No one ever wants to make the call for biohazard cleaning services. But, unfortunately, situations arise that require these services and thankfully, companies can respond to them with the appropriate levels of compassion and professionalism.
This blog discusses biohazards and when you should use professional biohazard cleaning services. Additionally, it examines hazardous material classifications, threat levels according to the CDC, and biohazard cleanup requirements.
Some situations, such as those with minor bloodborne pathogens like cuts or scrapes, don’t require biohazard cleaning companies. However, most scenarios with biohazardous materials call for the professionalism of a biohazard remediation company.
Valor is here to help you in your most vulnerable of times. Our technicians ensure the safety of your home or work environment while remaining sensitive to your circumstances and restoring a safe environment.
What Are Biohazards?
Any biological material posing a risk to the health of other humans or animals classifies as a biohazard. Humans often contact bloodborne pathogens, but they can also encounter mold and fungus, human waste matter, and animal infestations.
Some biohazards aren’t common within home or work environments. However, some contaminants are more prevalent than others. For these materials, a small leak can pose a serious threat to safety. Even prolonged condensation can cause a buildup of potentially harmful bacteria. For example, Statchybotyrs charatrum, or black mold, can thrive in homes and even cause bleeding lungs in infants.
Microorganisms such as bacteria, fungus, viruses, or toxins cause the majority of biohazards.hey are classified into different types according to the effects they have on people. Biohazards can be infectious substances for humans, infectious substances to animals, unidentified biological agents, or regulated medical waste.
CDC’s Four Levels of Biohazard Cleanup Safety
The CDC classifies biohazards in a four-tiered level system according to their effects on humans.
- Level 1- minimally harmful to humans such as the E.coli bacteria.
- Level 2- cause moderate harm to humans such as HIV.
- Level 3- These are high-risk, airborne pathogens that cause extensive damage to humans.
- Level 4- cause death and they have no known treatment. Ebola is an example of a level 4 biohazard.
Where Can You Get Exposed to Biohazards?
Biohazards can occur anywhere in nature. However, they commonly occur in residential and industrial buildings, such as leaks or rodent infestations. These instances can cause mold to grow or spread infectious diseases into their environment.
Additionally, hotels and nightlife districts commonly contain bodily fluids, biohazardous sharps, and human waste that can spread disease. Assisted living facilities often endure viral outbreaks and crime scenes, trauma scenes, industrial accidents, or medical accidents can all leave behind biohazardous materials.
The 5 Biohazard Cleanup Types
Solid Biohazardous Waste
Solid waste refers to a solid substance that comes into contact with biohazardous materials such as bodily fluids, tissue, or microbial cultures. Examples of solid biohazardous waste including clothes, gloves, and surfaces that come into contact with biohazards.
For example, let’s say your basement backs up from sewage. In this case, you would consider everything the leak touches in your basement as contaminated, classifying it as biohazardous waste.
Liquid Biohazardous Waste
In the previous example of the leaking basement, the leaking fluids are liquid biohazardous waste. In this case, biohazard cleaning companies would need to dispose of both the source of the contamination and everything it comes into contact with.
Because liquids aren’t confined to specific areas (they seep and flow) biohazard cleaning technicians have to account for everything the liquid biohazardous materials touch. Depending on its severity, you might be able to clean the affected area yourself. However, if there is extensive contamination, you should immediately contact a biohazard cleaning company trained in using industrial chemicals and biohazard cleaning protocols.
Biohazardous Sharps
Biohazardous are contaminated objects such as needles. These objects have biohazardous materials on their surfaces and need to be disposed of after use. It should be noted that all unidentifiable needles should be classified as biohazardous.
Whether you find needles, knives, scalpel blades, broken glass, you should consider them biohazardous and use proper disposal methods to ensure they don’t penetrate your skin.
You must place these sharp objects in a rigid, sealed container that the sharp objects can’t puncture. The seal on a biohazardous sharp object container should be closed to prevent people from easily reaching their hands in the container.
Pathological Waste
Pathological waste refers to all unfixed human organs, tissue, and other body parts except for teeth. As decomposition continues, disposing of pathological waste becomes more difficult. Because of this, it is never advisable to try and clean pathological waste by yourself and professionals should use double-bagging methods and hazmat procedures to ensure proper disposal. They then incinerate the material or use an alkaline digester to dispose of the material.
Common Home Biohazard Problems
Biohazard cleanups may be required in any environment. However, there are a few common occurrences that require professional biohazard cleaning services.
Sewage Backups
Blockages or leaks in sewer pipes are common biohazard issues. When there is a leak in a sewage pipe near a residential location, it can enter homes through foundational cracks. When it penetrates homes, the odor is the least of the homeowners’ worries (regardless of how foul it is).
Left untreated, sewage blockages and leaks can cause extensive damage to homes and require invasive cleanups. They can also pose health concerns for anyone in the household. Biohazard cleaning outfits need to address the sewage, contaminants, and excess moisture to ensure that mold can’t grow.
Bloodborne Pathogens
Bloodborne pathogens come from either humans or animals, resulting from either crime, unattended deaths, or traumatic accidents. Minor accidents can also cause bloodborne pathogens but these events typically don’t require professional cleaning services.
In crime scenes, you should notify the police. It’s best to use a biohazard remediation service during these times due to the potentially toxic environment that bloodborne pathogens can create and the sensitive nature of the scenes. Crime scene cleanup equipment also ensures your environment gets restored to its original condition.
Methamphetamine Labs
Methamphetamine labs contain harmful chemicals, and though not biohazardous, these chemicals still require professional biohazard remediation companies. These technicians use the appropriate hazmat techniques to ensure your environment is safe and your property is protected from further contamination.
Conclusion- Leave Biohazard Cleaning to Professionals
In most cases, biohazard cleaning is best left to biohazard remediation technicians who understand the safety procedures. Failure to adhere to these safety procedures can result in further contamination and harmful effects on you, your loved ones, or your property.
Some biohazard cleaning services won’t require biohazard remediation technicians, such as those involving minor scrapes or cuts. However, in more traumatic situations, you should always depend on the experts.
Valor Technical Cleaning services is a full-service, veteran-owned technical cleaning company based in Colorado. We take care to ensure our community has access to around-the-clock biohazard remediation services that take client’s discretion seriously.
If you find yourself needing biohazard remediation services, contact us today and use a company that treats you with compassion and professionalism.
