In many cases, working with biohazard materials means working with chemical spills, blood, human or animal remains. A traumatic event that resulted in injury or death are situations that call for biohazard cleanup. The actual biohazard cleanup consists of cleaning, applying EPA approved hospital grade disinfectants, and deodorizing areas where traumatic events have taken place.

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

Bear in mind that state employees aren’t required to clean crime locations. When the authorities and investigators are finished gathering their evidence, the responsibility falls to the property owner to arrange biohazard cleaning services. Only after police have collected all evidence and have re-opened the scene can biohazard cleanup technicians start their work.

The Blood or Other Potentially Infectious Materials (BOPIM) Standard

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) put out 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 others are examples of Infectious pathogens.

Approximately 5.6 million workers are helped by BOPIM in healthcare positions and related fields, and includes biohazard restoration companies as well. The BOPIM standard also includes the biohazard cleaning and removal industry.

Additionally, the BOPIM standard includes several prerequisites, 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)

Common Biohazard Situations

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

Every occurrence that technicians need to work with or around potentially hazardous materials, it is done so at a significant risk. Because of this, adhering to safety rules and the correct training is necessary. The importance of these procedures are both for the workers and individuals who will later occupy the previously contaminated space. The technicians and residents depend on these safety guidelines. The safety of both technicians and tenants from biohazard dangers is highly important during and after the project.

Is Certification Required to Perform Biohazard Cleanup?

It is not obligatory to obtain a certificate to become a biohazard technician. Although OSHA does require biohazard technicians to properly wear PPE when handling bloodborne pathogens. Also, you may want to check your local city, state, and federal regulators for certain licensing requirements, laws, background checks, fingerprinting, or any other factors that may be required to perform remediation work. As an example, the state of Georgia passed a law that affects companies providing restoration services linked to trauma and crime scene cleanup.

To help ensure the safety of our technicians, PPE is used as the last line of defense. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) protects the body from coming into contact with hazardous items, through the skin, eyes, mouth, nose, or any other body parts. PPE types change depending on the job, but should always consist of cut resistant and nitrile gloves, full face protection, appropriately designated waterproof coveralls, and a respirator.

Additionally, well known restoration firms offer biohazard remediation training for new employees. The training consists of learning on-the-job safety methods as set by OSHA, for handling biohazardous materials. Learning these things reduce dangers of accidents, or even potential litigation situations.

PuroClean Biohazard Cleanup Process

• First, the remediation crew will identify the affected areas, completes a health and safety assessment, and determines the magnitude of the biohazard cleanup. Once a plan is in place, remediation will take place as quickly as possible.
• Biohazard specialists then take precautions to maintain their safety and that of other individuals near the cleanup site.
• All potentially infectious materials are eradicated from the site and properly disposed of.
• Hazardous medical waste, such as spinal fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, and other bodily waste, is handled following OSHA regulations and transferred to a licensed hazardous medical waste incinerator.
• Porous materials like fabric and carpeting that can’t be effectively cleaned are disposed of following industry standards and state regulations.
• Non-porous materials are either cleaned using hospital-grade disinfectants if they are salvageable, or removed and disposed of if non-restorable.
• After cleanup is finished, technicians deodorize the affected locations, and will ensure all affected areas are returned to pre-loss conditions in appearance and cleanliness. One way to guarantee that the areas have been cleaned and ready for occupancy is to have clearance testing 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 difficult situations, other procedures of deodorization are implemented to accomplish the desired effects.

Biohazard Cleanup Services Provided with Empathy

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

The PuroClean RapidDefense™ Program

The RapidDefense™ Program by PuroClean is the absolute best way to clean, which involves using of EPA approved hospital-grade disinfectants in common areas, high traffic zones. This cleaning process helps halt the spread of pathogen-based sickness germs, like Influenza, Norovirus, and the 2019 Novel coronavirus (COVID-19). These cleaning methods use Environmental Protection Agency-registered, safe cleaning solutions to give up to 90 days of protection against pathogens. Contact PuroClean before an outbreak occurs, and to help you provide the cleanest conditions possible.

For Biohazard Cleaning Services, Call PuroClean!

If you find yourself needing biohazard cleaning and restoration expertise, call PuroClean and let us clean and remediate the contaminated site. Our trained technicians use the latest, state-of-the-art equipment and methods to effectively and efficiently clean and restore your affected property.

The high standard of PuroClean’s restoration services, the timeliness that we can deliver a completed project, and our authentic empathy 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 and application of hospital grade cleaners of frequently touched objects and surfaces are the much needed actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, like coronavirus. Since any surface can be re-contaminated after cleaning, and since the coronavirus is also spread person-to-person, PuroClean’s cleaning services can’t 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 about coronavirus, its spread, and prevention.