Crappy Day (Gross and Somewhat Long)

[SilverOrb]

Again for another tale from the Horror- That- Shall- Not- Be- Named. Can't believe I forgot to post this one, I still shudder. Let me give you a bit of background. In a department store, as well as I am assuming other large stores, you MUST keep the handicap register open at ALL times. This means that especially when you only have one cashier, the handicap register is the only one open, and if it needs to be cleaned, it MUST be cleaned immediately.

So here I was, all by myself on registers, when a guy comes through my line with a few kids. One of the kids was sitting in the basket and crying, and the guy had a plastic bag. I asked him about the bag, and he showed it to me, telling me that the kid had had an accident, and showing me the receipt for a new pair of pants. I made the appropriate noises, and then finished his order. After the guy left, I moved from behind the register, to straighten up. I looked down at the floor, and beheld a line of very liquidy human excrement.

I am sure my eyes must have blanked out, crossed, or otherwise registered my dismay. I quickly blocked off the lane with "danger, spill" signs, and called over to the front desk. Insert idiocy here.

Silver- Me!
FS- Front Supervisor
IC- Idiot Coworker

On the Phone

Silver- Hey FS, we need a cleanup here, got a little problem.
FS- What needs cleaned up? Can't you just go to the spill station and take care of it?
Silver- Not this. You are not going to believe this... There is human excrement in my lane.
FS- Um... Are you serious?
Silver- Yes, dead serious. I am not cleaning that up. Not my job.
FS- Got that right, I'll get IC up here.

Up comes IC, with a mop and bucket.

Silver- IC, you are going to need more than that.
IC- What do you mean? What is the spill?
Silver- Let me show you

I take IC over to my lane, where he promptly turns an interesting shade of dead white, much like the thin white (keep this in mind) shirt I was wearing.

IC- Uhhhh I can't clean that.
Silver- I'm not doing it. You are the on call guy for spills, have fun.
IC- I am going to be sick.
Silver- .... This is your job

Off he runs to ask management how to clean it. 10 mins later, he returns, wearing a mask (like a doc's mask) and latex gloves.

Silver- Oooook. Thanks IC.
IC bends down to clean, gagging.
IC- I just can't do this! This is too gross! I am gonna throw up if I do this.
Silver- IC, it needs to get done!

Back and forth for 5 mins Finally, I had to do it. In the latex gloves that I am alergic to. (yet another reason why I did NOT want to do it.) Wonder if IC ever got in trouble for that?

[k386trl]

Ick! I wouldn't have done it, definitely don't get paid enough for that. Especially if you have a janitorial staff and you're allergic to latex. That is so gross.

[Supermarket Slave Girl]

I definatley would not have cleaned that up, if you have a guy whose specific duty is to clean up spills and messes then it's not your job, your not getting paid to clean that sort of thing up but he is.

I have 3 kids and i'm used to seeing all kinds of messes and cleaning up after them so that sort of thing doesn't bother me, that being said though, cleaning up your childs poop is not in my job description, so no wouldn't have done it.

[calulu]

Ugh gross! I feel for you.

Sort of reminds me of the time I was innocently standing in line in Wal Mart and there was a redneck momma and grandma in line behind me with several whiny kids. The ten year old kept telling his momma that he felt bad and she kept ignoring him. He then proceeded to projectile vomit all over my lower legs and shoes. I was puke slimed from knees to toes.

Cleaning up a relatives puke or crap is one thing but a total strangers??? EWwwwwwww~~~

[Shangri-laschild]

Next time I would flat out refuse. If he can't clean up that stuff then he's not able to do his job. It's not your job to do so not to mention the hazard with you being alergic. I would have a talk with management.

[Gerrinson]

I'm not sure if it is a state or federal law, but in Mass. stores only properly trained management (with a Hazmat kit) are allowed to clean up human waste in grocery/department stores. It is illegal for them to make other employees clean it up and was a fireable offense for management at the grocery store where I worked. You might want to check the rules where you work in case a similar situation comes up.

If you're lucky it never will, but you know how that damnable Mr. Murphy works.

[poofy_puff]

You should have called Unholypet for advice at 911-POOP.

[SilverOrb]

Thank goodness, I am finally out of that place! Unfortunately, it had to be cleaned, and management was getting really mad. Thankfully, I don't have a very serious allergy, but they got lucky. I never really thought about it, but I could have reacted worse to it and ended up in the hospital. Idiots!

[crazylegs]

Latex allergy (like a lot of others) builds, you start with small reactions but the more reactions you get the more severe they get over time.

DO NOT WEAR LATEX

Please.


Re the waste, its not your job, the chap who is supposes to clean it, well HE is supposed to clean it. Simple as that really.

[fish3k1]

Man, I wish we had specific cleaning staff in my store...

Unfortunately for us it's up to the staff on each section to keep their section clean... a kid once took a poop in a wendy house (for real) and guess who was the only member of staff on section...

[gunsage]

I don't know how your store's set up, but if someone was designated to do that, then yes, it's their job. You should not have had to clean it up, especially because of the aforementioned allegic reaction.

[Mr Yuck]

Latex allergy (like a lot of others) builds, you start with small reactions but the more reactions you get the more severe they get over time.

DO NOT WEAR LATEX

Please.


Re the waste, its not your job, the chap who is supposes to clean it, well HE is supposed to clean it. Simple as that really.

Actually that goes for ALL allergies. Just because you mave a mild reaction one time doesn't mean you won't have a severe reaction the next.

Surprised you guys even have latex gloves. I haven't seen one around our hospital for probably 7 or 8 years.

[Slytovhand]

I'm going 'either way'.

You definitely shouldn't have had to - and the cleaner dude should have done it.

But (and this is why it's either way) it's still a job that needed to be done - by someone - and soon. In lieu of the other fool not doing it, it can be a lot easier to just do it all yourself (and then have that other person fired for not being able to do the job that they are employed to do).

Also - humans are pretty tough creatures - but they tend to be overly dramatic. So - clean it, forget it, don't let it bother you thereafter.... (which is what the cleaner should have done).

[karma_gypsy]

I'm going 'either way'.

You definitely shouldn't have had to - and the cleaner dude should have done it.

I agree, although the other guy should have cleaned the mess, it still had to be cleaned. Luckily, there wasn't another customer wanting to come through the line.

[Pagan]

Sort of reminds me of the time I was innocently standing in line in Wal Mart and there was a redneck momma and grandma in line behind me with several whiny kids. The ten year old kept telling his momma that he felt bad and she kept ignoring him. He then proceeded to projectile vomit all over my lower legs and shoes. I was puke slimed from knees to toes.

Are you still in therapy?