Turn to the professionals at Restorerz-Emergency Services by calling (323) 970-4792 to clean any biohazard spill in the Los Angeles area. 

After an incident involving bodily fluids, following the appropriate bodily fluid clean-up procedure is necessary to remove the mess. In some cases, hiring a professional clean-up crew is best. Biohazard clean-up companies have the skills, tools, and techniques to remove bodily fluids from absorbent surfaces and non-porous materials properly. 

Restorerz-Emergency Services is a leading bodily fluid clean-up company serving Los Angeles, CA, and the surrounding areas. Biohazard cleanup by Restorerz includes strict guidelines that our certified technicians follow. Learn more about the process below.

What Are Bodily Fluids?

Bodily fluids include all fluids that come from the human body. Examples of bodily fluids include:

• Blood
• Vomit
• Urine
• Feces
• Saliva
• Amniotic fluid

Exposure to a person’s bodily fluids poses serious health risks. For instance, a small amount of contaminated blood on an unhealed paper cut can cause an infection or transmit a disease like HIV or Hepatitis.

Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the bloodborne pathogens they carry, which increases the risk of illness for anyone who makes contact with bodily fluids. Therefore, adhering to a proper bodily fluid clean-up procedure is a must. 

What Types of Personal Protective Equipment Are Necessary for Bodily Fluid Clean-Up?

If an accident, illness, or incident leaves behind bodily fluids, whoever cleans the mess must protect themselves. Part of following a clean-up procedure is ensuring that you have the correct personal protective equipment or PPE available. PPE refers to any items that will shield you from bodily fluids that are wet enough to splash onto your body or spills bigger than a dinner plate. 

Essential PPE for cleaning bodily fluids includes the following:

• Potent disinfectant, like a bleach solution, that can eliminate a broad pathogen spectrum
• Black trash bags and biohazard bags with the appropriate labels
• Waterproof coveralls or biohazard suit
• Waterproof disposable gloves
• Disposable towels
• Safety goggles
• Rubber boots 

Sometimes, biohazard clean-up crews arrive after the bodily fluid dries, so there is little to no risk of anything splashing on them. In those cases, wearing disposable nitrile or rubber gloves and goggles without other protective garments may be acceptable. However, substantial bodily fluid spills involving raw sewage or blood with high splash potential require rubber boots, waterproof coveralls, and a dust mask. 

The person supervising the project ensures everyone working on the project has the appropriate PPE items for the job. For a spill clean-up, everyone must wear their PPE while they clean and disinfect surfaces and dispose of contaminated materials. 

How To Clean Up Bodily Fluids

Every biohazard clean-up company has its own bodily fluid clean-up procedure. Reputable companies adhere to regulations regarding biohazard cleaning permits and the best practices for safely cleaning surfaces and disposing of contaminated materials. Processes for cleaning bodily fluids include several steps, such as those below. 

Small or Large Spills That Someone Can Splash

When cleaning a large or small bodily fluid spill with a high splash potential, the first step is to soak up the material using disposable towels, sand, or an absorbent powder. To disinfect the surface after gathering up the bulk of the fluid, pour a broad-spectrum disinfectant onto it. A solution with 10% bleach will work. 

It’s best to leave the bleach solution on the surface for up to 30 minutes to disinfect the affected area properly. Scrub clean with fresh towels, and repeat as necessary. Put all materials with bodily fluid into biohazard bags with used PPE. 

Dried Bodily Fluids or Small Spills Unlikely to Splash

If the blood, vomit, and other bodily fluids are somewhat dry and unlikely to splash, you can still soak up the residual moisture with an absorbent powder or towels. When you’ve soaked up as much fluid as possible, dispose of the used towels or powder in the appropriate bags. You can use a 10% bleach solution to clean and disinfect the area or any other disinfectant that will kill a wide spectrum of infectious agents. 

It may be necessary to scrub the affected area more intensely than a wet spill. Cleaning from the affected area’s perimeter and working inward helps prevent the spread of pathogens on unaffected surfaces. 

Throw away all of the towels, powder, sand, and used PPE. 

Post-cleaning Hygiene Practices

After cleaning, it’s necessary to take additional steps to prevent contaminating yourself and others. During the bodily fluid clean-up procedure, pathogens contaminate everything they touch, including PPE and cleaning equipment.

Follow these steps to avoid accidental exposure:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water as soon as you remove disposable gloves.
• Switch to clean gloves often.
• Disinfect all reusable tools and equipment.
• Use a generous amount of soap and water to cleanse accidental skin contamination.
• Flush your eyes with plenty of water if bodily fluids get in your eyes. 

Disposing of Contaminated Materials

The final step in cleaning a biohazard scene is disposing of the contaminated materials. It’s acceptable to seal clean-up materials in several dark trash bags and put them in a dumpster in some places.

However, a spill involving a large amount of blood will require a professional biohazard clean-up crew to handle the disposal process according to the state’s Department of Health regulations. The team will follow the appropriate protocol for labeling, packaging, transporting, and disposing of the contaminated materials. 

For instance, hypodermic needles, glass shards, and other sharp objects can be biohazards due to their exposure to disease, pathogens, and other hazardous agents. Proper disposal will require putting them in a puncture-proof container before disposing of them. 

Receive the Best Emergency Biohazard Clean-Up Service in Los Angeles

Restorerz-Emergency Services is the go-to source for professional biohazard cleanup in Los Angeles, CA, and the surrounding areas. Our highly trained team uses the latest industry technology and an efficient bodily fluid clean-up procedure to clean, disinfect, collect, and dispose of contaminated materials. We respond to emergencies within an hour and give your property the utmost care and attention.

Call (323) 970-4792 to request service from Restorerz-Emergency Services for your Los Angeles home or business.

Do you need biowaste management or biohazard cleanup? Call Restorerz’s trusted restoration team at (844) 234-1800.

What is biowaste? Biowaste is any biological material or organic matter that may pose a threat to the health of living creatures or organisms.

As experts in biohazard cleanup in Los Angeles, our Restorerz team is here to explain what biowaste is and precisely what you can do about it. We’ll explain rules and laws about managing and transporting regulated medical waste (RMW) and other forms of biowaste that can help guide you in safely cleaning it up.

Types of Biowaste

What is biowaste? There are many products of biological and industrial/medical life that fall under the definition of “bio waste” or “biowaste.”

Bioagents

We usually consider most biological agents to be harmless, although some—such as COVID-19—can cause serious risks. Bacteria, viruses, and parasites typically fall into this group, although they may fall into a more dangerous category depending on the context they’re in.

Biotoxins

Insects, plants, bacteria, fungi like yeasts and molds, and sometimes animals produce biotoxins. Biotoxins can cause inflammation and other allergic reactions, which is why they fall under the biowaste umbrella. Think of certain species of snakes or jellyfish or insects that bear a stinger.

Environmental Specimens

Environmental specimens are plants, soil, or water that may contain bioagents or biotoxins. Even if you’re not sure a water supply contains biowaste, if there is a chance, you should treat it as if it does and follow proper cleanup protocols, which we’ll cover later.

Blood and Body Fluids

This category includes blood, tissues, semen, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, and amniotic fluid. Blood easily becomes infected and contaminated, spreading through bleeding, white or red blood cells, serum and plasma, platelets, and other blood products. 

Treat any objects soaked in blood, like gowns or gauze, as biowaste and carefully handle and dispose of them—this extends to anything with the potential to release blood or blood products when compressed.

Microbiological Waste

You can find microbiological waste in, and sometimes outside, medical and scientific labs: specimen cultures, disposable culture dishes, viruses, and the tools doctors and lab technicians use with those cultures for study, experimentation, and health care applications.

Animal and Pathological Waste

You can find this type of biowaste in science labs: the biodegradable waste material, bedding, and remains of animals and people, biopsy waste, and biowaste from medical procedures and autopsies.

Sharps

Usually known as a lab safety issue, sharps are anything that can cut or pierce the skin, like syringes and needles, razors and other blades, and broken glass or plastic. You must take special consideration when disposing of sharps, as they can pierce the kinds of bags and boxes you would generally use for biomedical waste.

Levels of Safety

What is biowaste, and how do safety organizations and restoration professionals classify it? The Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization have named four levels, or risk groups, for use in all measures relating to biohazards, biowaste, and dangerous bioagents.

Biohazard Level One (Risk Group One)

Level one includes bioagents and organisms unlikely to cause disease in otherwise healthy animals or people. These pathogens present a low-to-zero risk to both the individual and the community. E. coli and Bacillus subtilis are examples of level one agents.

Biohazard Level Two (Risk Group Two)

Level two pathogens are likely to cause disease, but are not severe hazards. Level two presents moderate individual risk, but low community risk. This group includes salmonella, HIV, and hepatitis B: Hard-to-transmit diseases that can nevertheless have dire consequences for the individual.

Biohazard Level Three (Risk Group Three)

Level three pathogens or agents cause severe disease and can, but usually don’t, transmit easily between individuals, with treatment or prevention possible. High individual risk presents alongside low community risk: Tuberculosis is one example of a level three pathogen.

Biohazard Level Four (Risk Group Four)

Level four pathogens can cause severe disease and are transmissible, with no preventive or treatment measures available, which presents high risk to both individuals and the community. Examples include the Ebola virus.

How to Deal with Biowaste

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) says that any entity that generates hazardous waste is legally responsible for it. This means that if you produce any waste, you are responsible for disposing of it safely. 

You should always contain, disinfect, and send biowaste to a processing facility or call a biohazard cleanup service such as Restorerz to collect and dispose of it.

Biohazards

The standard procedure for medical waste involves a trip to the autoclave before disposal. An autoclave is a machine that uses pressurized steam and superheated water to sanitize and sterilize. 

You can disinfect some biological waste, whether by autoclave or chemicals, and put it in the regular trash. You can pour liquid biological waste down a sanitary sewer (sanitary floor sink or drain), but only after you have decontaminated it.

Blood and Bodily Fluids

You can pour blood and other fluids down a sanitary sewer drain without disinfecting it. You should still treat objects that came into contact with blood as medical waste.

Mixed waste

If you’ve mixed biological waste with radioactive or chemical waste, regard it as radioactive or chemical waste after deactivating the bioagents by autoclave or chemicals. Submit the remaining waste for a Hazardous Materials Pickup Request.

Sharps

Environmental Health and Safety provides sharps containers which you should treat with a 10% bleach mixture or use in the autoclave before you drain and seal them, then include them with other biohazard waste.

(Note: Never use the autoclave on anything containing bleach, as it may explode!)

Call Restorerz for Biowaste Cleanup

So what is biowaste, and what can you do about it? Now you know, so call Restorerz.

Once you learn why you should hire a professional biohazard cleanup service, you’ll want the best. That’s where Restorerz comes in: the most trusted and technologically advanced emergency restoration company in Southern California. Your environmental health is our most significant concern, and we’re available 24/7 to help you.

Dealing with biowaste? Call Restorerz at (844) 234-1800 for biohazard cleanup in the Los Angeles area.

Do you need urgent biohazardous materials disposal in Los Angeles? Call Restorerz Emergency Services at (323) 997-4978 for speedy, professional services.

With uncountable numbers of microscopic organisms on earth, it’s important to distinguish between harmless and harmful microorganisms. Thanks to centuries of research, we know more about these organisms and can now separate them.

JUMP TO: Bacteria | Viruses | Parasites | Fungi | What Are Other Types of Biological Hazards? | Methods of Biohazard Waste Disposal | Is it Possible to Safely Dispose of Biohazardous Waste Without Professional Help? | Contact Us

So, what types of microorganisms are considered biological hazards? The organisms that are considered biological health hazards include bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi (mold). These biological agents are dangerous because they can cause various health problems, including tetanus, food poisoning, respiratory infections, and parasite infection. When inhaled, ingested, or in contact with the skin, these microorganisms can pose serious threats to human health.

Humans come into contact with these biological hazards through air, food, and water. To better understand the risks, it’s crucial to recognize that bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi are considered types of biological hazards. Biohazard cleanup by Restorez helps reduce the risk of transmitting these microorganisms to the barest minimum. This article will look at these microorganisms in more detail.

Bacteria

Bacteria are microscopic single-celled organisms, and billions exist all around you, including inside other living organism. Most bacteria serve a purpose. They support different plant and animal life forms and are useful in many medical and industrial processes. In the context of health risks, bacteria are classified as biological hazards due to their potential to cause various diseases.

There are many different types of bacteria across the universe, but scientists group them according to the following shapes:

• Spherical bacteria (e.g., streptococcus)
• Rod-shaped bacteria (e.g., anthrax)
• Spiral bacteria (e.g., treponema—responsible for syphilis)

Some of the diseases bacteria can cause in humans include:

• Typhoid
• Pneumonia
• Tuberculosis
• Bubonic plague
• Cholera
• Diphtheria
• Dysentery
• Tetanus
• Botulism
• Diarrhea

The bacteria that cause some of the diseases above thrive in dirty environments. Treating them and the mediums they may thrive in as biohazards is the best way to prevent transmission to humans.

Viruses

Viruses are microorganisms that only thrive and multiply in hosts such as animals, plants, and humans. They are complex organisms that trigger different reactions in different ways. Viruses are responsible for viral diseases like:

• Smallpox
• COVID-19
• Most types of flu
• Mumps
• Common cold
• Hepatitis
• Chickenpox
• Rubella
• Measles
• Herpes simplex virus (HSV)
• Polio
• HIV
• Ebola
• Zika
• Dengue Fever

In terms of public health, viruses are considered significant biological threats due to their modes of transmission and potential to cause widespread illness. Viruses spread through:

• Direct contact
• Bodily fluids
• Touch
• Respiratory droplets
• Insects
• Mother-to-child transmission
• Contaminated food and water

Professional biohazard handling reduces the risk of spreading viruses through some of these transmission channels.

Parasites

When answering the question, “What types of microorganisms are considered biological hazards?” parasites go under the radar. It’s important to recognize that parasites also fall under the category of biological hazards that endanger the lives of millions globally each year.

Parasites live inside host organisms and depend on them to grow and multiply. While many parasites are microorganisms that are not visible to the human eyes (e.g., malaria parasites), others can grow as long as 35cm.

Parasites enter a human host through:

• Insect bites
• Person-to-person contact
• Mishandling of human waste
• Contaminated food and water

Fungi

These are microorganisms like mushrooms, yeast, mildew, and mold. Fungi reproduce by releasing small, lightweight spores, which can travel far distances in the air. The spores can last long in adverse environmental conditions, which explains why mold and other types of fungi are resilient.

When considering health implications, fungi represent another group of microorganisms that pose hazards due to their potential to cause health issues.

Mold receives the most attention among fungal microorganisms because of its influence on public health. It produces irritants, allergens, and in some cases, toxic substances. As a result, it’s one of the leading causes of asthma in allergic and vulnerable populations.

Mold also produces mycotoxins, which cause health problems when inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin.

What Are Other Types of Biological Hazards?

Other types of biological hazards include:

Biotoxins

Biotoxins encapsulate any biological substances that are poisonous and toxic to humans. Most biotoxins come from bacteria, insects, plants, and animals. Prolonged exposure to these biotoxins can lead to adverse physiological reactions.

Blood and Blood Products

Blood is not a biological hazard—unless it is contaminated or comes from an infected source. Blood products like white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, tissues, and plasma are all hazardous if poorly handled.

Environmental Specimens

Environmental specimens refer to plants, soil, organic matter, and water containing biological hazards. So, scrapings of mold-heavy paint qualify as environmental specimens that require professional handling.

What Are the Different Methods of Biohazard Waste Disposal?

The major methods of biohazard waste disposal include:

Autoclaving

This process uses high-temperature steam to destroy biohazards completely. It’s a highly effective method because it is more affordable than other waste disposal options. It also doesn’t put the biohazard disposal staff a risk of contamination or infection.

Biohazardous waste handling companies use autoclaving to sanitize 90% of the waste materials before sending them to a landfill.

Incineration

Incineration burns biohazardous waste at high temperatures. It’s fast, easy, and simple. However, the emissions can be dangerous. Incinerators for processing biomedical waste require careful planning. Disposal teams site these incinerators away from local populations.

Use of Chemicals

Chemical disinfection is the biomedical waste disposal method of choice for liquid biohazardous waste.

The chief chemical constituent is chlorine, which can kill pathogens and microorganisms. It’s possible to use chemical disposal when dealing with solid wastes, but you must grind the materials first to ensure full decontamination.

Microwaving

This process involves creating a solution of shredded biohazardous waste and heating the solution in a compartment to kill microorganisms and pathogens. The process is more energy efficient than incineration and works for all biohazardous waste types.

Is it Possible to Safely Dispose of Biohazardous Waste Without Professional Help?

It’s possible to dispose of small quantities of biohazardous waste without professional help if you have the right gear and know how to complete the process safely without putting yourself and everyone around you at risk.

However, it’s best to always seek professional advice when dealing with biohazards that can trigger community health concerns.

Request Fast Emergency Biohazard Cleanup Services 

We hope this article helped with understanding what types of microorganisms are considered biological hazards. It’s essential to recognize that bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi are considered biological hazards that can threaten health if not properly managed. Do you have any biohazard materials you need to dispose of? Contact the Restorerz Emergency Services team today.

Mishandling biohazards puts you and everyone around you at risk. Don’t ignore it. Our team can safely dispose of contaminated feces, urine, and blood. We can also clean infected or contaminated surfaces and dispose of contaminated clothing and such personal effects.

Call Restorerz Emergency Services near you at (323) 997-4978 to book an appointment. Learn why you should hire a professional biohazard cleanup team today.

If you need safe, professional cleanup of biological hazards, call the top biohazard cleanup service in Los Angeles, Restorerz Emergency Services, at (323) 997-4978. 

A biological hazard, or biohazard, is any biological substance that threatens human health. From blood and fecal matter to bacteria, fungus, viruses, and mold, infectious materials in your home or business are dangerous to the well-being of anyone who enters. Regardless of whether they are present due to an accident, injury, crime, or other emergency, biohazards need prompt attention.

Ignoring biohazards can trigger a cascade of consequences, from serious illness to legal problems. Not following proper cleanup, decontamination, and disposal procedures can also result in severe consequences. Without the in-depth knowledge of appropriate techniques and the right tools and equipment, even your best effort to manage biological agents could make the problem worse.

When you call Restorerz Emergency Services for biohazard cleanup in Los Angeles, you get the expertise and discretion of a trained, certified crew. We’ll remove all infectious materials and sanitize and disinfect the scene, ensuring safety for anyone in the area. Letting us handle the issue also prevents the consequences of not addressing biological hazards correctly.

1. Individual Illness

Handling infectious materials like contaminated blood, vomit, bodily fluids, and fecal matter can spread disease. Pathogens that can make people ill can even contaminate personal items like clothing. Following protocols for handling and cleaning these materials can help prevent the spread of diseases like HIV and hepatitis.

Biotoxins are another concern. Biotoxins are poisonous substances that come from plants, bacteria, animals, and other biological sources. Depending on the substance, reactions can occur even after short-term exposure. Ongoing exposure can cause more severe reactions and increase the resistance of toxins to decontamination efforts. Prompt management is crucial to preventing widespread reactions and illness.

Ignoring the potential for infection from a biological hazard can also put those cleaning up the mess at risk. Anyone who comes in contact with the contaminated materials is at risk for illness unless they have the proper personal protective equipment and training. Assigning or allowing someone without that knowledge to clean up can harm their health.

2. Community Spread of Disease 

The COVID-19 pandemic is a prime example of how biological hazards can cause the spread of disease throughout communities. Biological agents like viruses can spread rapidly, infecting anyone who comes in contact with them. Without effective management, these biological hazards create the possibility of widespread outbreaks that disrupt daily life.

It’s not just viruses that can cause a major illness outbreak, though. Mold spores can travel through the air and make people sick. Mold can come from poorly maintained HVAC systems, water damage, and other sources, creating a significant risk to human health. 

3. Lawsuits 

Ignoring biological hazards or not investing in proper cleanup can spell legal trouble, especially for businesses that put employees or customers at risk for health problems. You are responsible for protecting others’ well-being, and failing to do so can leave you vulnerable to costly lawsuits. You may be liable to pay damages to individuals who can prove their illness is due to your negligence in managing biohazards. 

Infectious materials require special handling, and not following protocols creates an ongoing risk. If you know a problem exists but choose to ignore it, the consequences will likely be more severe than if you take responsibility and proactively address the issue. Even if you clean and sanitize after incidents involving biological hazards, you may need more than those efforts to prevent a lawsuit. At the very least, you may face fines and fees from government agencies.

4. Environmental Hazards 

Biohazards present risks to human health but can also cause environmental concerns. Proper waste disposal is critical when it comes to biological agents. Items like hypodermic needles, contaminated clothing, and human waste require special handling to avoid the risk of spreading disease. In other words, biohazards don’t belong in regular business or household garbage. 

For example, hypodermic needles require special handling. Disposing of them in the regular garbage and not a sharps container can put others at risk for a puncture wound. In addition to causing injury, a needle contaminated with blood or other biological hazards can cause infection and illness.  

Improper disposal of biological hazards can contaminate soil, water, and plants. It can also make animals sick, furthering the spread of disease. Professional cleanup crews take all necessary precautions to ensure biohazards are contained, preventing these issues.

5. Health Code Violations 

If you run a business, you must comply with local health codes to ensure the safety of clients and employees, and ignoring a known biohazard is a serious violation. It can result in consequences ranging from fines to suspension of your business license. Even if the biological hazard is due to an accident or other emergency unrelated to your business, you’re responsible for cleanup to protect human health.

Calling a professional biohazard cleanup service ensures you comply with health codes. They will decontaminate and sanitize the area, ensuring it’s safe without putting your employees at risk. 

Get Help Managing Biological Hazards from the Professionals of Restorerz Emergency Services 

At this point, you might be asking, “What is biohazard cleanup, and how is it different from other cleaning?” Essentially, it’s a type of cleaning that takes into account the individual hazards and risks they cause and uses advanced cleaning, decontamination, and disposal methods to protect human health. It requires special techniques and equipment to eliminate danger and ensure compliance with all applicable safety codes and rules.

If you’re dealing with biological hazards in your home or business, you need help and fast. Don’t ignore the issue or wait to get help with it. Call the experts of Restorerz Emergency Services at (323) 997-4978, and a crew will arrive within 60 minutes to evaluate the situation and create a plan to address it. The infectious materials will be safely collected and disposed of, and you can rest easy knowing your space is clean and safe. 

Biohazard cleanup crews specialize in removing and cleaning harmful substances from businesses and homes. But what is biohazard cleanup, and what does it involve? The team at Restorerz is here to tell you everything you need to know about cleaning biohazards.

Contact us today for reliable biohazard cleanup contractors in Los Angeles!

Biohazard Definition

Biohazard is short for “biological hazard” and refers to materials and substances that are harmful to animal and human health. Biohazards include a wide range of common and uncommon substances, such as mold, fungus, waste, industrial chemicals, or pests. 

Biohazard cleanup is the specialized removal and disposal of these kinds of harmful substances. Biohazard cleanup requires special equipment and techniques due to the nature of the removed substances. Biohazard cleanup is also a core part of crime scene management. 

Biohazard Levels

In the US, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) identifies four biohazard levels based on how much risk and danger they pose. Substances in different biohazard levels require different cleanup procedures and safety precautions. 

• Level 1 – Minimal Threat 
• Level 2 – Moderate Threat 
• Level 3 – High Risk 
• Level 4 – Life-Threatening 

Even Level 1 hazards can cause disease in humans, so homeowners and employers must take all biohazards seriously. Below are some common examples of different types of hazardous substances. 

• Bodily fluids (fluids that transmit disease, e.g., saliva, blood, urine, feces, bile, etc.)
• Bacteria and other infectious agents (e.g., HIV, tuberculosis, Ebola, etc.)
• Animal waste/byproducts (e.g., carcasses, droppings, pests, etc.)
• Medical waste (e.g., tissue samples, lab cultures, surgery/autopsy byproducts)
• Fungus and mold (e.g., black mold, aspergillus, chaetomium, etc.) 

Situations That Require Biohazard Cleanup

So, what is biohazard cleanup, and when is it necessary? If you have a situation involving any harmful biological or chemical substance, you will need a biohazard cleanup crew. Common situations that might require a biohazard removal team include:

• Body cleanup after homicide, suicide, or unattended death
• Blood, fluid, and viscera from traumatic injuries
• Crime scene cleanup
• Chemical contamination from industrial accidents
• Locations with disease outbreaks
• Sewage back up
• Fungal and mold infestations in old properties
• Pest or animal infestations and animal byproducts

How Does Biohazard Cleanup Work?

The biohazard cleaning process is much more in-depth and thorough than regular cleaning. Biohazard cleaning crews have the training to catch common spots that routine cleaning overlooks, like wall siding, door handles, light switches, table undersides, and more. Biohazard cleanup must be precise because even small waste remnants can cause harm. 

Most cleanup jobs start with the team creating a clean zone where they can enter and exit the contaminated area without spreading waste. After donning appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), they will identify affected areas and start removing the primary biowaste mass before cleaning all affected areas. 

Afterward, removal teams will dispose of the waste according to local regulations before performing final safety tests. Most states have specific rules for disposing of bodily fluids and other biological waste. Removal methods may involve proper bagging and warning labels. Depending on the scope of the contamination, cleanup can be time-consuming. 

Biohazards often have destructive properties, so a good portion of cleanup will involve removing damaged objects, like floorboards, carpets, or wall sections. Moreover, most biohazard contamination occurs in areas poorly suited for sterilization and cleaning. Unfortunately, some contaminated surfaces might sustain damage beyond recovery and require replacement rather than restoration.

Biohazard Removal and Crime Scenes 

The majority of the criminal justice apparatus relies on small, independent contractors for crime scene cleanup and removal. There is no centralized coordination over who cleans crime scenes, so many police departments rely on referrals from other departments and local companies.

Crime scene cleanup can involve homicides but also involves meth lab sterilization and the removal of products of criminal activity. Most jurisdictions have relatively few regulations on how biohazard situation cleanup occurs but do have rules about the transportation and disposal of waste materials. 

Biohazard Cleanup FAQ

Below are some of the common questions about biohazard cleanup that we receive. 

How Long Does Biohazard Cleanup Take?

Most biohazard cleanup jobs take a few hours at minimum. However, actual cleanup times depend on the type and severity of the hazard. Some cleanup jobs may take a few days to complete. 

Does Biohazard Cleanup Require Certification?

No, biohazard cleanup does not require official education and certification. Most biohazard cleaning employees receive OSHA training and on-the-job experience removing hazardous materials. However, cleanup crews must abide by local and state regulations for biohazard disposal. 

Can I DIY Clean Biohazard Waste?

Homeowners and business owners might want to DIY clean biohazardous waste to save costs, but we do not recommend it. Biohazard removal requires specific cleaning materials and removal methods. Professional cleaning crews have training and experience handling a wide variety of removal jobs. Additionally, improper disposal of certain hazardous materials can be a crime, so it’s a good idea to hire an expert who knows the proper disposal methods. 

Will Insurance Cover Biohazard Cleanup?

Yes, most homeowners insurance policies will cover cleanup costs due to suicide, crime, unattended death, medical emergencies, and infectious agents. Your insurance policy may also cover mold removal and cleaning if it results from a covered peril.

Does Hoarding Count as a Biohazard?

Yes, hoarding behaviors often involve biological substances and other hazardous materials. Mold, fungus, and growths are other common results of hoarding behaviors. Depending on the scale of hoarding and the damage, you may need to hire a biological hazard cleanup crew.  

How Much Does Biohazard Cleaning Cost?

Biohazard cleanup costs can vary significantly but typically average about several thousands of dollars. Biohazard removal is expensive because of the need for PPE and specialized sterilization tools/techniques. Biohazardous materials may also cause property damage to floorboards, walls, yards, and furniture. 

Hazardous Material Removal and Restoration

Now that you know the answer to “what is biohazard cleanup,” read our blog to see answers to other questions about biohazard removal, such as “when do you need mold remediation?” Contact Restorerz online or call today at (323) 997-4978 to schedule emergency damage restoration services!