Can my boss make me clean up mouse droppings?

You must be a pretty crappy manager if you can't get somebody to do this. Also, you seem to be unable to accept the idea that rodents might be pooping AFTER the overnight porters leave and BEFORE you get there because you are blaming the porters for something that is likely happening once they're gone. That is also poor leadership, looking for others to blame. Instead of coming here to whine, why don't you expend your energy instead on getting some rodent exterminators to come by. If they already come by and you still have trouble, get a different company or have the current company step up their frequency of visits. Seriously, you should be figuring this out on your own.

I also think that the owner of the restaurant you work for needs to fire his inept snooty manager and get somebody who will get stuff done.

Where are the droppings being found?

Probably the kitchen, nice and warm, food and water for them.

I would make it a point to show up BEFORE these over night porters leave, and do a walk thru with them. If you see droppings, then point it out to them, and tell them that this is part of what cleaning is.

(check your contract with them ahead of time too. However, I'm sure that there is nothing in it that excludes them from cleaning poop).

There are other overnight cleaning services out there.

How are they getting in?

Are you leaving your back door open (especially during deliveries?) That needs to be stopped. No matter how hot it may get, or staff that smokes outside KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED.

Is your dumpster too close to the back door? Move it away.

You need to be proactive. Get mouse traps and those sticky mouse tapes. Lay them down. There are also mouse pellets that can be purchased at a hardware store. Lay those down. When they eat them they die.

Now who knows WHERE they will die, possibly the dining room EEEKS.

So again, when opening you'll have to do a thorough walk thru looking EVERYWHERE.

Get an exterminator!!!

You need to explain to the owner that if even ONE customers see's a live or dead mouse a phone call to the health department more than likely will be performed.

Talk to your neighbors on both sides of the restaurant. See if they have the same problem. You three may even get a discount from the exterminator company if all three of you hire them.

You can also take all the bottles (wine, beer) that are empty, put in a heavy duty garbage bag or two, and smash to smithereens (like the consistency of sugar) and then sprinkle all around the perimeters of the kitchen walls (yes, behind the oven, grill, etc) and all around dry storage. Their little feet do not like walking over this.

For roaches, take medium grade steel wool, pull back wall plates and push in. Then caulk the plates. Use removable caulk. the plates you should concentrate on are the ones by the sinks, especially the bar. Roaches do not like walking thru this.

There is a chemical out there called spectracide. you can get this at a hardware store too. use a mask as it stinks.

You can also get 20 Mule Team Borax and sprinkle a lot around the perimeters of the kitchen. This burns their feet.

You should also print out all of the responses here to show your boss.

Hope this all helps.

Hi Elidas40, It is the night porters job it seems to clean up the mouse droppings. Your responsibility however is to see that the working environment is safe and clean. As the manager you should take responsibility to call the exterminators and/or the health board. How would you feel knowing that someone had food poisoning or even worse weils disease which could potentially kill? If you took on that responsibility which as a manager you should there would be no need for you to moan about doing a task which you feel is beneath you. Get your finger out and do your job properly.

You already know it is unsanitary and disgusting (your words) Yet you let paying customers risk their health every day that they eat there. What type of management do you call that. As for the head Chef,he should be sent on a health and safety course or sacked from his job for incompetence. The pair of you should get together to solve this problem before it gets out of hand and someone contracts a serious case of poisoning. You will get no sympathy from me or any other Chef worth the name. Do the right thing and call the health service yourself and get the problem sorted. You will be doing your staff and customers a service that you can be proud of instead of whingeing on about a problem that is easily solved. All the best. Rab

Your job as a manager is to make sure others do their jobs. If the overnight porters are not doing a good job at cleaning, maybe having a professional exterminator come in is the next step. Mouse/rat droppings are HAZMAT, and should only be cleaned using gloves and a mask. This should not be your job. If the boss dosen't see it so, I would anonymously report to the health dept. and start looking for a more professional place to work. (btw, where do you work so I can avoid eating there?)

NO , YOU are the manager, and if you can't manage your porters, then you need someone who can.Check their contract of employment before you come heavy on them though!

BUT (as devils advocate) If the health boys find Mouse droppings/ cockroaches and they shut the place down, won't you wish you had cleaned them up ,? your job or not!

no i don't' think sol But you should ask the porters to make it thoroughly .clean and check them out if they are doing it well.By the way why don't you ask why notcheck onn the rodents. It kind of disgusting to have them,of all places in restaurants

im not sure if he should make you do that at your position but what i would do is get rat traps and kill them once and for all so you don't have to clean and the place will always be spotless for a surprise health department inspection.