Violent crimes, suicides, and the likes take up a lot of time and create havoc. People talk about the crime for days and the police investigate these events for months. With all of the attention that surrounds the criminal act, the scene of the crime tends to be forgotten.
These crimes take place in houses, stores, offices, and buildings. Getting your property back to normal after such an event takes time. With the help of professional crime scene cleaning services, you can get closer to a normal environment a little quicker.
Proper Equipment Is Essential
After the occurrence of a murder or a violent crime, the crime scene investigators and police departments do not provide services to clean up the crime scene at your home or business. The proper cleaning of a crime scene is the responsibility of the property owner or family of the deceased.
When a professional cleaning service is called to handle the task of removing blood and other contaminants, they will wear special protective equipment. This protects them from exposure to dangerous or toxic chemicals and bodily fluids left behind.
Professional cleaning technicians are thoroughly trained to handle blood using the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) BloodBorne Pathogen Rule. The precaution rule that is enforced is to treat blood and bodily fluids as though it is contaminated with a biohazard.
Technicians must wear disposable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to clean up a crime scene. These items include:
- Protective Suit
Protective clothing includes a disposable full-body suit. It includes a hood to protect the head and ears. The suit must cover the head and run down to the ankles. This full-body suit extends to the wrists and runs down to the ankles. Most PPE equipment is designed to be used once and then disposed of in special hazardous waste containers after the job is done.
- Rubber Gloves and Booties
Booties and two sets of gloves keep feet and hands free of contaminants. Also known as protective shoe covers, booties are worn over shoes to keep them clean. Durable shoe covers are also required so fluids and contaminants can be tracked away from the crime scene. Next, a pair of rubber gloves should be taped at the wrist for extra safety. Another pair of gloves can be used to ensure more protection.
- Face Mask
The face mask covers the eyes, nose, and mouth, with filters to keep the air clean and odor-free. It must be worn at all times. Crime scenes may emit terrible smells where corpses have started to decompose. Professional cleaners also use particle filtration gas masks to protect them from pungent odors. These masks filter out toxins so there is no interruption with the clean-up process.
The Crime Scene Cleanup Process
When the worst happens, every detail of the cleanup should be handled with care. Crime scene cleaning technicians do their best to provide a thorough service in unpleasant circumstances. When you call a crime scene cleaning specialist to come to your property, they follow a specific process that includes assessment, biohazard removal, and cleanup.
Property Assessment
Professionals will come to your property to assess the crime scene. They will identify items that can be salvaged and those that will need to be disposed of. Dressed in their PPE gear, they will then inspect the premises to determine what biohazard materials are involved, which lets them know how to properly clean the property and dispose of the biohazard materials.
Biohazard Removal
All biohazard materials are properly removed from the scene. These materials not only includes blood, bodily fluids, and other biohazards, but also the items and objects that were contaminated by biohazards. These affected items are placed into approved containers and disposed of at the proper facility.
Cleanup and Disinfection
The scene will be professionally cleaned, disinfected, and deodorized. A deep cleaning will work to reduce the odors and any dangerous microorganisms that may still be present. This will ensure that no harmful bacteria or foul odors remain on your property.
Trust the Cleaning Professionals
Traumatic events are stressful. At PureOne Services of Central Minnesota, it’s our goal to relieve as much stress as possible during difficult times by taking over the cleanup and restoration process for families and business owners. Crime scene cleanup requires specially trained experts who know how to handle biohazards and other safety concerns.
We assist in homes of individual families as well as commercial, industrial, and government properties. Get the peace of mind you deserve by having your home thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated. Contact us immediately to assess and clean up your property.
