In many 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 occurred.

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

After police and investigators have gathered all the evidence from a crime scene, they are no longer responsible for any of the actual sanitizing of the scene. Once police release the crime scene area, the responsibility is with the owner of the property to hire biohazard cleaning services. The biohazard cleaning crew can only begin their work after authorities have officially released the scene.

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 include the Hepatitis B virus, HIV, the 2019 Novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and many others.

The BOPIM standard helps protect approximately 5.6 million workers in the healthcare industry and similar occupations, that 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

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 technicians face significant dangers each and every time they handle materials that are potentially hazardous. For this reason, the practice of proper training and safety steps are critically important. The training and safety methods are important for both the technicians employed on the project as well as the individuals who will be occupying the space once the biohazard work is complete.

Is Certification Required to Perform Biohazard Cleanup?

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

PPE protects the safety of workers and happens to be the last line of protection. This equipment guards the skin, eyes, mouth, nose and other body parts from being exposed to hazardous material. The extent of PPE used on each project may vary on different job sites. However, PPE should always consist of full face protection, cut resistant and nitrile gloves, properly assigned waterproof coveralls as well as a respirator.

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

PuroClean Biohazard Cleanup Procedures

• The first task of the remediation crew is to inspect and identify all areas that need biohazard cleanup, perform a health and safety assessment, and identify the magnitude of the biohazard cleanup. When the technicians have a plan in place, restoration will start immediately
• All technicians will take measures to ensure their safety and that of anyone close to the biohazard affected areas.
• The PuroClean technicians will then eradicate and dispose of all possibly infectious materials from your property.
• OSHA rules dictate exactly the way hazardous medical waste should be handled. As an example: spinal fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, and any other bodily fluids are carefully handled and moved to a licensed hazardous medical waste incinerator.
• According to state regulations and industry standards, technicians are required to dispose of porous materials such as fabric and carpeting that cannot be sufficiently cleaned.
• Non-porous items that are salvageable will be cleansed with hospital grade disinfectants. If these items are non-restorable, our technicians will cart off and dispose of the items.
• Following the cleaning procedures, technicians deodorize all affected areas and return these places to pre-contamination condition and appearance. One procedure that proves areas are completely cleaned and ready again for habitation is to have a licensed industrial Hygienist perform clearance testing.
• Odors can usually be managed by the eradication of unsalvageable contaminated materials and by washing items with hospital-grade disinfectants. However, difficult situations may call for further procedures of deodorization to achieve success.

Providing Biohazard Cleanup Services with Empathy

As with any type of property damage, PuroClean remediation professionals ensure that any actions do not worsen the sense of loss of the property owners. PuroClean proprietors and employees are exceptionally sensitive, understanding that the individuals involved can be emotionally vulnerable. When working with this type of restoration, it is imperative to always show additional care and compassion. PuroClean technicians empathize with all materially focused individuals working through these traumatic events.

The RapidDefense™ Program by PuroClean

The RapidDefense™ Program by PuroClean is the absolute most efficient way to clean, which involves the use of EPA approved hospital-grade disinfectants in public locations. 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 products to give up to three months of protection against pathogens. Contact PuroClean before an outbreak occurs, and to help you to maintain the cleanest premises possible.

For Biohazard Cleaning Services, Call PuroClean!

When in need of biohazard remediation services, call the PuroClean team to clean and restore the contaminated areas. Our technicians use state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to effectively clean and restore the affected areas.

The quality of PuroClean’s remediation services, the speed in which we deliver them, and the compassion we demonstrate during the process make PuroClean your ideal damage restoration company. We vow to do whatever it takes to clean, clea, restore and rescue properties in all the communities we serve.

*Please note that not all PuroClean offices offer biohazard cleaning services, please contact the PuroClean home office at 1-800-775-7876 and we will help find a PuroClean location that can help you.

Cleaning and 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 after cleaning, and because the coronavirus is also spread person-to-person, PuroClean’s cleaning services are not 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.