To not clean the wee up?

[lostintheour]

I work in a medium sized supermarket (4 tills) and we have no customer toilets - staff ones which are cleaned by cleaners not shop staff.

Today a child wet themselves in one of the aisles. My manager told me to clean it up with paper towels and I refused. It’s not part of my job description and I’m not cleaning up human waste - even if it’s a child’s.

To be honest the parents walking away and not offering to help was lazy and gross in itself but regardless aibu?

not sure where you expect parents to put their mop and bucket every time they leave the house with a child? you are outraged at being asked to clean up wee but expect parents to do this without any real cleaning equipment? they can't clean it up with baby wipes can they and lending them the shop's cleaning equipment is likely to be an insurance issue, so you are being ridiculous.

Why our public spaces are becoming gross. Poster who excuses parents who walk away from their child making an awful mess in place where food is sold. You are part of the problem.

Whaaaaa?

Harsh to expect parents to parent in public? Especially in a supermarket where other people are buying food?

I'm not particularly squeamish, but I would judge very harshly if I saw parents allowing a child to do this, and not taking responsibility.

Is it really that difficult to get a mop and wet floor sign.

Manager should have cleaned it.

Don’t be a teacher -dog owners pick up foul smelling dog shit every day and you can’t chuck a few paper towels on a child’s wee -get a grip -though should have been manager -I would have done it and maybe told them their turn next time.

Allowing the child to.do what? Young children have accidents. It's unlikely the parents gave the child express permission to consciously piss on the supermarket floor.

What kind of parenting do you expect them to do to avoid the child's piss hitting the floor???

Do you people really think that parents carry around wads of paper towels and disinfectant every time they go out?

It's just a bit of piss. It would have taken seconds to clean up.

Agree. The parents also should have offered to clean up.

How does it work then? Someone has the job.

I don’t think she is excusing it- she is saying that the parents don’t have appropriate cleaning materials to do that.

Locate the cleaning equipment and you should be able to clean up wee. It is not a risk - like, say, blood or poo.
The parents could possibly safely use your equipment for the clean up of wee. Though with blood your management might require staff to ensure it is cleaned thoroughly for other patrons.

Your work cleaning bin or kit should have instructions on how to clean up safely all manner of things. It should have gloves, masks and goggles, antiseptic and other products, absorbant rolls of paper, plastic bags and an incident book.

Ask management to train you better and inform you of your obligations.
Look closely at your contract and discuss with manager.

What a great parent you sound wiling to let other people deal with your child pissing themselves.

Nurses

I know as I'm a nurse and have cleaned up A LOT of blood/poo and other gross things

I use to work in hospitality as a waitress /bar person and was expected to clean up piss, shit and vomit.

Tbh it wouldn't have occurred to me to say no.

Obviously you can say no but it may not hold you in a good light.

Are you contracted hours or zero hours?

Do you have specific training and specific clothing to do so?

I'm genuinely intrigued by this, as per my earlier post quoting @JaneTheVirgin - didn't mean any offence btw

Because we have nothing at all in schools. We just have to crack on cleaning any bodily fluids the children send our way.

Obbiously accidents happen but as a parent I’d apologise profusely and ask for blue roll/ spray cleaner. Normally tills have these I’ve seen them spray/ wipe the conveyor belt if there is milk / other spillage hopefully not wee.

I don’t think it’s ok to ask OP to clean up wee with paper towels. Manager should of gotten a mop and a warning sign. It might be in the contract that they can be asked to do other things but I’d like to see the risk assessment that says in the event of a bodily fluids spillage the nearest staff member should grab some paper towels and dab it up.

@Globules There's stronger bleach type solution to use for blood spills - yeah I guess training is given in that you are told which solution to use and know about infection control.

Definitely gloves and protective clothing worn depending on type of mess.

What a piece of piss. Takes seconds.

The only person who should have been cleaning it with laser towels is the parents, at least they have some relation with the wee maker. No shop staff should be cleaning urine without appropriate hazardous waste cleaning education. Sorry, as that parent I would have cleaned it, and then expected you to mop it once the worst was dealt with

Lots of stores have separate cleaners as for insurance purposes they need to be properly trained coshh etc. The store should have risk asssessed this eventuality and have a plan. We have an annual refresher on this at work, We are also not allowed in cleaners cupboard and cleaning chemicals are locked away.

People tends to feel a bit of aversion for other peoples piss as a rule.

Early Years teacher here, so cleaning up all sorts everyday. The parents should have cleaned it up, but they didn’t. I suppose your manager could have done it if they were that bothered.

I once dropped a large glass bottle of soy sauce down the local supermarket that smashed on the floor. It went everywhere. I was mortified. I didn't just walk off, I found a member of staff and they grabbed the in store mop, bucket and a few cloths and between us we cleaned up the mess. In fairness she insisted I did not have help but why wouldn't I? It was my fault and I would be a bit of a twat to just mooch off down the aisle continuing my shop.

In a hospital setting cleaning up bodily fluids is subject to strict infection control policy’s so you do need training, yes.

I would expect parents to find the shop manager, request a bucket & mop, plus disinfectant and help to clean it up.

Noit just walk away. Walking away is gross.

I don't think cleaning up a puddle of wee is that big of a deal, really. It's not like it was poo or vomit.

Is it pleasant? No, but I just see it as "one of those things" that needs to be done sometimes - when you're working with the public, accidents happen, especially where children are concerned.

I honestly can't imagine refusing to do a basic job like that, in all honesty.