Why are costs for biohazard cleanup so high?

If someone dies as a result of natural causes, violent crime, murder or suicide in a residence or place of business, the burden of clean up typically falls on the property owner. Obviously this is a traumatic task that few people are willing to undertake themselves. But why are the costs for cleanup of these scenes so expensive?

Biohazard cleanup companies like Bio Clean Services guarantee the scene will be restored to it’s original pre-incident state after the victim has been removed from the scene.  There are several factors that determine the amount of time and services that our clients need. These factors are usually:

• How long was the death unattended

• Where it happened

• What type of scene it is (How it happened)

• What elements are in the scene where it occurred

If the body was in a decomposing state when removed, the cleanup is even more challenging because insects move into the body after death and may still be in the scene area after the body is removed by a coroner.  It’s customary to also have body fluids, liquefied skin and organ tissues that have soaked into carpeting, flooring or other surfaces in contact with the scene. The most difficult task is generally remediation of the smell from the scene as the body will release ammonia gases that permeate these areas and can linger for months.

Our technicians are required to wear protective suits and respirators and utilize OSHA and EPA compliant chemicals to decontaminate these areas. Special equipment is used and all waste materials must be properly placed in safety sealed bags and disposed of. This usually requires obtaining permits from local officials with specific directives on how the waste is to be transported and disposed.  Sometimes, medical-waste incinerators need to be used for this type of disposal.

Once the initial cleaning has been performed, it is necessary for Bio Clean Services to inspect every detail of these scenes utilizing special instruments and equipment to search for even the smallest trace elements of contamination (not seen with the visible eye). This inspection helps determine if the scene will need our construction crews to remove flooring, walls, insulation or other structural materials in effort to ensure proper cleaning for the safety of our clients.

As you can see from just a few short paragraphs, biohazard cleaning and decontamination of these types of scenes is more than a simple wash down with bleach. Obtaining permits, disposal charges, and construction costs are common factors that dictate what cleanup charges will be.

Depending on the circumstances, property owners may have coverage options through property insurance policies. In this regard, most companies will provide a service that handles all the paperwork for filing a claim. If insurance coverage is not available, they can also help their clients in contacting various charitable or religious organizations that can provide financial assistance.

Biohazard Cleanup Rises with the increase of S.A.D.

Seasonal Affective Disorders (S.A.D.) affect thousands of Americans each year.  Although common with each season, winter seems to have the highest increase in suicide and deaths related to S.A.D.  Bio Clean Services provides cleanup and restoration for suicide, death, trauma, crime and other biohazard scenes throughout the Northeastern United States.

Because S.A.D. is very common and has a direct relation to depression, researchers at the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) have linked the increase of cases in the winter season to be that of decreased light, temperatures and other weather related elements that cause S.A.D. patients to become confined to indoor spaces during this season. Suicide cleanup is the most frequent calls we receive during these times. Although depression worsens during the holiday seasons the death and suicides are most often related to reclusive tendencies caused by weather.

During this season, in particular, it’s important that we realize the complications that these patients and our elderly populations face and do what we can to make sure that they receive human interaction, frequent visits and participate in activities that keep their minds active. In the majority of jobs that we perform, we learn that the victims are often alone and receive no visitors or have no human interaction for weeks at a time.  This is also difficult for biohazard cleaning companies like Bio Clean Services because we frequently cleanup unattended death scenes where the deceased isn’t discovered for days or weeks at a time. 

Unattended death scenes are not only emotionally difficult for the family and friends, but poses a huge risk for biohazard contamination and requires additional cleaning and  restoration of the scenes in order to completely return the property to a safe, inhabitable state.  Depending on the amount of time between the death and discovery, it is often necessary to remove major structural elements from the property in order to assure that all biohazards are completely removed.  This is a costly process that can cause even additional emotional distress on the victims families and friends that are responsible for the cleanup and restoration.

If you, or someone you know, has friends of relatives that you believe suffer from S.A.D, please do your best to ensure they have the care that is needed. If you experience a loss and need biohazard cleanup services, please contact our office immediately for assistance in cleaning up and maintaining the safety of all involved.

Burglary Crime Scene Clean Up - The Hidden Hazards

When a crime occurs in a residential home or place of business, the aftermath can be overwhelming.  The biohazard materials left behind depend on the severity of the intrusion and whether or not violence with occupants are involved.  Even if no physical violence occurs, intruders can still leave behind certain biohazards from broken glass, wooden splinters and often times we find the presence of bodily fluids from vandals that damage a property.

The stressful cleanup of these types of aftermath require a professional company like Bio Clean Services to remove all biohazards and restore properties to a pre-incident state.  When intrusions are violent and involve a homicide, the evidence of biohazards is usually evident. In other cases, the use of special equipment is necessary to discover the trace elements of any biohazard materials left behind.

Bio Clean Services  maintains all equipment necessary and is experienced in the cleanup of death, suicide, blood, trauma and various types of crime scenes. Individuals, apartment managers and even general janitorial or cleaning companies are not equipped to handle this type of cleanup and to protect their health and the health of others, we advise that these scenes should not be cleaned by anyone without specific training, knowledge of biohazard removal and disposal or protocol of Federal and State guidelines.

Cleaning of most types of crime scenes involves the use of personal safety equipment to protect yourself from blood, waste and other pathogens that may be present.  Certified biohazard cleanup companies like Bio Clean Services use highly advanced sanitation equipment and effective EPA approved industrial cleaning chemicals or solutions that ensure your property is completely decontaminated and returned to a habitable state.  Any objects that come into contact with these biohazards must be cleaned, sanitized or in extreme cases removed from the scene.  Some materials can be handled in a simple medical waste box while others require proper removal protocols so they do not pose a health threat to the public.  In either event, if you attempt to clean a scene like this on your own and do not follow proper protocol, you may find yourself liable for health risks that may affect other people.

If you need more information about our services, contact our office for a complete list of our biohazard services and the areas in the Northeastern United States that we serve.

When a friend of family member dies at home

Your loved one has signed a Do Not Resuscitate Order also known as a DNR. They have decided to take the natural progression into their next life and are requesting that this transition takes place in the comfort, peace and tranquility of their own home.  Knowing before the death will certainly give you time to brace yourself for the shock that comes with  loosing a loved one. Dealing with the death of a friend or loved one is traumatic enough without having the worry of cleaning up biohazard materials that remain after a person dies.

A number of steps must occur after your loved one has passed on.  First, you must call  911 and report the death to the police. The police will investigate the death scene, and the determination as to whether an autopsy is required or not.  When the police have determined that a homicide has not taken place and release the body, you may call funeral home personnel to remove the body and transport for the impending funeral.

Now that the body has been removed from the home, there are traces of pathogens and other biohazards that can be extremely harmful to you if the proper cleanup protocol is not followed.  Bio Clean Services is experienced in the clean up and removal of biohazard materials, waste, blood and other trauma scene materials. When someone dies, it takes as little as 15 minutes for the body to begin to decompose.   The area in which the body was located may become contaminated with these  hidden  pathogens which could possibly make you or other family members sick.
 
Our bio- hazard professionals at Bio Clean Services are trained to  re mediate the death scene back to its original sanitary state.  We are trained to deal with all situations in a discreet and professional manner.  Frequently, Bio Clean Services  receives calls to perform clean up for all death scenes types including murder, suicide or trauma clean up. 

If you or someone you know is in need of these services please contact our office, we are available with 24 hour immediate response dispatch. We can assist you with procedures for insurance claims and other payment assisted programs. 

Is your home filthy from hoarding, meth-labs or other biohazards?

As spring approaches and weather becomes warmer if your home is full trash, debris and generally unsanitary for living conditions, you are putting your health at an even greater risk for infections and other medical complications. Bio Clean Services frequently gets calls from property owners and health officials to assist in the cleanup of gross and filthy living conditions. These conditions contain contamination, bacteria, rodents and other debris that can be harmful or deadly to an occupants health.

We are specifically trained in the removal, disposal and cleanup/disinfecting of these types of scenes.  When evidence of these harmful biohazards are present, ordinary household chemicals are not sufficient to decontaminate the property. It requires trained professionals, industrial chemicals and equipment to return these properties to a safe and healthy living environment.

Our company is experienced in working with professional agencies and other officials to ensure that we recover any scene to a safe condition that adheres to health standards and guidelines.  Clients we work with are often elderly shut in residents, or property owners who property has been subject to homeless living, squatters and even illegal meth labs. Each of these circumstances contains different hazards and can affect the health of anyone that may come into contact with the scene.  Our decontamination technicians are certified and possess many years of cleaning, restoration and construction experience to get the job done.

If you own or know of a property that is currently in one of these conditions, please contact us immediately so we can help you access your situation and determine a proper plan of action for decontamination.  If these situations go unattended you are not only putting your health at risk but may potentially be liable for any health related issues that happen to others who come in contact with your property.

For more information on our coverage areas and the services we provide please visit our full website or call our office at 1-800-901-2988.

Bio Clean Services offers gross filth clean up OH, WV, PA, MI

Gross and filthy living conditions are frequently found, especially in homes of the elderly who are ill, have dementia or other conditions which often leads to hoarding and very unsanitary conditions in these homes. Several homes in the Northeast US are like this because of weather conditions confining these people to their homes. 


Only certified professionals should attempt to clean these types of homes or areas. It is necessary to use OSHA approved chemicals and other agents and to follow the proper disposal processes in order to ensure proper remediation. It’s also necessary in order to ensure the health and safety of the person living in these conditions. We provide these services in OH, WV, PA & MI. See our coverage area for a list of counties served.

Bio Clean Service technicians are accustomed to seeing overwhelming amounts of garbage and rubbish and unimaginable living conditions. We’re all compassionate and have a desire to help the homeowner return the property to a livable condition that is sanitary and free form health hazards.  Some biohazards commonly found in these conditions include:

•    Body Fluids
•    Feces
•    Urine
•    Blood
•    Vomit
•    Pest infestation
•    Rodent feces
•    Mold and mildew

These all attribute to the deterioration of the structure and its contents. It is often necessary to replace drywall, insulation, flooring and almost always any fabrics and materials in contact with the debris. They also take their toll on mechanical elements of the property as well due to leaks, sewage backups, busted or leaking pipes and poor roof conditions.  Bio Clean Services also provides certain general contracting services that can correct these problems. If structural problems are present, we have great working relationships with contractors who can provide these repairs.

If you or someone you know needs help with an unsafe, filthy living condition, please contact our office immediately. We will perform a site inspection and assess the project and develop a full task plan to help you safely remediate the home.

3 common questions about biohazard cleaning

The most important thing in handling the crime scene clean up is that affected things should be cleaned in a way by which life will be danger free in future. Bio Clean Services provides  coverage in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. It is imperative that one employs the help of the experienced bio hazard technicians who are certified and well trained to remove the fluid materials of body and blood or other biohazard materials.  Often there are various items such as walls, carpet, furniture, wallpaper, flooring, etc that will need to be disposed of in the red bio-hazard bags.  Disposal can usually be taken to a state-regulated and federal- regulated site. Laws do not permit the use of dumpster to dispose the items. According to the laws of federal and state, a bio-hazard clean up will need to store the records of the place where disposal is taken place and include what was disposed. It is suggested that these records be stored for 30 years. It’s also important that permits and certification information be retained for the same amount of time should they ever need to be reviewed.

Why is trauma and crime scene clean up so dangerous? The cleanup process of a scene may be easy and simple. But, clean up technicians have to be trained in how to handle materials to avoid contact with deadly diseases such as HIV, hepatitis, and other diseases that can be occurred by affection of bio-hazards. Frequently sharp items that can puncture your skin are found to be present during clean up. It’s also possible that a cleaner’s mouth and eyes can be affected accidently during the removal of biohazard items.

Why should someone call a biohazard clean up company?  When it comes to cleaning and removal from a biohazard trauma scene, family members, friends or people associated want to clean the scene themselves.  Seldom do they realize that the tasks are physically and emotionally overwhelming. Bio Clean Services is certified in the removal of biohazard items such as body fluids, decomposing bodies, human tissues, hypodermic needles, blood, etc.  Our technicians are fully trained and certified in the removal of these materials and have been specifically trained to restore a scene to a better than original condition. Utilizing a trained professional company like Bio Clean Services enables you to avoid the emotional distress of the work. Anyone attempting to clean a biohazard scene may also run the risk of certain liabilities should someone cleaning become exposed to harmful items and substances.

Who pays for biohazard and crime scene clean up? Depending on the circumstances and where the incident occurs, ordinarily the insurance company pays for the cleanup. Every insurance carrier is different and certain restrictions may apply.  Anyone having to hire a professional clean up company should contact the insurance company to review these limitations; if any.

Bio Clean Services offers hoarding and filth clean up services in OH,MI,PA,WV

Gross and filthy living conditions are frequently found, especially in homes of the elderly who are ill, have dementia or other conditions which often leads to hoarding and very unsanitary conditions in these homes.  Some other well known causes are fear for safety and a person not leaving the home for extremely long periods of time.

It is critical that only certified professionals attempt to clean these types of homes or areas and that the occupants obtain a medical evaluation quickly once discovered. Bio Clean Services uses OSHA approved chemicals and other agents and to follow the proper disposal processes in order to ensure proper remediation. It’s also necessary in order to ensure the health and safety of the person living in these conditions.

Our technicians are accustomed to seeing overwhelming amounts of garbage and rubbish and unimaginable living conditions. We’re all compassionate and have a desire to help the homeowner return the property to a livable condition that is sanitary and free form health hazards Types of biohazards commonly found in these conditions include:



•    Body Fluids
•    Feces
•    Urine
•    Blood
•    Vomit
•    Pest infestation
•    Rodent feces
•    Mold and mildew


These all attribute to the deterioration of the structure and its contents. It is often necessary to replace drywall, insulation, flooring and almost always any fabrics and materials in contact with the debris. They also take their toll on mechanical elements of the property as well due to leaks, sewage backups, busted or leaking pipes and poor roof conditions. Bio Clean Services also provides certain general contracting services that can correct these problems. If structural problems are present, we have great working relationships with contractors who can provide these repairs.

If you or someone you know needs help with an unsafe, filthy living condition, please contact our office immediately. We will perform a site inspection and assess the project and develop a full task plan to help you safely remediate the home.

Who to call when you discover a death at home

When someone dies it can be a difficult and emotional time. It’s even more difficult if the body was unattended at the time of death or if you are the person who discovers the death. If you happen to be the unfortunate one to discover the death, it’s important to know that you need a professional bio-hazard cleaning service. Bio Clean Services currently offers services in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

  

Unattended death can be contain numerous bio-hazards.  Almost always,  the scene contains urine, feces, blood and other bodily fluids and all are in a state of decomposition.  These tissues and fluids create an extreme risk of exposure to infectious diseases and individuals who are not properly trained should never attempt to clean these scenes.  Decomposing body fluids can contain germs, active disease and bacteria for a  very long time.  Even if an untrained cleaner wasn’t exposed to these elements, the EPA and OSHA have strict regulations on the cleaning and disposal of these types of bio-hazardous materials. 

It is also common for the scene of an unattended death to have extreme odors that will remain even after removing the body.  These odors are unable to be eliminated by ordinary household cleaners, such as bleach. These household cleaning solutions will mask the odor temporarily only for them to return a few hours later. Bio Clean Services utilizes equipment to permanently remove these odors from effected materials. The chemicals we use are designed to neutralize odors at the molecular level so they won’t return.  It cannot be stressed  how important it is to hire a professional bio-hazard clean up company to clean these affected areas. 

 BioScene Clean Up is fully equipped to handle unattended death clean up and trauma scenes such as suicides. We maintain the equipment and advanced training to properly handle the scene of an unattended death.  Our cleaning technicians are professional and have the utmost compassion when dealing with the details of these tasks. We are compassionate in such difficult times and work efficiently to clean and restore a home to its original state.  Bio Clean Services offers an array of services that can assist you in cleaning debris, clutter and other items from these scenes.  Please see our services and qualifications section for more details.