After a crime or other traumatic event, it is the responsibility of the homeowner to clean up the mess. Fortunately, there are trauma scene clean-up professionals to handle this type of cleaning, which can reduce hazards and the trauma of handling the cleaning.
Biohazardous Waste
One of the most common hazards is encountering biohazardous waste. This includes any blood, excrement, or body parts left behind. The main threat when handling biohazardous waste is blood-borne illnesses. These include hepatitis and HIV. Other types of bodily fluids may have bacteria, which if not handled properly, can lead to E. coli, Norovirus, and other common viruses that can be found in the digestive and/or respiratory system. Protective suits are necessary to clean up and dispose of this waste. Additionally, the people doing the cleaning also have to be cognizant of any items that might puncture their protective garments and allow biohazardous material in, such as bone fragments or broken glass.
Drug Paraphernalia
Encountering biohazardous waste can also be a result of drug paraphernalia. The most common risk is encountering hypodermic needles or broken drug pipes. There are additional hazards associated with drug paraphernalia or the environment where people were using drugs. Unsafe handling of needles increases the risk of coming into contact with any drug residue left on the needle. The air quality in the area may be unsafe because of drug use and it may be important for people cleaning up to not only wear protective garments, but to also wear respirators to avoid inhaling fumes or smoke that could be toxic to them.
Smoke And Water
Fire can be part of a trauma scene. Depending on the extent of the fire, you may have to deal with structural instability before cleaning can begin. If the structure is deemed unsafe, it will have to be demolished. For structures that can be salvaged, you need to protect yourself from the smoke and water damage that was incurred when trying to put out the fire. In a confined area, the air quality after a fire may be poor and it could be dangerous to breathe in that air. Part of the cleaning process will be ventilating the area to make the air safer. Professionals will also need to address the water damage since it will be unsafe to encounter standing water in the area because it could be contaminated with bacteria or mold. Once the area is cleaned of standing water, smoke, and debris, then dried thoroughly, it may be safe to start the rebuilding process.
Cleaning up a trauma scene yourself is a bad idea. Not only is the process traumatic, but it could result in injury or illness.
