WHAT DOES CRIME SCENE CLEANUP INVOLVE?

What does Crime Scene Cleanup Involve

Blood and other potentially harmful substances must be removed from crime scenes, and the area must be sanitized to stop the spread of disease. To ensure proper handling and disposal of biohazardous materials, this process needs specialized training and tools.

The goal of crime scene cleanup is to restore the affected area to its pre-incident state and to ensure the safety of those who may come into contact with the area. Crime scene cleanup companies also work with law enforcement to maintain the integrity of the crime scene investigation.

According to Wikipedia Crime Scene Cleanup is a term used for the forensic cleaning of blood bodily fluids and Other Potential Infectious Materials (OPIM).  Many businesses across the United State offer such services because with the rise of crime that we are currently seeing within our country there is a bigger need to clean up services.

Do I Need a Certification?

Although a certification or formal training is not needed within Crime Scene Cleanup career a basic understanding of licenses and waste disposal is some of the areas needed to know in the crime scene clean-up business as well as OSHA blood-borne pathogen training. Those who seek crime scene cleaning usually have backgrounds in military, law enforcement, EMT/Paramedic and know the gruesome physical/ mental stress, long hours, and hard work that is involved in this field.

What Safety Equipment Do I Need in the Crime Scene Cleanup Field?

There is always safety equipment within any field that a person goes in, and Crime Scene Cleanup is no different. The types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are listed below:

• NIOSH APPROVED PARTICULATE MASK
• Full Face Respirator and Replacement Cartridges
• Leather Gloves
• Heavy Exposure Latex Gloves
• 15 Mil High-Risk Medical Latex Gloves
• Biohazard BBP Rated Coverall
• Chemical Resistant Boot
• Protective Suit
• Non-Porous Gloves

Reliability

The integrity and confidentiality in being in crime scene cleanup are some of the most important, because of the privacy of individuals involved with the events that have taken place in the areas that are being cleaned. The harsh reality of the death of a loved one is bad enough and suspicions and rumors about the things that have or have not gone on in the areas that been cleaned and affected by the events that took place.

Just like all jobs, there are background checks the applicant must go through and pass before the person looking for employment may proceed to the next requirement before they may pass the pre-employment screening.  These are but not limited to

• Background Check
• Drug Screening

Because crime scene cleanup technicians go in all places of the affected and trusting your employees during the cleanup is one of the key things in this type of career.

Attention to Details is Important

This is a career that attention to details can be deadly if not properly taken care within the affect areas being cleaned. The reason for details is because the crime scene cleanup technicians are handling blood and bodily fluid waste and contaminates. If these types are not properly disposed of bacterial and other health-related issues not to mention the breakdown of materials of the residents or business such as drywall, wood floor, and rug/carpets.

How are We different than other cleaners?

Crime scene cleanup and biohazard clean-up are vastly different than the normal cleaning services that one sees every day on tv and newspapers.

The normal cleaning services have appointments and have specific hours and do daily cleanup that those that hired them do not have time or are unable to clean because of medical or age limitations.

Crime scene cleanup and biohazard cleaning services clean areas that have a biological and crime-related event related to the home or office such as but not limited to:

• Murder
• Suicide
• Accident
• Unattended Death
• Bodily fluid Cleaning
• Semen and vaginal secretion from carpets
• Tear Gas
• Hoarding Cleanup
• Any type of trauma-related events