Biohazard cleanup involves cleaning, application of EPA approved hospital grade disinfectants, and deodorizing areas where a traumatic event such as an accident, injury, or death has occurred. Thus, working with biohazards often means dealing with blood, human or animal remains, chemical spills, and more.

Biohazard Cleanup Services Include

• Sewage Cleanup and Sanitation
• Virus Decontamination and Protection
• Blood and Bodily Fluid Remediation
• Hoarding Cleanup
• Crime Scene Cleanup
• Deodorization and Odor Control

It is useful to remember that the state officials are not obligated to clean up a crime scene. When police investigators are finished collecting evidence from the area, the duty of cleaning the property shifts to the property owner to employ biohazard cleaning services. Professional cleanup teams can arrive onsite only after the police have gathered all evidence related to the crime.

The Blood or Other Potentially Infectious Materials (BOPIM) Standard

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) posted a standard in 1991 to help guard all workers from the dangers of blood or other potentially infectious materials (BOPIM). Hepatitis B virus, HIV, the 2019 Novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and many more are examples of Infectious pathogens.

Nearly 5.6 million workers are helped by BOPIM in healthcare jobs and related fields, and includes biohazard remediation companies also. The BOPIM standard also includes the biohazard cleaning and removal industry.

The BOPIM standard also has a few requirements, as follows:

• Record keeping
• Mandatory training
• Specific required vaccinations
• Proper handling, transport and disposal of hazardous medical waste materials
• Using appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Using work practice controls
• Conduct a Health and Safety Assessment (OSHA requirement)

More Common Biohazard Scenarios

• Coronavirus contamination
• Chemical hazards
• Animal waste or remains
• Hoarding scenes
• Blood and bodily fluid
• Suicide or death
• Crime or homicide scenes

PuroClean specialists face significant dangers each and every time they handle items that are potentially hazardous. For this reason, the use of proper training and safety precautions are critically important. The training and safety actions are important for both the technicians working on the project as well as the individuals who will be occupying the space once the biohazard restoration is complete.

Is Certification Required to Perform Biohazard Cleanup?

To work as a biohazard technician, a certificate is not required. However, biohazard workers are strongly required to wear proper PPE when working in areas with bloodborne pathogens. The state of Georgia recently passed a law which affects any company providing restoration services related to traumatic event locations and crime scene cleaning and restoration. Therefore, you should refer to local city, state, and federal regulations that may call for special licensing or have certain rules and regulations in place for licensing requirements, background checks, fingerprinting or more factors that may apply to biohazard cleanup businesses.

PPE is the last line of defense and aids to ensure the safety of workers. The equipment stops hazardous material from coming into contact with the body through the skin, eyes, mouth, nose, or any additional area. Although PPE differs from project to project, it should always include full-face protection, cut resistant and nitrile gloves, properly designated waterproof coveralls, and a respirator.

Reputable restoration companies provide biohazard restoration training for individuals. Learning OSHA’s on-the-job safety methods for handling biohazard waste is a significant part in the training. The technician’s training greatly reduces the risk of potential lawsuits and injuries from accidents.

PuroClean Biohazard Cleanup Procedures

• First, the restoration crew identifies the affected areas, completes a health and safety evaluation, and determines the magnitude of the biohazard remediation. Once a plan is devised, remediation will take place as quickly as possible.
• The crews then take precautions to maintain their safety and the safety of others near the cleanup site.
• All possible infectious materials are removed from the site and properly disposed of.
• Hazardous medical waste, such as spinal fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, and other bodily waste, is handled in strict accordance with OSHA regulations and transferred to a licensed hazardous medical waste incinerator.
• Porous materials like fabric and carpeting that can’t be effectively cleaned are removed following industry standards and state regulations.
• Non-porous materials are either cleaned with hospital-grade disinfectants if they are salvageable, or taken away and disposed of if non-restorable.
• After cleaning is completed, technicians deodorize the affected locations, and will ensure all of the cleaned areas are returned to pre-loss conditions in appearance and cleanliness. One way to ensure that the area has been cleaned and ready for occupancy is to have clearance tests performed by a licensed Industrial Hygienist.
• Removal of uncleanable contaminated materials, cleaning, and use of hospital-grade disinfectants are often enough to control odors, and in some tougher situations, other procedures of deodorization are used to accomplish the desired air cleanliness.

Biohazard Cleanup Services Provided with Empathy

The huge sense of loss felt from property damage is not lost on PuroClean technicians. Our restoration specialists and owners make special efforts to be extremely empathetic to those who have experienced property damage and may be emotionally vulnerable. This particular type of cleanup calls for added care and compassion. Our technicians genuinely empathize with the individuals that are unfortunately experiencing loss from this unthinkable situation.

The RapidDefense™ Program by PuroClean

PuroClean has implemented a cleaning process that we feel is the best way to clean. The PuroClean RapidDefense™ Program includes the application of EPA approved hospital-grade disinfectants in common areas. The 2019 Novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Norovirus, Influenza and other pathogen-based germs are the focus of our RapidDefense™ Program, helping to stop the spreading of such illnesses. Environmental Protection Agency-registered, safe solutions are used for this method for up to 90 days of protection against pathogens. Contact PuroClean to stop an outbreak and help create a safe and clean atmosphere.

For Biohazard Cleaning Services, Call PuroClean!

When in need of biohazard restoration services, call the PuroClean team to clean and restore the contaminated site. Our biohazard specialists use state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to effectively remediate the damage.

The high standard of PuroClean’s remediation services, the timeliness in which we can deliver a completed project, and our authentic compassion all exhibit why we are the perfect choice for your biohazard remediation cleanup needs. PuroClean promises to rescue and restore all properties within our service zones.

*As not all PuroClean offices offer biohazard cleaning services, please contact the PuroClean home office at 1-800-775-7876 to help you find a PuroClean location that may be able to help you.

Cleaning with the use of hospital grade disinfectants of frequently touched objects and surfaces are the recommended actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, like coronavirus. Since any surface can be re-contaminated following cleaning, and because the coronavirus is also spread person-to-person, PuroClean’s cleaning services cannot be guaranteed to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html) for more information regarding coronavirus, its spread, and prevention.