As a term, crime scene cleanup means more than blood cleanup. It means returning an entire death or trauma scene to its pre-incident condition, biologically. Crime scene cleanup means removal of blood, blood soiled objects, and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM).

Crime scene cleanup serves as an umbrella term for homicide, suicide, and unattended death cleanup. Each type of death cleanup has similarities and differences. Each requires thorough cleaning and complete decontamination, sanitizing.
        

Because of blood's splatter and migration, it may require deep cleaning to remove it. This means that pieces of floor covering may need removal. In some cases, pieces of floor may need removal. This occurs because of blood and OPIMs tendency to saturate building materials if it does not dry out first. Particularly with body fats turned to semi-liquid, saturation of wood floor or wall s may require demolition and special handling. For these reasons it's impotent for a crime scene cleanup company to begin work soon after police and other complete their investigations.

Sometimes it's not possible to begin cleaning in time to prevent some material damage. In these cases fluids and other materials, like tissues, may have dried out. In these cases removal may require special cleaning techniques, including suspension of corrosive cleaning and disinfections mixtures. This, as any crime scene cleanup work, we also call "biohazard cleanup" because like wet, moist, or dry flaky blood, tissue becomes a biohazard. Under such conditions, crime scene cleanup practitioners wear protective clothing.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration mandate that all employers ensure their employees have protection from bloodborne pathogens. Since all human blood carries pathogens, germs, in theory, all blood remains a threat when wet, moist, or dry and flaky. We must always consider such blood as universally dangerous to anyone working with it. As a matter of course, all employees must wear protection from exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

Protection from bloodborne pathogens may require gloves and mask; it may require a full body suit, "tyvek" for some. Those readers with a military background will recognize this type of protection. It has similarities to the Mission Oriented Protective Suit. Although, for size and durability it works in a commercial environment, not elsewhere. In any case, employee must feel comfortable to work. They must have protection from injuries and inoculation by blood and blood products.

       Homicide

Homicide Cleanup entails the same steps used in other types of blood cleanup tasks. Except, the debris field may cover a larger area. In cases of murder-suicide and mass murder, there's plenty more material to recover and a wider area to decontaminate. In such cases, enclosed cavities, such as drawers and closets, must undergo a thorough inspection. It happens during law enforcement's investigation that cavities open during the crime may become closed during investigations. As a result it's better to ensure no biological debris enters these areas. This task alone become labor intensive and time consuming.

Other areas of special note include sharps. Sharps arise as broken glass, forks, knives, and hypodermic needles. During drawer searches for bio-matter, needle-stick becomes a big concern. Where illegal drugs were used, needle-stick becomes a serious threat. Over 200 medical personnel receive deadly injuries from sharps and related objects each year in the United States; this gives testimony to the life-threatening germs in a biohazardous environment.

Among those germs of greatest threat, we find the Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV); its biological transition phase, Acquired Immune Deficiency Virus (AIDS) may arise within month or up to 10 years later. For this reason HIV and AIDS receive the utmost respect by professional cleaners. Readers may surmise that needle-stick for a young cleaner means a life-threatening change of life.

There are no cures for HIV or AIDS. There are treatments. Life saving drug cocktails taken on a daily basis help to keep these deadly viruses at bay. Victims cannot remove these threats entirely, though.

This same problem arises with hepatitis C. However, this virus has no life-saving cures outside of replacing a damaged kidney. Short of this anatomical replacement, hepatitis C victims face illness and death. Making hepatitis C a greater threat to crime scene cleaners, this virus does not die shortly after exposure to our environment. Reporters have noted that it has survived for 16 days in the wild, meaning open air. This places a particular threat to anyone entering or living within a blood soiled environment. For this reason and others, thorough cleaning and decontamination must have the highest priority.

Tools for wide-area decontamination help clear large areas of viruses and bacteria. Ozone, for one, helps to burn these pathogens in-place. A bleach and water solution helps to destroy their outer membranes. Commercial and professional chemical will often do enough to remove these germs. Cleaners must remain aware of blood cleanup hazards. Keeping distance, ensuring thorough hand washing and sanitizing, and proper handling of soiled materials helps greatly.

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