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Professional After Death Cleanup
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Many people learn about after death cleanup services only when the need arises. Never before had they considered this need. Usually this idea resides among the very least of anyone's thoughts. Then it happens, a horrific incident occures. We learn then that coroner's employees do not cleanup after death. They serve as body movers and investigators. Some of us learn that county employees defraud families. They do this by referring families to crony cleaning companies at this very terrible time. For this matter, see crime scene cleanup. Read about government fraud against grieving families.
Homicide Cleanup
Homicide cleanup as its title implies means cleaning after someone has taken the life another. Whether legally or illegally, homicide cleanup requires blood cleanup in most cases. Every state has blood cleanup requirements mandated by the Occupational and Safety Administration (OSHA). Employers must ensure that their employees have bloodborne pathogen training.
OSHA requires that employers must give employees bloodborne pathogen training prior to working with or near human blood and human blood products. Blood products include human tissue. This required training gives employees a working knowledge of germs carried in blood. It also give employees information related to individual and mechanical safeguards during a biohazard cleanup, human blood cleanup.
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Suicide Cleanup
Suicide cleanup services require the same cleaning standards as other forms of professional biohazard cleanup. Differences found here usually appear as either a wide debris field or a concentrated blood buildup. Once blood coagulates and dries in a thick condition, it becomes airborne easily. An airborne blood contamination places cleaners at risk. As to which pathogens we might expect from such contamination remains unknown. Hepatitic C has captured a great deal of interest because of its life span outside the body.
Unattended Death Cleanup
Most often, unattended death cleanup entails working with migrated and dry fluids. Some demolition work may follow cleaning. Once human blood dwells for a prolonged period of time it may seep, lead, or soak into building materials. Furniture, mattresses, bedding, carpet and carpet padding also become sources of dispair for families. It's usually better to give a moments consideration before tackling a decomposition cleanup. After death cleanup leaves first-time cleaners with some emotional concerns. Close relatives do best by finding a friend or family member to help with cleaning.
Most after death cleanup companies have staff and equipment for most types of after death cleaning. Homeowner's insurance may apply.
Because unattended deaths frequently become decomposition cleanup tasks, homeowner's insurance becomes a very special cosideration.
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Decomposition Cleanup
Technically, decomposing of the human body begins with moments, a few minutes of death. Brain cells begin dying quickly from lack of oxygen. Soon, other cells begin to die. As they due they leach their fluids into the body. Microorganisms quickly begin feeding on decaying cells. From inside cells and outside, microorganisms die and increase as their nature becomes prevalent.
The rate of decomposition depends on environmental conditions. Suffice it to say that after 74 hours at a normal room temperature, say 74 degrees, human bodies undergo seven stages of decomposition. The bloating stage and following stages tend to release great quantities of blood and other infectious body fluids. These add to overall death and blood odors.
Death Odors
Odors from decomposition carry heavy sulfer and heavy uric acid fragrances. Before long these odors begin to permeate fabrics, mattresses, carpet padding, wood, paper, and more. By ventillating these odors deminish and finally pass away. Death and blood's odor are not dangerous in terms of pathogens. Bloodborne pathoges exist in blood, not air. Odors consist of off gased chemicals common to cellular decay.
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Accidental Death Cleanup
Accidental death cleanup takes place wherever people work, play, or dwell. There's a science to controlling accidents. This does accident victims little good following a horrific mishap. Bone crushing, flesh flaying, inserted objects all add to the misery suffered by accident victims. As with any traumatic blood loss, the blood cleanup protcols for biohazard cleanup apply to employees. Families are free to do their own accident cleanup tasks. For those families without funds, visit after-death-cleanup.com. Information found below may also provide some help. Keep in mind that time, patience, and protecting one self guides this type of work.
Traumatic Blood Loss
Caring for those suffering from a traumatic blood loss includes removing the risk of bloodborne diseases from a traumatic blood loss incident. In theory, a potential biohazard exists until the entire area is cleaned of blood and body fluids. Equipment contaminated by blood undergoes a thorough cleaning and sanitizing. Blood soiled garments, paper, and cleaning materials undergo pre-treatment for biowaste disposal if not thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Wet blood, moist blood, and dry flaky blood constitute biohazardous material. Removal of these conditions removes the biohazard designation. Anything less does not render materials safe for casual handling.
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Safe Housekeeping
For blood cleanup or other blood related fluids, ensure safety first guides work.
- Close the soiled area to foot traffic.
- Wear gloves (latex or nitrile). Protect your hands . Avoid tearing your gloves. Beware of equipment or sharp objects, like needles. Replace gloves as needed. Dispose of gloves as biowaste.
- Use leak-proof garments, and eye, nose, and mouth protection.
- Disposable paper towels soak blood nicely; cloth towels wash out well in hot soapy water with a heavy bleach solution; wet-dry vacuums suck up blood for disposal down toilets and sinks -- sanitary sewers. Always test toilets before use; always test vacuum blow direction before use.
- Use a disinfecting solution. Bleach kills HIV and hepatitis B virus. Bleach will kill both HIV and hepatitis B virus. If not a professional cleaner, promptly disinfect mops and any other cleaning equipment, otherwise, you may spread the viruses to other areas. If a professional cleaner, avoid using mops. A window squeeze works well for moving offensive materials across floor space.
- Put all contaminated towels and waste in a Red Bag or other appropriate sealed, labeled (Biohazard symbol or label), leak-proof container. This is regulated waste; call Hazardous Materials Management (323-6280) for pickup.
Be Prepared
- Always wear gloves whenever there is the slightest risk of exposure to blood.
- Sharp objects place you at risk of innoculation by an unknown substance; beware of sharp objects, broken glassware used syringes
- Don't pick up broken glass directly with your hands. Use a brush and dustpan.
- Hand washing done thoroughly and repeatedly helps to ensure clean hands.
* Includes human blood, semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, tissue, and organs. Also includes any other human body fluid (urine, feces, nasal secretions, vomitus, etc.) that is visibly contaminated with blood.
For more training information related to crime scene cleanup training, visit the Internet. Beware of fraudulent crime scene cleanup school programs.
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