Biohazard Cleanup in Portland, OR

Biohazard cleanup involves cleaning, application of EPA approved hospital grade disinfectants, and deodorizing property where a traumatic event such as an accident, injury, or death has occurred. Thus, projects with biohazards often means dealing with blood, human or animal remains, chemical spills, and more.

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 the state is not responsible for restoring a crime scene. After police investigators gather evidence from the scene, it is the responsibility of the property owner to seek biohazard cleaning services. A professional cleanup team can arrive onsite only after the police have gathered enough evidence pertaining to the crime.

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 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 more.

BOPIM helps protect nearly 5.6 million workers in the healthcare industry and similar occupations, which also includes biohazard remediation specialists. Biohazard restoration falls within the scope of the BOPIM standard.

Additionally, the BOPIM standard includes several requirements, 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)

More Common Biohazard Scenarios

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

Every single time that PuroClean professionals handle materials that are possibly hazardous, they are taking a chance of significant risk to their safety. This is why following proper safety methods and exact training procedures are so important. Following these procedures is not only important to the technician’s safety, but for the safety of the people who will later reside and occupy the affected space once the biohazard cleanup and restoration is finished.

Biohazard Cleanup Certification Requirements

To be employed as a biohazard technician, a certification is not required. However, biohazard workers are obligated to wear proper PPE when working in areas with bloodborne pathogens. The state of Georgia recently put into law 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 requirements that could call for specific licensing or have certain rules and regulations in place for licensing requirements, background checks, fingerprinting or more factors that may apply to biohazard cleanup businesses.

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

Additionally, well known restoration businesses offer biohazard cleanup training for new technicians. The training includes learning on-the-job safety procedures as set by OSHA, for handling biohazardous waste. Learning these things reduce dangers of accidents, or even potential litigation situations.

The PuroClean Process of Biohazard Cleanup

• The first task of the restoration crew is to inspect and identify all areas that need biohazard cleanup, perform a health and safety assessment, and identify the scope of the biohazard cleanup. When the specialists have a plan in place, restoration will start immediately
• All technicians will take measures to ensure their safety and the safety of anyone close to the biohazard affected areas.
• The PuroClean technicians will then eradicate and dispose of all possibly infectious materials from the project.
• OSHA regulations dictate exactly how hazardous medical waste is to be handled. For example: spinal fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, and any additional bodily fluids are carefully handled and transported to a licensed hazardous medical waste incinerator.
• According to state regulations and industry guidelines, technicians are required to dispose of porous materials like fabric and carpeting that cannot be properly cleaned.
• Non-porous items that can be salvaged will be cleaned with hospital grade disinfectants. If these items are non-restorable, our technicians will cart off and dispose of these 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 fully cleansed and ready again for occupancy is to have a licensed industrial Hygienist perform clearance testing.
• Odors can usually be controlled by the eradication of unsalvageable contaminated materials and by washing items with hospital-grade cleaning products. However, difficult situations may call for additional procedures of deodorization to accomplish success.

Biohazard Cleanup Services Provided with Empathy

As with any type of property damage, PuroClean restoration professionals ensure that any actions do not worsen your feeling of loss of the property owners. PuroClean proprietors and technicians are exceptionally sensitive, understanding that those involved can be emotionally fragile. When dealing with this type of cleanup, it is important to always show additional care and compassion. PuroClean technicians sympathize with all materially interested individuals working through these traumatic events.

The PuroClean RapidDefense™ Program

PuroClean has adopted a cleaning process that we feel is the best way to clean. The PuroClean RapidDefense™ Program includes the application of EPA certified hospital-grade disinfectants in common areas. The 2019 Novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Norovirus, Influenza and many more pathogen-based germs are the focus of our RapidDefense™ Program, helping to stop the spread of such illnesses. Environmental Protection Agency-registered, safe products are used for this process for up to 90 days of protection against pathogens. Reach out to PuroClean to thwart an outbreak and help create a safe and clean environment.

For Biohazard Cleaning Services, Call PuroClean!

If you find yourself in need of 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 damaged property.

PuroClean’s dedication to quality, compassion and speed of delivery throughout the complete 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 disinfectants of frequently touched objects and surfaces are the suggested 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.