Bodily fluids like blood, urine, and feces are hazardous if not dealt with properly. A professional biohazard cleaning company can ensure these situations are safe for those living there.
Standard cleaning methods suppress bacteria and pathogens but don’t entirely remove them. Crime scenes, traumatic incidents, medical issues, and hoarding situations can all require a biohazard cleanup.
Crime Scene Cleanup
Unlike regular cleaners, biohazard cleaners have the necessary training and experience to safely work with blood, other bodily fluids, and medical sharps, including needles. They also know how to disinfect areas contaminated by extensive mold growth, animal waste (think hoarding situations), and chemical spills such as propane tank leaks, antifreeze spills, broken mercury thermometers, and CFL bulbs. Crime scene cleaning is probably what most people picture when they think of biohazard cleanup. It involves cleaning up the aftermath of a violent crime or death, such as murder, traffic-related fatality, undiscovered death, or suicide. While this cleanup often grabs the headlines, it’s only a tiny portion of a professional biohazard cleaning company’s work. Other common assignments include removing the toxic residue of meth labs and sanitizing and decontaminating properties affected by disease outbreaks like MRSA or Hepatitis. Often, these are the types of jobs that law enforcement agencies refer hazmat cleanup companies to.
Unattended Death Cleanup
While crime scene cleanup grabs the headlines, unattended death cleaning is more common and accounts for about a third of all work performed by hazmat professionals. It involves discovering a body that has been dead for days, months, or sometimes years. Such a situation presents overwhelming issues that must be addressed and sanitized to ensure the property is safe for future occupants.
Biohazard cleaners are highly trained to work safely in these environments. They follow strict Health and Safety Executive standards and take appropriate PPE and precautions to prevent exposure to dangerous pathogens. They also understand the emotional toll of such an incident, so they are compassionate and respectful toward immediate family members. In addition, they are familiar with home insurance policies to help keep costs low and make the process as easy for clients as possible. Ideally, hiring a biohazard cleaning company immediately after a loved one’s passing is the best option for everyone involved.
Hoarding Cleanup
Hoarding cleaning is a specialized biohazard cleanup involving a home or business littered with gross filth, animal and human bodily wastes, needle sharps, infestations, and rotting food. The property may be made safe and inhabitable by having a biohazard cleaner completely clean, sterilize, and disinfect it. Crime scene cleaning gets the most attention because it is dramatic and morbid, but biohazard cleanup services are required in various situations. Blood spills from violent crimes, accidents, or traumatic events require the expertise of a professional biohazard cleaner to ensure that all harmful pathogens are entirely removed. Biohazard cleaners follow strict safety protocols and practice universal precautions to minimize the risk of contamination during their work. They are trained to catch spots that regular cleaning overlooks, like the insides of door handles, light switches, and ceiling fans. After cleaning, they also test the contaminated site to remove all dangerous pathogens.
Blood Cleanup
In addition to crime scene cleaning, blood cleaning can also be needed for unattended death or hoarding cleanup. This type of work requires highly specialized knowledge and training to perform correctly. The contaminants that need to be cleaned are dangerous pathogens like viruses and bacteria that the naked eye cannot see. They must be removed using unique biohazard cleaning solutions. Biohazard cleaners must take extra precautions to prevent cross-contamination when dealing with these hazardous materials. It means wearing proper PPE and following universal precautions to remove the contamination and leave the scene safe for the next person to enter. In addition to sanitization, blood cleaners must also deodorize the scene. It is done by releasing high-grade deodorization chemicals into the air. This step helps to neutralize the lingering, pungent odors that these kinds of situations can leave behind. The result is a property that is clean and safe to use again.
