After a death, accident, or disease outbreak, biohazard remediation is the complex process of cleaning and disinfecting impacted places to make them safe for reoccupation. Biohazard cleaning services go beyond just a typical cosmetic cleanup. They can include anything from ripping out blood-contaminated carpets to sanitizing spaces of any meth lab chemical residue. Before hiring biohazard cleaning services, it’s important to understand what they include as well as what to expect from the cleaning process.
What Are Biohazards?
Biohazards, or biological hazards, refer to any biological or “natural” substances that can negatively affect the health and safety of other living organisms, particularly humans and domestic animals. Generally, biohazards can include the following:
Blood
Perhaps the most common biohazard of all, blood should always be disposed of correctly to avoid any risks of infections or diseases. Exposure to another’s blood can potentially cause serious health conditions from transmittable diseases, such as Hepatitis B or C, HIV, or MRSA. Animal or human blood can be poured down the drain and does not necessarily need to be disposed of by chemical means; however, if the blood has severely contaminated any surfaces, those objects or structures need to be cleaned or discarded by professional biohazard cleaning services.
Chemical Spills
Anything contaminated by highly toxic chemical spills must be disposed of through your nearby hazardous waste program. In Illinois, hazardous waste collection can be found in these areas; however, it is highly dangerous to attempt to dispose of biohazardous waste on your own. It is recommended that you hire biohazard cleaning services in any event that there is a potential risk for toxic chemical inhalation or contamination.
Human or Animal Remains
Pathological waste includes any tissue, flesh, organs, bones, or body parts that may have been leftover from a crime scene or a medical office. Proper disposal of human and animal remains requires professional biohazard cleaning services that ensure the safety of all persons, including medical staff and patients, that may inhabit the space after a medical procedure or crime incident.
Medical Waste
By definition, medical waste includes any healthcare waste contaminated by blood, tissue, bodily fluids, or other potentially infectious biological substances, such as:
- Paper towels
- Syringes
- Naso-gastric tubes
- Bandages
- Hospital gowns
- Face masks
- Gloves
- Suction catheters
- Surgical sponges
- Blood bags
Most hospitals and medical clinics produce medical waste almost daily. However, these materials cannot be simply discarded in regular trash bins, as they can put both patients and healthcare staff at risk. Medical waste must be disposed of in proper accordance with a hazardous waste program and professional biohazard cleaning services.
Methamphetamine Sites
Exposure to the chemicals involved in meth labs can produce serious and long-term health effects, not limited to but including:
- Loss of movement or sensation
- Respiratory issues
- Skin irritation
- Vision damage
- Death
For this reason, it is highly important that only specialized biohazard cleaning services are employed to remediate a property where a meth lab may have formerly taken place. During meth lab remediation, aside from disinfecting and sanitizing surfaces, the HVAC and plumbing systems must also be checked. In addition to this, the property must also be adequately tested for potential contaminants as well as treated for any airborne infectious agents.
Biohazard Cleaning Services
Professional biohazard cleaning services involve having to deal with biohazardous waste that is both unsightly and potentially dangerous. Biohazard cleanup should never be attempted by anyone without the proper training, certification, professional equipment, and protective gear. When you hire biohazard cleaning services, you can expect to benefit from the following:
Biohazard Disposal
By hiring biohazard cleaning services, you can conveniently dispose of any biohazardous waste in accordance with any regulatory standards in your area. You can protect yourself and your employees from having to come into contact with any materials or surfaces that may have been affected by blood, biological remains, or toxic chemicals.
Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting
While biohazard cleaning services include standard cleaning (which involves removing dust, dirt, debris, and other soils from surfaces), they can also include effective sanitation and disinfection of the entire space or property. Sanitation includes killing bacteria on surfaces; however, it does not include killing viruses. Disinfection, on the other hand, includes killing both bacteria and viruses from surfaces. The difference between the two is characterized by the chemicals involved. Usually, disinfection requires more heavy-duty or industrial chemicals to effectively kill bacteria and viruses.
Deodorizing
In the event of a traumatic injury, accident, or death, there can be lingering odors even long after the crime scene has been cleared. Professional biohazard cleaning services ensure that foul odors from blood or decomposition are effectively eliminated from the space, using specialized equipment to destroy airborne particles that carry odor-causing bacteria.
Why Is It Necessary to Hire Biohazard Cleaning Services?
There are a few key reasons why biohazard cleaning services are essential to commercial properties, crime scenes, medical offices, and multifamily buildings:
- A professional biohazard cleaning company is licensed and certified to handle biohazardous waste. This means that they understand and adhere to any local, state, or federal regulations that govern the handling of hazardous materials.
- With professional biohazard cleaning services, you can be certain that any hazardous substances are effectively disposed of and removed from any surfaces.
- Professional biohazard cleaners are trained and experienced in operating specialized cleaning equipment required for extreme cleaning jobs.
- Hiring biohazard cleaning services outweighs the cost of damage to property or someone’s health and safety.
Biohazard Cleaning Services in Watertown, WI
In addition to our standard commercial cleaning services, ZBM, Inc. also offers biohazard cleaning services in Watertown, WI, and the surrounding areas. We are fully licensed, bonded, and insured to take on any biohazard cleanup tasks for your medical office or crime scene. As a company that has provided reliable services in the Dodge and Jefferson counties for many years, we always take extra precautions to ensure that our cleaning services are safe, thorough, and in compliance with all applicable regulations relating to biohazardous waste.
To receive a free estimate for our biohazard cleaning services, please contact us today at (920) 262-9471.
