staff to endanger themselves

DD must refuse to handle used needles, citing the fact that it is a health and safety risk, particularly so as she is not trained to undertake this task.

Toilets is bad enough, but what sort of person would leave needles in a baby change area? Abhorrent.

The drug users accessing the toilets will be well known to the police and emergency services. They should put a lock on the door but then they'll pester people like your daughter to open it up.

Why are they so desperate to access the toilets? Surely they can just shoot up outside - much easier than pestering someone to unlock the loo.

Sadly almost everyone in modern retail may have to deal with the abuse of shop toilets, druggies, thieves, sextraders and other unpleasant facts of real life. That applies to Harrods and John Lewis just as much as Greggs and individual shopkeepers.

Employers have always had to protect their staff, customers, business and premises, and train their staff to deal with these things; the police certainly cannot deal with most such criminal incidents. At the age of 17 your daughter certainly needs to learn about this, and may well already know more that you.

Especially In small shops, shopworkers often have to keep the premises clean, amongst their other duties: of course, they need proper safety, training and equipment.

It seems that conspicuous security cameras, not just blue lights, might be necessary at your local Greggs!