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

Our Biohazard Cleaning Services:

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

Keep in mind that the state is not responsible for cleaning up a crime scene. After police investigators collect evidence from the scene, it is the responsibility of the property owner to seek biohazard cleaning services. A professional cleanup company can arrive onsite only after the police have gathered enough evidence pertaining to the crime.

The Blood Or Other Potentially Infectious Materials Standard

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a standard in 1991 to protect all workers from possible 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.

The BOPIM standard helps protect close to 5.6 million people in the healthcare industry and related occupations, which also includes biohazard remediation companies. Biohazard remediation falls within the scope of the BOPIM standard.

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

• 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)
• Record keeping
• Mandatory training
• Specific required vaccinations

Common Biohazard Scenarios

• 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 performed at a significant risk. Because of this, adhering to safety procedures and proper training is necessary. The importance of these procedures are both for the technicians and residents who will later occupy the previously biohazard affected space. The technicians and residents rely on these safety procedures. The safety of both technicians and residents from biohazard dangers is highly important during and after the project.

Is Certification Needed to Perform Biohazard Cleanup?

To be employed as a biohazard technician, a certificate is not required. However, biohazard technicians are obligated to wear proper PPE when working around bloodborne pathogens. The state of Georgia recently passed legislation which affects any company providing cleanup 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 specific licensing or have certain laws in place for licensing requirements, background checks, fingerprinting or additional factors that may apply to biohazard cleanup businesses.

Personal Protective Equipment or PPE is the final line of defense that aids in keeping workers safe. PPE guards against any hazardous materials from touching workers, through skin, eyes, nose, mouth, or any other contact. The type of PPE does vary depending on the project, however, it should always consist of properly designated waterproof coveralls, nitrile gloves which are also cut resistant, full-face guard, and a respirator.

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

PuroClean Biohazard Cleanup Process

• 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 technicians have a plan in place, remediation begins right away.
• PuroClean will first take measures 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 site.
• OSHA regulations will explain how hazardous medical waste is handled. For example, spinal fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, and other body fluids are carefully removed and taken to a licensed hazardous medical waste incinerator.
• Per industry standards and state regulations, technicians have to dispose of porous materials such as fabric and carpeting that can’t be sufficiently 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 areas and assure the areas are returned to pre-contamination cleanliness and appearance. One procedure that ensures areas are totally cleansed and ready for people is to have a licensed industrial Hygienist perform clearance testing.
• Odors are normally controlled by the getting rid of uncleanable contaminated materials 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 suffering you’re going through. Our restoration crews strive to be exceptionally empathetic and understanding so as not to enhance the sense of loss that may be felt. Biohazard cleanup particularly can be extra traumatic. Therefore, all PuroClean employees empathize with all individuals, showing the utmost delicacy and respect throughout the restoration process.

The PuroClean RapidDefense™ Program

PuroClean has adopted a cleaning program that we feel is the most adequate way to clean. The PuroClean RapidDefense™ Program consists mainly of the application of EPA approved hospital-grade disinfectants in high traffic areas. The 2019 Novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Norovirus, Influenza and other pathogen-based illnesses 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 thwart an outbreak and help create a safe and clean atmosphere.

For Biohazard Cleaning Services, Call PuroClean!

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

PuroClean’s commitment to quality, compassion and speed of delivery throughout the entire project propels us above all other competition, and makes us the clean choice in the industry. PuroClean vows to go the extra mile to rescue, clean and restore properties in all communities within 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 cleaners of frequently touched objects and surfaces are the required actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, like coronavirus. Since any surface can be re-contaminated after cleaning, and because the coronavirus is also spread person-to-person, PuroClean’s cleaning services are not guaranteed to stop 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.