Trauma Scene Biohazard Restoration

 The following is a list of commonly asked questions:

1. What are bloodborne pathogens?  Bloodborne pathogens are pathogenic microorganisms in the blood or other body fluids that can cause illness and disease in people.  These microorganisms can be transmitted through contact with contaminated blood and body fluids.

2. What are some of the most common bloodborne diseases?  Some of the most common bloodborne diseases are HIV or AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus, HBV (hepatitis B virus) and HCV (hepatitis C virus).

3. How can I become infected with a bloodborne disease?  You can become infected with a bloodborne disease by needle stick, sexual intercourse and by getting blood or other potentially infectious body fluids into your blood through cuts in your skin, eyes, mouth and nose.

4. How long can bloodborne diseases live outside the body?  There are a lot of varying opinions on this subject, but we know for sure that HIV can survive for 3 to 5 hours and Hepatitis B & C can survive for 4 to 5 days and some say up to 2 months. 

5. Can I become infected by dried blood?  Yes, some diseases can still be active in dried blood.

6. Is it safe to breathe the air in a room where a body has been decomposing?  There is also varying opinions on this subject.  The CDC (center of disease control) does not address this issue and no one really knows for sure. Because symptoms may not show for many years, by then they could be attributed a number of other things.  I personally would not take the chance, and when confronted with that situation I always err on the side of caution.  The following is a list of some examples of airborne diseases:  Pneumonia, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough, Tuberculosis, Scarlet Fever, Rubella and Meningitis.

7. What is the average cost for this type of specialized cleaning service?  The cost of this service depends on many underlying factors.  It is much like taking your car to a mechanic, telling him the engine is making a strange noise, and asking what it will cost to fix it before he has a chance look under the hood and assess the situation.  Just like the mechanic, we usually cannot give an immediate answer, because the blood and bodily fluids could have possibly seeped into the flooring, (and even sub flooring in some cases), underneath walls, cabinets, bathtubs, appliances etc.  Also, most people are not aware that their business or homeowners insurance will in most cases cover the cost of the clean up.  We make every effort to work with families on the cost and payment for services.

8. How long is this going to take?  Most people are in shock and do not realize the extent of the damages.  They have just experienced the most horrific experience of their life, and think we are going to clean up some blood and be on our way in an hour or two.  The majority of the time it is much more extensive than that. 

9. Do I need to leave my house or business while the clean up is being completed?  In most cases yes, but we realize that everyone deals with grief and tragedy in their own way.  We will make every effort to accommodate their needs.  Most of the time they cannot be in the area because of the toxic chemicals that we use.

10. Are my pets safe during the clean up process?  In most cases no.  We usually use toxic chemicals that can be harmful to pets and humans.  Also, we do not want the pets tracking blood and body fluids throughout the house.

11. Are my home, business and valuables safe during the clean up process?  We realize that there are a lot of dishonest people in the world today; we only use family members or people that we have personally known for many, many years.  We are fully licensed, bonded and insured.  We do not advertise and are solely dependent on our reputation and referrals from our past performance.  In the last 2 years alone we have turned over large sums of money found during cleanups to the police departments and relatives totaling over $200,000.00. 

The following are some personal suggestions that you may or may not think about or be aware of:

1.      If possible, spray the bottom of your shoes off when leaving a crime scene with a hospital grade disinfectant or a 1 to 10 mixture of bleach and water.  There are a lot of clear body fluids that are around the area that you cannot see or detect.  This will keep you from contaminating your vehicle and possibly bringing contaminates to your place of business or residence.

2.      Be careful when visiting a crime scene in one room and then going to other areas of the building.  You may think that your shoes are okay, but again, there are clear body fluids that are not easily seen or detected. When we come to do our cleaning and disinfecting, it may appear that the contamination has been limited to one certain area, but we have no idea who has walked where.

3.      If at all possible, when dealing with a decomposing body, please turn the heat down and open windows.  The quicker we can get cool and fresh air into the building the better chance we have of salvaging personal items.

4.      It is very helpful if we know what type of weapon was used and the caliber, if a gun was involved.  This helps us to determine what equipment and how many people we may need to accomplish the job.  That can mean less time the individual or individuals are displaced from their home or business.

5.      If the homeowner can take their dogs or cats with them while the clean up is taking place, it can help a great deal.  We have had many jobs where the animals have walked through the blood and body fluids and tracked it all through the house and onto the furniture.

6.      When dealing with a decomp. situation, chemical fogging may be necessary, as well as treatment with ozone.  All pets should be removed in these situations, including birds, fish, and small caged animals, as these can be lethal to pets and people.

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