Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Safety When Handling Biological Waste

Safety When Handling Biological Waste

Generally, the most important reason to hire a professional cleanup crew when dealing with biological waste is the danger posed by bodily fluids and residue. Aside from any squeamishness you may feel when dealing with biological remains, improper cleanup of biological contamination can be a huge health hazard. If things are not cleaned completely and sanitized thoroughly, you could put yourself or family members at risk of disease or health problems. Abiohazard. Professionals will always use the appropriate cleanup gear to protect themselves, and will also have all equipment that is needed to properly sanitize an area, leaving no trace.  Here are a few of the risks of cleaning up biohazard scenes if you are not properly prepared.


additionally, if you rent out a space, you could be liable if you expose your tenants to a biohazard. Professionals will always use the appropriate cleanup gear to protect themselves, and will also have all equipment that is needed to properly sanitize an area, leaving no trace.  Here are a few of the risks of cleaning up biohazard scenes if you are not properly prepared.

Disease Transmission

Exchange of bodily fluids with an infected person is a huge and potent vector for disease transmission. Generally, the fluid that poses the most risk to others is blood. The CDC recommends strict caution be taken when dealing with the blood of any person. Exposure could put you at risk for exposure to viruses like HIV, hepatitis, and more. However, many different bodily fluids can transmit disease. While your skin protects you, all it takes is a small unnoticed cut somewhere on your skin for an infection to take place. And for some infections such as HIV, there are no cures available once it has had time to establish itself. Don’t spend the rest of your life regretting trying to clean up a biohazard without the proper training or equipment.


Liability and Long Term Safety


Even if you get through the cleanup without being infected, you are not out of the woods yet. If you did not manage to completely decontaminate the area, you leave open the possibility of future problems stemming from the contamination. Sometimes, less than obvious areas will need to be sanitized. If you are a landlord, the last thing you want is a lawsuit from a tenant who has been infected or exposed to a biohazard as a result of your negligence. And proper cleanup is not just sanitation, but also the removal of unpleasant smells and any other evidence that there was ever a biohazard present. Access to the proper tools and training is critical in quickly and effectively eliminating all residual traces of the biological debris. Take the time to contact and employ a professional to ensure that none of these unpleasant scenarios become a reality for you. 

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

OSHA Approved Clean up of Contaminated Sharps

OSHA Approved Clean up of Contaminated Sharps

 OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulates the proper disposal of contaminated sharp objects. Bloodborne diseases present on contaminated sharps are a hazard to those that handle them. Removal of the sharps potentially exposes workers to diseases such as HPV, HBV and HCV. Although needles are the first item that most people think of, sharps include scalpels, broken glass, capillary tubes and the exposed ends of dental wires. If any of these sharp objects have been contaminated by blood or other human fluids, OSHA requires that the cleanup procedure follow specific rules. 

Due to the length of complexity of the regulations, it is often a good idea to call a professional clean up company. These companies know how to handle sharp devices. OSHA requires that mechanical devices or a one handed "scooping" technique be used for removing sharps from an area. Professional cleaners may have a mechanical device that can remove the sharp from the area or they might be trained in the proper "scooping technique." 

Other OSHA regulations prevent sharps handlers from breaking or shearing sharps. Professional cleaners understand how to avoid accidentally breaking sharps. Bending, recapping and removing sharps are only allowable for specific medical and dental procedures. Professional cleaners can help companies comply with these regulations during clean-up. 

Professional clean up companies also provide OSHA approved containers for storing contaminated sharps. These containers, which must be bright red in color, are also puncture-proof and leak proof. They must also be able to close to prevent liquids from spilling out of the container. Cleaning companies have processes in place to make sure that the containers are not overfilled. When removing sharps from the storage container, professional cleaning companies follow strict regulations. Workers are not allowed to stick their hands into the storage containers to remove any sharps. Professional clean up companies have processes in place to avoid these scenarios. 


Some employers do have processes in place to handle routine use of sharps. For example, hospitals often have the proper disposal containers available for needles. Doctors and nurses are trained to properly dispose sharps into these containers. However, many areas that have been contaminated by sharps are not part of the routine. Suicides, murders and drug labs are an example. In these cases, there is typically no one within the building that is trained to handle any sharps that remain on the scene. In these cases, it is often a good practice to call a professional clean up company trained in the OSHA regulated handling of sharps.

The Importance of Compassion in Biohazard Clean Up

The Importance of Compassion in Biohazard Cleanup

One of the most jarring and painful things about suicides, deaths, or crime that produces biohazard is the contrast between the devastation of the loss or damage, and the demands of life. As anyone who has experienced a loss knows, it often feels absurd or surreal to have to deal with the messy reality of cleanup for one of these experiences. That is why one of the best things to do in a time of loss is to seek professional assistance. While not all biohazard cleanups occur after a painful loss, this article will focus on situations where a death or injury has left a mess.

Securing professional assistance in cleanup has two main focuses. Biohazard Cleanup focuses on ensuring that our customers are able to forego additional traumatic experiences, and forego potential health hazards. Both of these are critical services that can dramatically help to ease the healing process. In a time of grief, we know that a return to normalcy can help expedite healing. Taking care of the cleanup in a professional and complete manner can help those affected to return to their lives without unpleasant memories of the cleanup dominating their minds. Additionally, the professionals responding to the scene will be experienced and compassionate. They understand the trauma that follows a loss, and this experience will help them to serve you.


I have found that providing services discreetly and professionally makes a difference to our customers. We know that in times of loss, it is important that we show up quickly and quietly, perform our business thoroughly and unobtrusively, and exit as quickly as possible. We understand that it is our job to provide an as minimally invasive or painful experience as possible for our customers. We take this responsibility seriously, and will evaluate your needs on a case by case basis. Working closely with our customers to create a plan that will meet their needs is an integral part of every call we receive. No two cases are alike, and we are always willing to talk with you to create an understanding about how to best serve you. So before you decide to take on a challenging and potentially disturbing task, consider your needs as well. If we are able to relieve our customers of potentially traumatic experiences, then we consider it a job well done. I feel a strong sense of pride from the ability to help those who have gone through a loss.