Biohazard Cleanup: Specialized Skills Needed

8/9/2016 (Permalink)

Biohazard cleanup is also known as crime scene cleanup or trauma scene cleanup. Family members and friends of the crime scene victim may experience emotional trauma, sometimes overwhelming emotions, as they contemplate the site of the death or incident. Even cleaning technicians may experience strong feelings or reactions to a crime scene, despite having no acquaintance with the victim. In addition to the emotional factor, crime scene cleanup involves health hazards for anyone working at the site. Blood, body tissue, and decomposing body parts are associated with serious health risks from contact with contamination.  

Specialized Skills Needed

A professional trauma scene cleaner must develop some specialized skills that not all cleaning professionals are skilled at:

•  Knowing how to work safely with hazardous waste materials.
• Knowing how to clean up blood and body fluids from various types of building materials.
• Knowing how to respond to customers who are experiencing traumatic circumstances. 

Consider the following cleaning situations. While most cleaners could perform the first two situations, only cleaners with these special skills are prepared for the last two situations.

• Cleaning carpets in residential neighborhoods. ? Cleaning office chairs and cubicles in a commercial building.
• Cleaning blood and broken windshield glass in an automobile from a traffic accident.
• Cleaning blood and body parts from a gun shooting or suicide.

Biohazard cleanup technicians have to stay focused on the unique nature of their cleaning task. They are cleaning and restoring the site of a traumatic event. They are performing an invaluable service to the customer. Their cleaning activities may be beneficial to the customer’s ongoing reaction to the trauma. Their cleanup will help the customer recover in a small way from the aftermath of the event.

While technicians should strive to perform their best on all cleaning projects, they should especially seek a high-level performance when conducting trauma scene cleanup. An effective, thorough cleanup is what the customer needs to help them move beyond the memories of the trauma event.