Public Health in Walmart !

                Taking this class, I’ve been realizing that public health is really everywhere; especially at my place of employment. I am a cashier at Wal-Mart Super Center and I placed my “This is Public Health” sticker at a Spill Station, one of many located throughout Wal-Mart stores. Spill Stations are basically closets around every store that are used to clean up any and every type of spill that is located on “the Floor”. “The Floor” are the areas in Wal-Mart were our customers shop; basically, everywhere in the store except for the backroom and the stock area.

           These stations are used mainly by the associates at Wal-Mart, but are accessible for customers as well. Spill Stations are equipped with cleaning disinfectant spray if something is needed to be disinfected, towels for cleaning up known spills, caution spill sign for when the spill is drying and no associate is guarding the drying area, a substance that works like kitty litter (which I don’t remember the name of) for spills that are chemicals (i.e. bleach, toilet cleaners, Drano), gloves which is mandatory to use for any unknown spills and chemical spills, goggles and an apron for more radical spills (usually found in the automotive area), bags and buckets to place dangerous debris in, broom and shovel, and our emergency spill procedures manual that tells the associate what to do and use for what type of spill and how to label and store the spill debris. Every spill is recorded and has to be placed in its proper designated hazardous spill bucket in the backroom. These Spill Stations are used to minimize and prevent the accidents of our customers and associates and to create a less hazardous shopping experience and workplace environment. We associates are accountable for the safety of every customer that walks into our stores and have been trained to do our best to have a safe environment for all.