Biohazard Cleanup Services in Memphis

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

Included Within The Biohazard Cleanup Services

• 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 clear crime locations. When Police and investigators are finished gathering their evidence, the burden falls to the property owner to arrange biohazard cleaning professionals. Only after the authorities have collected all evidence and have re-opened the scene will biohazard cleanup professionals start their work.

The Blood or Other Potentially Infectious Materials (BOPIM) Standard

In 1991, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) put forth a standard to protect workers from the potential dangers of blood or other possibly infectious materials (BOPIM). Infectious pathogens for example are the Hepatitis B virus, HIV, the 2019 Novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and many others.

Nearly 5.6 million employees are helped by this standard in healthcare positions and related fields, and includes biohazard remediation companies also. The BOPIM standard also covers the biohazard cleaning and restoration industry.

Additionally, the BOPIM standard includes several requirements, including:

• 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 Scenarios

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

Every time technicians handle potentially hazardous materials, they are doing so at significant risk. Thus, following specific proper training and safety procedures are crucial. This is important not only for their own personal safety but also for the person or persons who will live or work in the property after the biohazard restoration is complete.

Does Biohazard Cleanup Require Certification?

To be employed as a biohazard technician, a certification is not required. However, biohazard workers are obligated to wear correct PPE when working in areas with bloodborne pathogens. The state of Georgia recently passed legislation which affects any firm providing restoration services related to traumatic event locations and crime scene cleanup and restoration. Therefore, you need to review and follow local city, state, and federal requirements that may call for special licensing or have certain rules and regulations in place for licensing requirements, background checks, fingerprinting or additional factors that may apply to biohazard cleanup performance.

PPE protects the safety of workers and is the last line of protection. This equipment guards the skin, eyes, mouth, nose and other areas from being exposed to hazardous material. The extent of PPE used on each job may differ on different projects. However, PPE should always include full face protection, cut resistant and nitrile gloves, properly designated waterproof coveralls and a respirator.

Reputable remediation companies provide biohazard restoration training for workers. Learning OSHA’s on-the-job safety processes 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.

The PuroClean Process of Biohazard Cleanup

• Upon arrival, the remediation crew will inspect and find all affected locations, conduct a health and safety assessment, and make a determination as to the scope of the biohazard cleanup. When the technicians have a plan laid out, remediation begins immediately.
• PuroClean will first take precautions to ensure their safety and the safety of others near the affected areas.
• Technicians then gather and dispose of all potentially infectious waste from the project.
• OSHA regulations will dictate how hazardous medical waste is handled. As an example, spinal fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, and other body fluids are carefully handled and transported to a licensed hazardous medical waste incinerator.
• Per industry guidelines and state regulations, technicians have to dispose of porous materials like fabric and carpeting that can’t be adequately cleaned.
• Hospital-grade disinfectants will be used on non-porous items that can be saved. If the items prove to be non-restorable, our technicians will remove and dispose of such items.
• After the cleaning procedure, technicians will deodorize the affected locations and assure the areas are returned to pre-contamination cleanliness and appearance. One method that ensures areas are totally cleansed and ready for people is to have a licensed industrial Hygienist perform clearance testing.
• Odors are usually controlled by the getting rid of uncleanable contaminated items and cleaning with hospital-grade cleaning products. However, difficult situations could require further procedures of deodorization to achieve success.

Providing Biohazard Cleanup Services with Empathy

Whether you’re the customer, occupant or owner of the property, PuroClean realizes and understands the magnitude of pain you’re going through. Our restoration specialists strive to be exceptionally empathetic and understanding so as not to add to the sense of loss that may be felt. Biohazard restoration particularly can be especially traumatic. Therefore, all technicians empathize with all individuals, showing the utmost compassion and respect throughout the cleanup process.

The PuroClean RapidDefense™ Program

The PuroClean RapidDefense™ Program by PuroClean is the absolute most efficient 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 procedures use Environmental Protection Agency-registered, safe products to give up to three months of safe-guard against pathogens. Contact PuroClean before an outbreak occurs, and to help you to maintain the cleanest conditions possible.

For Biohazard Cleaning Services, Call PuroClean!

If your home or business is in need of biohazard restoration, contact PuroClean and our team of technicians to thoroughly cleanse and restore your contaminated areas. PuroClean technicians will sufficiently restore your affected areas using state-of-the-art techniques and equipment.

The expert level of our restoration services, the quickness in which we deliver these services, and the compassion of our team throughout this difficult time, helps to make us your go-to biohazard damage restoration company. We promise to do whatever it takes to restore and rescue properties in all of the towns, cities, and communities with our service area.

*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 disinfectants of frequently touched objects and surfaces are the suggested actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, like coronavirus. Since all surfaces and objects can be re-contaminated after 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.