Biohazard Cleanup Services in Wood Dale, Elk Grove Village/Schaumburg, IL

In most cases, dealing with biohazard materials means dealing with chemical spills, blood, human or animal remains. A traumatic event that caused an injury or death are situations that require biohazard cleanup. The actual biohazard cleanup consists of cleaning, applying EPA approved hospital grade disinfectants, and deodorizing areas where traumatic events have taken place.

Included Within The Biohazard Cleanup Services

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

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

BOPIM Standard

In 1991, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a standard to protect working individuals from the potential dangers of blood or other potentially infectious materials (BOPIM). Infectious pathogens include the Hepatitis B virus, HIV, the 2019 Novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and many others.

This standard helps protect nearly 5.6 million workers in the healthcare industry and related jobs, which also includes biohazard remediation businesses. Biohazard remediation is within the scope of the BOPIM standard.

Also, the BOPIM standard consists of several requirements, including:

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

Common Biohazard Scenarios

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

Each and every time biohazard workers handle potentially hazardous materials, they are doing so at considerable risk. Therefore, following correct proper training and safety procedures are crucial. This is important not only for their own individual safety but also for the people who will live or work in the property after the biohazard restoration is complete.

Biohazard Cleanup Certification Requirements

To work as a biohazard specialist, a certification is not required. However, biohazard technicians are strongly required to wear correct PPE when working in areas with bloodborne pathogens. The state of Georgia recently passed legislation which affects any firm providing remediation services related to trauma and crime scene cleanup and restoration. Therefore, you should refer to local city, state, and federal regulations that could call for special licensing or have certain laws in place for licensing requirements, background checks, fingerprinting or further factors that may apply to biohazard cleanup companies.

Personal Protective Equipment or PPE stands as the last line of protection that helps keep workers safe. PPE prevents any hazardous materials from reaching the workers, through skin, eyes, nose, mouth, or any other contact. Particular PPE can differ depending on the particular work, however, it should always consist of properly designated waterproof coveralls, nitrile gloves that are also cut resistant, full-face guard, and a respirator.

Furthermore, reputable cleanup companies offer biohazard remediation courses for technicians. That includes learning OSHA’s on-the-job safety precautions when handling biohazardous materials. Doing so reduces the risk of accidents and probable lawsuits.

The PuroClean Process of Biohazard Cleanup

• Upon arrival, the remediation team will inspect and identify all affected areas, conduct a health and safety inspection, and make a decision as to the scope of the biohazard cleanup. When the crew has a plan put together, remediation begins immediately.
• PuroClean will first take precautions to ensure their safety and the safety of any individuals near the affected areas.
• Technicians then remove and dispose of all potentially infectious items from the project.
• OSHA regulations will indicate how hazardous medical waste is handled. As an example, spinal fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, and other body fluids are carefully removed and taken to a certified 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 properly cleaned.
• Hospital-grade disinfectants will be used on non-porous items that can be salvaged. 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 areas and assure the areas are returned to pre-contamination cleanliness and appearance. One method that ensures areas are fully cleansed and ready for people is to have a licensed industrial Hygienist conduct clearance testing.
• Odors are usually controlled by the getting rid of uncleanable contaminated materials and cleaning with hospital-grade disinfectants. However, difficult situations could require further procedures of deodorization to achieve the desired goal.

Biohazard Cleanup Provided with Empathy

PuroClean restoration specialists are very cognizant of their actions and make efforts to not add to an already stressful situation. With any type of property damage, the sense of loss felt by the property owners is already very present, and we try not to add to this stress. Owners and technicians of PuroClean strive to be extra sensitive, with complete understanding of the extreme emotions and traumatic situations present. PuroClean will constantly show empathy, extra care and attention.

The PuroClean RapidDefense™ Program

PuroClean’s PuroClean RapidDefense™ Program is the most effective way to clean, which includes the application of EPA approved hospital-grade disinfectants in public areas. Our system helps eliminate the spread of pathogen-based illnesses, such as Influenza, Norovirus, and the 2019 Novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The process uses Environmental Protection Agency-registered, safe solutions to give up to three months of protection against pathogens. Contact us before an outbreak occurs to help you in creating a clean environment.

For Biohazard Cleaning Services, Call PuroClean!

If you find yourself needing biohazard cleaning and restoration services, call PuroClean and allow us to clean and remediate the affected 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 quality of our restoration work, the quickness that we deliver these services, and the compassion of our team throughout this trying time, helps to make us your go-to biohazard damage restoration company. We vow to do whatever it takes to help 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 800-775-7876 to help you find a PuroClean location that may be able to help you.

Cleaning with the use of hospital grade cleaners of frequently touched objects and surfaces are the recommended actions to help stop the spread of respiratory diseases, like coronavirus. Since any surface can be re-contaminated following cleaning, and because COVID-19 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.