Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Making casualties comfortable: A look inside a Florida crime scene cleaner’s services:


Throughout the course of any day, whether pumping gas, running errands or simply driving through a city on the way to a job, our Bio Scene Clean Up logo and uniforms spark the interests of many people. Some onlookers assume we’re a service that performs some form of environmental or occupational cleaning company, but we’re so much more.



Bio Scene Clean Up offers the following services in Florida:


Our number one priority is helping our clients recover from traumatic situations while returning these environments to clean, safe pre-incident conditions. Our services help clients overcome the emotional and physical hazards associated with these scenes in a professional and compassionate manner.
We’re often asked by people we come in contact with, “Why do you choose to do this line of work?” and our response is always the same….because we are passionate about helping our clients and we are dedicated in the promotion of safe, contaminate free area after tragedies occur.

An ordinary Bio Scene Clean Up client would be an individual who has to handle the cleanup of a death or suicide scene or an employer who needs remediation after a work place accident. We also deal with Police Departments, Fire Departments and Emergency Personnel, Funeral Homes or other governmental agencies needing biohazard clean up services. Due to the sensitive nature of our client’s grievance, we are required to be extremely empathetic and understanding about these situations. We try to convey through our work ethic and actions the same compassion that we would offer if it were our own family member or workplace experiencing the trauma.

If you or someone you know in Florida needs assistance in remediation of these types of scenes, please contact us immediately. We will work discreetly to handle all processes of clean up and are available for immediate dispatch to the scene.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Florida Police and Emergency Clean Up and Decon Services

Photo Courtesy of 10 News Tampa Bay
BioScene Clean Up, a Florida based crime and trauma scene clean up company also provides quick and effective clean up and decontamination services for jail cells, holding areas, evidence lockers, police and emergency vehicles. In the past it was ordinary practice for many police departments to require inmates to clean biohazard areas such as vehicles and jail cells.


Over the last few years these departments are changing their protocol regarding biohazard clean up and decontamination. Inmates who were previously required to perform these clean ups experienced exposure to all different types of biohazards and infectious pathogens.

Most departments now contract these clean us to a compliant professional service for the safety and protection of their staff and inmates. This also reduces the legal liability of someone being exposed to these dangerous biohazards.

BioScene Clean Up offers the following contracted services to Police Departments and Medical Service Providers:
Jail Cell & Holding Area Clean up – It’s imperative these areas are properly cleaned and disinfected immediately to avoid transmission of things like MRSA and other airborne pathogens, contact with blood in these area and other bodily fluids that may be present.
Police Vehicle Decontamination – After transporting an inmate, frequently there are bodily fluids like blood, vomit, urine and feces left behind. These vehicles must be cleaned immediately with proper chemicals and cleaning techniques to ensure the safety of the personnel. It’s our goal to clean these vehicles and returning them to service as quick as possible.
Emergency Vehicle Decontamination - Bodily fluids present a high risk to the health and safety of the people who travel in these vehicles due to the risk of infection and exposure to diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV that can be contained within them and transferred. Therefore it is vital that these vehicles are cleaned and disinfected in order to minimize this risk.

Our technicians are accustomed to cleaning homicide/murder, suicide and unattended death scenes which are all extremely dangerous. Police and Emergency service clean up is as dangerous if not more because of the people in the affected areas most often times cannot be removed (Ex. Jails). Our staff is OSHA compliant and obtain the necessary credentials to work in these secure areas and follow strict protocol to ensure the safety of other inmates and personnel.

Contact our offices today in Tampa or St Petersburg to inquire about contracting our services. BioScene Clean Up services the entire State of Florida and may be reached 24 hours a day 7 days a week. We have an immediate response dispatch that can immediately send technicians to service your biohazard clean up and decontamination needs.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

How Crime Scene Clean Up Works:

What your Tampa Bio Hazard Technicians Can Do For You.


As we’ve stated in previous posts, the site of a messy death poses severe danger that you can’t always visually see. Bloodborne pathogens from these scenes can cause infections affect someone for months or years later if not properly cleaned and decontaminated.

Depending on the severity of the death scene, clean up can range from only a couple of hours to 40 or more hours.  The Bio Scene technicians have to make certain that the areas are truly clean and properly disinfected, not just apparently clean on the surface. This is equally true of crime scenes, unattended and decomposing death scenes or suicides.

After death, the body swells, insects invade the body, organs self digest and the skin becomes liquefied.  Decomposing bodies expel ammonia gases that create an intense, unforgettable odor. Proper precautions need to be taken in cleaning of these scenes so pathogens are not ingested and the person cleaning the scene doesn’t come into direct contact with any substances or infectious remains.  It is not suggested that a family member, friend or any untrained professional attempt to clean this type of scene. BioScene Clean Up Technicians utilize hospital grade disinfectant to clean blood, matter and other materials from walls, ceilings, surfaces, fixtures and any contents contained in the affected area. This also can include the removal of blood-soaked carpeting and rugs, walls, flooring, furniture and any porous components that these bio-hazards cannot be removed from.  Special permits must be obtained and special handling for the disposal of these items must be adhered to.  These are not tasks that an ordinary individual would know.  You cannot simply discard these materials in a dumpster or trash bin because of the potential risk of infection to others, or possibly death not to mention the legal ramifications and fines from authorities if it’s discovered.

Contact a BioScene Clean Up Representative today for specific information on how we can be of assistance with your bio-hazard clean up.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Workplace Accident Clean Up - Tampa, FL

When accidents happen these scenes are dangerous enough, but when an industrial accident happens on a job site or in the workplace there’s an immediate increase in the risk and complications of cleaning the scene. Whether it’s an ordinary accident, crime or other traumatic event, there are state and federal regulations that must be adhered to in effort to return the scene to a safe environment for others.  Because of these regulations, it’s important that a professional company like BioScene Clean Up is hired to restore the scene to a safe environment.
 
Our technicians are trained to deal with industrial and work place clean up professionally and discreetly as to minimize the impact that may ordinarily occur with other workers.  We realize that these scenes can be very traumatizing to other employees and work diligently to occlude the scene and work as discreetly as possible to complete the cleaning tasks.  In the event that major restoration is eminent, we evaluate and offer a complete plan to remediate the scene without impeding business function.

BioScene Clean Up is familiar with OSHA and EPA guidelines and work in a very professional manner to ensure the safety and protection of your business and employees.  We are also well versed in working with police and emergency personnel and maintain requirements to meet security and high risk entry to the scenes we clean. Our remediation plan is developed to adapt to your particular work practice controls.Our services all you time to focus on the physical and mental well being of your employees while we return your workplace to a completely safe, sanitary environment.

Contact our office today to learn more about the services we provide for work place accidents and trauma.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

January is National Stalking Awareness Month

Ordinarily, we post information regarding our services and how we assist in clean up of death, trauma, suicides and more.  This week it's important that we notice that "Stalking" is a crime and more frequently ending in tragic situations that require our services.

We wanted to share some information from Victims of Crime.org that give you an overview of the support that these great organizations offer to victims and their families.  Organizations like these offer various types of assistance to victims and those in need, ranging from support groups, financial assistance for clean up of crime and death scenes to preventative information that brings awareness to our communities.

Help for Crime Victims

The National Center for Victims of Crime has a number of resources available to assist victims of crime. Our new Connect Directory provides contact information for victim service providers throughout the country. (Please note that the National Center's Crime Victim Helpline (800-FYI-CALL) is no longer in service).

Connect Directory

The National Center's Connect Directory provides a fast and easy way for victims to locate service providers specializing in specific areas of victimization in a wide variety of jurisdictions throughout the country. Users enter information into a simple form which is used to pull up contact information for service providers nearby who can help.

Get Help Bulletins

GetHelp Bulletins provide information on a wide range of topics, including the impact of crime, victims' rights, and the criminal and civil justice processes. The bulletins also include resources for victims, their families, and friends.

Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), provides an online directory of Victim Services throughout the country. OVC also provides information about victim assistance and compensation programs available in communities around the country.

Additional Resources

Go to the helpful links section of our resource library for other Web sites offering crime and victimization information.

Civil Litigation

The National Crime Victim Bar Association is a network of attorneys and allied professionals dedicated to facilitating civil actions brought by crime victims. Crime victims may be able to file civil lawsuits against perpetrators and responsible third parties for the damages the victims suffered as a result of the crime.


Death and Trauma Scene clean up is an emotionally draining task and something we wish our clients didn't have to experience. It's our goal to help ease the emotional distress by providing professional, compassionate services that are performed by trained technicians. We're available to immediate cleaning and restoration processes immediately after an incident and are dedicated to returning scenes that we clean to a pre-incident condition that is safe and sanitary.

If you find yourself or someone you know needing our services, please Contact Us immediately and we'll dispatch a technical crew to assist you with the details. 


Monday, January 13, 2014

What to do when you discover an unattended death

An unattended death can create a very problematic scene for medical professionals, police and even death clean up services like BioScene Clean Up.  It’s important to know that there is so much more to this type of scene than just removal of the body.

An unattended and / or decomposing body leaves not only visual, but microscopic trace elements of dangerous contaminants that can potentially be harmful, if not fatal to someone who comes in contact with them.  In these types of scenes you’ll frequently see a visual evidence of blood, tissue and other body fluids. Make no mistake, the visual evidence of these elements is on the surface.  While a thorough cleaning is needed it’s often necessary to remove certain components from the scene such as floor coverings, sub-floors, walls and other affected areas in order to remediate the scene to a pre-incident, safe condition.

Handling this type of death scene requires a company that has extensive training in the proper procedures for death clean up, the use of OSHA approved chemicals and proper removal protocols of the scene’s debris.  


To ensure your safety and that proper protocol is followed we never suggest attempting to clean a death scene yourself.  BioScene Clean Up is familiar with insurances processes and in most cases, insurance policies cover the costs of our services.

Here’s a simple list to follow if you discover an unattended death:

1. Call the police to report what you found and wait for their arrival.  Make certain that you obtain a business card from the investigating officer, you’ll need this information in the future.

 2. When the coroner is contacted also make certain that you obtain a business card from this individual as well.

3. Call Bio Scene Clean Up at 813-252-0796 so we can schedule and dispatch a technician. The longer you delay in clean up. Depending on the length of time of death or state of decomposition, will determine the amount of time needed to restore the scene to a safe condition for you.

4. Please do not enter the scene and attempt to collect items. This will most likely lead to your becoming more traumatized than you may already be. A professional can retrieve items for you.

5. If you know the name of the insurance company and/or policy number, please have this information available if it is readily accessible. This will enable our technicians to reach out to you’re the insurance company and provide any information needed.

6. If you are not the property owner, business you’ll be asked to provide that information. In most cases a "Permission to Enter" form must be executed prior to the clean up process beginning.

7. DO NOT attempt to clean any areas of the scene. Contact with biohazards, such as blood and fluids, may expose you to risks that could result in death or serious illnesses. We are trained professionals skilled in restoring the environment to safe conditions for you.


Friday, January 10, 2014

Fact: Auto Suicides and Accidents DO Contain Dangerous Bio-Hazards



Sadly, automobiles are a very common place for suicides. Even what seems to be a simple auto accident can cause contamination if there is a presence of blood and other fluids in the vehicle.  Each scenario is different and the process of cleaning and restoration can range from a simple high steam cleaning of the fabrics to a complex disassemble of the interior and replacement of affected components. 

Vehicles that contain blood saturation most always need to be brought to the BioScene Clean Up facility where our team of professionals can dismantle the components in a clean, safe environment, properly clean and disinfect the areas and install the new replacement components to restore the vehicle to a safe condition. 



Contrary to beliefs, you cannot simply extract blood using steam extraction methods.  Fabric areas affected by blood will need to be completely replaced. If even trace amounts of blood are not removed the site will remain hazardous, cause extreme odors and most probably attract bugs & insects.

We possess and maintain all of the necessary tools and equipment in our restoration facility to access the conditions and determine what components of the vehicle need to be replaced.  We then work to remove all contaminated materials for proper disposal and complete the restoration to a pre-incident condition.

Another misconception pertaining to accidents are contaminants found on a vehicles exterior.  Frequently, these accidents involve pedestrians and animals and can leave behind huge amounts of bio-hazardous contaminants on and underneath the vehicle.  These incidents must be handled the same way as an interior restoration and a full assessment must be made to determine the proper methods of cleaning.

BioScene Clean Up always suggests that you never attempt to clean a vehicle that contains these types of materials.  If proper procedures are not taken to restore the vehicle, it is often times extremely difficult for a professional to restore components that have been improperly cleaned or disinfected.  This leads to additional costs and replacement of components that may not be necessary if assessed and performed by a professional immediately after the accident.

Contact our offices today for more information on how BioScene Clean Up can help you properly clean your accident vehicle.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Constant Caution for Florida Living



With the sudden changes in climate and the cold air and moisture that’s been circulating throughout Florida it’s important that residents stay aware of the increased problems with mold and mildew. Mold and Mildew are ongoing issues in the state and when weather conditions change and moisture levels are increased, there’s also an increase in the multiplication of spores that make these conditions even more dangerous. 


For more information on Safety and Health tips concerning this, you’ll find great information on the OSHA website.  The most effective way to protect your property from the threat of dangerous mold is to have it dried and removed immediately.  Bio Scene Clean Up is a professional mitigation company experienced in the clean up, removal and disinfecting of mold and mildew.  We are conscious about the dangers associated with these conditions and take every precautionary measure to remove this hazard. Mold and Mildew can jeopardize human health and destroy properties. 

Using state of the art technologies, our remediation experts identify the source of the moisture and access the extent of the problem caused.  We then develop a plan to restore the affected areas to healthy conditions.  Because of known health complications caused by the mold and mildew spores, it’s imperative that you hire a trained bio-hazard remediation specialist like Bio Scene Clean Up to help ensure your safety and health. 

Every minute counts so Contact Us today for a mold remediation evaluation.  The cost is covered by most homeowner’s insurance policies.

We offer the following:

  • ·        Containment and removal of items from affected area
  • ·         Cleaning  & Sanitation
  • ·         Professional Drying Equipment to assist in cessation of re occurrence
  • ·         Deodorization to remove damp musty smells caused by the mold

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Florida Meth Labs – We Clean the Scene!

Your safety is our business and Bio Scene Clean Up is state certified in the remediation of Meth Lab Clean Up.  You should NEVER attempt to clean up a meth lab site yourself. Methamphetamine or “Meth” production is an extremely dangerous process.  The ingredients used to create (cook) meth and other compounds can cause severe damage to your organs, respiratory system, can cause chemical type burns of your skin and lung tissues and may even cause death. The after affects of producing these substances can also cause contamination of any surface of structure associated and can potentially cause contamination of plumbing, HVAC systems and even exterior structures of the site. 

You must employ a professional bio-hazard cleaning company to protect yourself against possible contamination.  It takes certified trained professionals experienced in decontamination to restore a former meth lab to a safe environment. Depending on the severity of the scene and the amount or production from a meth lab, this process could range from 3 to 30 days.  Bio Scene Clean Up will access the scene and develop a comprehensive work plan prior to beginning the tasks.  This work plan may also include pertinent information from state or local authorities or DEA and a plan of action for the safe removal of any equipment used to manufacture meth that is found at the scene.

The list of materials and chemicals used to manufacturer methamphetamines are typically all poisonous chemicals that make this one of the most dangerous scenes to clean.  These chemicals can literally invade every type of surface that could linger for as long as a decade if not properly re-mediated. These surfaces can also remain toxic indefinitely unless properly decontaminated so it’s crucial to employ experts for these dangerous tasks.

If you need assistance with clean up of a meth lab or other contaminated scene, please contact us immediately.  For more information on what to do if you discover a meth lab or suspect that there are contaminated areas where you reside, you can contact your local authorities, or locate more resources by visiting the Drug Enforcement Administration website.