Being at a crime scene can be overwhelming for everyone involved, from families to neighbors to the professionals called to the scene. As an agent in charge of biohazard cleanup, there are special protocols you must follow to safely remove bodily fluids and avoid cross-contamination to remain in compliance with health regulations.
Use this list of 6 tips to handle your cleanup most effectively and protect your professional reputation.
1. Get Official Scene Release
Start the trauma scene cleanup services process by verifying the official scene release. The release means that law enforcement or other local authorities have provided permission for you to work on the property’s sanitation and remediation. Entering without this release may result in severe legal consequences that can compromise police investigations and impose a fine on your agency.
2. Hire Certified Cleaners
Don’t try to save money by using contractors. Always use certified cleaners for this type of work who specialize in bioremediation. A contractor likely doesn't have the expertise and experience to safely handle or dispose of potentially deadly pathogens.
Using inexperienced cleaners creates a risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens and mold, which can cause lingering health hazards for anyone who enters the scene after your cleaning crew has left. That would be a major liability for everyone involved.
3. Restrict Access and Attire
You can't just have anyone walking through the area while you're trying to decontaminate and professionally restore it. Make sure you restrict any unauthorized entry into the zone.
All workers should be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) from head to toe. These include:
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- Multi-layered gloves
- Eye and face protection
- Respiratory protection with P100 or HEPA filters
- Disposable full-body coveralls with attached hoods
- Chemical-resistant safety boots
Having these protective booties and attire prevents someone from accidentally spreading crime-scene material outside and bringing it back home. They also avoid getting their own DNA of things.
4. Conduct Ongoing Documentation
Documentation during this time is a necessary process for the homeowner’s financial peace of mind, the legalities of an investigation, and ensuring OSHA and EPA regulations are met. Without proper documentation, it could lead to rejected insurance claims, which would cause more out-of-pocket financial stress for the landlord or homeowner.
Before touching anything, the biohazard crew conducts a walk-through, evaluating all their hazards and making a written plan. They take high-resolution, timestamped photographs and videos during the walk-through and map out the exact locations with visible bodily fluids and any sharp objects.
They also document personal items or property damage that can be saved versus things that must be removed due to fluid saturation. This documentation process continues throughout the cleaning process, and they will frequently update boundaries to define what has already been cleaned versus what remains contaminated.
Most standard policies cover home remediation, but thorough documentation is required for approval.
5. Mitigate Strong Smells
If a body were decomposing for a long time, it could create horrific, intense smells. Handling a trauma scene remediation also involves lingering odors that advanced equipment like ozone machines may be required to resolve.
Trained professionals must operate commercial-grade ozone machines or hydroxyl generators, as this specialized equipment will break down odor-causing molecules at the molecular level. It can get rid of all the smelly molecules embedded deep within walls, other porous materials, and HVAC vents that a standard cleaning agent can't reach.
Make sure any deep stains and lingering smells are completely neutralized before declaring the crime scene decontamination complete.
6. Plan Disclosures and Communications
Once the team has completely handled the crime scene cleanup, it's time for final documentation and disclosure. Your team should verify that the scene was professionally handled and cleared by providing a Certificate of Remediation.
There should be legal proof that biohazard materials were properly disposed of under state and federal regulations. Documentation should include a listing of everything removed, cleaned, or sealed on an itemized scope of work. It may also be necessary to provide clearance test results or lab reports verifying that the air quality test came back negative for the presence of contaminants.
Any potential residents should be aware of how the area was previously impacted and that it was professionally sanitized.
