Affinity Bio Solutions of Arizona provides biohazard cleanup and biohazard disposal services including crime scene cleanup, trauma scene cleanup and hoarder home cleanup, throughout Arizona including, Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Sun City, Wickenburg, Goodyear, Avondale, Litchfield Park, Buckeye, Mesa, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Anthem, Tempe, Cave Creek, Gilbert, Chandler, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Gold Canyon, Globe and Apache Junction.
The term Biohazard Cleanup encompasses many services offered by crime scene cleanup companies, but it is primarily focused on the removal or reduction in contaminants that are hazardous to humans and pets.
The term Biohazard Cleanup has become more loosely affiliated with janitorial and restoration services due to the rise of Covid-19 cleaning. However, biohazards are strictly related to biological hazards such as blood, and bodily fluids more commonly found at crime scenes.
A biohazard cleanup is often necessary as the result of a death in the home, when an individual experiences bacterial or virucidal infection, or if a person is known to have a communicable disease and a blood cleanup is needed after an accident or medical incident.
Biohazard cleanup services are almost always necessary after an unattended death has occurred inside a property, as the risk associated with bloodborne pathogens is heightened due to the lack of medical history of the deceased. Additionally, specialized biohazard cleaning techniques may be required if the deceased is known to have bacterial, virucidal, or even fungal infections as many of these can be communicable and require specific mitigation and disposal.
Whether this type of service is needed in the home or place of business, the focus is to restore the property to a safe condition so inhabitants or customers can rest assured there is no longer any risk to them.
It is difficult to speak about the need for biohazard cleanup services without first discussing some of the dangerous bloodborne pathogens that may be encountered and their prevalence. The classification system used to discuss the risks to human health associated with these bacteria and viruses is the Biohazard Safety Levels (BSL). It is important to note that these classifications are designed primarily for laboratory settings. Meaning that the expectation is that no matter how low the BSL level, some types of precautionary measures are always in place and the people working in the contaminated environments are trained to do so.
BSL1 (Less Common): Not likely to cause disease, minimal potential hazard to residents and the environment, does not require a containment, an example of this pathogen could be E.Coli and spores typically found in dirt. Although no containment is required and the risks associated with BSL 1 pathogens are relatively low, PPE such as gloves and an N-95 should still be worn during the cleanup process. Safe work practices and biohazard cleanup training are helpful in maintaining safety and all contaminated materials should be decontaminated before disposal.
BSL 2 (Most Common):
Most trauma scenes, blood cleanup situations, or biohazard cleanup scenes will fall under the BSL 2 category. The risk is increased to moderate as these contaminants can lead to diseases of varying severity. Precautions are now upgraded to include a containment necessary for each contaminated area, P100 type respiratory protection, water resistant coveralls, protective gloves, eye protection, and other safety measures.
Protection from infection via inhalation, ingestion, breaks in the skin, or via mucous membranes must be avoided. As with most biohazard cleanup scenes, any dried contaminants such as dried blood, may become increasingly hazardous when cleanup begins as they can become aerosolized. Negative air pressure should be maintained in areas where decontamination is taking place, residents, staff, or customers should not be permitted to access the areas, and appropriate methods of decontamination or disposal are required.
Some examples of pathogens included in this BSL level are: Hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, staphylococcus aureus, and herpes simplex viruses. A biohazard cleanup company such as Affinity Bio Solutions AZ with a license to transport and dispose of medical waste and the appropriate training to maintain the safety of workers and other people should be called for contamination events at this biosafety level.
BSL 3 (Common):
At this safety level, the microbes involved are often able to cause serious or potentially lethal disease through inhalation or other means of transmission. Precautions are increased to include full-face respiratory protection and chemical-resistant coveralls in addition to the PPE required at lower safety levels. In laboratory or biohazard cleanup settings access must be restricted to necessary personnel only and work must be carried out
within a containment that has a directional airflow component. Air scrubbing or purification methods should not be set up to recirculate, negative directional airflow is needed to remove airborne contaminants as decontamination cleaning takes place.
Examples of some of the pathogens included at this BSL are Clostridium Difficile (C-Diff), Tuberculosis, West Nile Virus, and contaminants associated with clandestine drug labs. Starting at BSL 3, disinfectants, antimicrobials, and other decontaminating or cleaning agents become more specific; therefore, biohazard cleanup training and experience is necessary, and in many cases, it is appropriate to consult with an industrial hygienist. Broad spectrum disinfectants and standard decontamination practices are unlikely to be effective at BSL 3, so clients should be cautious when selecting the right biohazard cleanup company, and avoid cleaning BSL 2 or BSL 3 scenes themselves.
BSL 4 (Rare): Sites at this level are extremely rare and would contain pathogens such as Ebola or Marburg Viruses. Due to the heightened possibility of transmission of these microbes, their lethality, and lack of treatments or vaccines for them, they are often heavily regulated and dealt with at only a few labs in the U.S. They are beyond the scope of most or all biohazard cleanup companies that would normally provide services like blood cleanup and crime scene cleanup services.
How Does This Relate to Biohazard Cleanup Services?
When a situation occurs at a home or place of business, clients may be unsure whether it is necessary to call a biohazard cleanup company and how to select the best biohazard cleanup company for them. An understanding of the seriousness of the situation can help in making decisions about the cleanup process and whether any additional precautions are needed, such as leaving the home or closing the place of business temporarily. A biohazard cleanup company should also understand the importance of the biosafety levels and how to adjust decontamination procedures accordingly to maintain the safety of its staff, clients, and the general public.
Depending on the situation, it may also be a good idea to contact one’s homeowners’ insurance carrier to check for coverage. A blood cleanup or biohazard cleanup involving a BSL 3 microbe like C-Diff for example requires specific sporicidal disinfectants, equipment, and experience to decontaminate. Some porous items may also need to be discarded and replaced; calling a company like Affinity Bio Solutions AZ that understands this can help when working with insurance to get the situation remediated correctly the first time with less cost to the client.
Affinity Bio Solutions of Arizona is an IICRC Certified Firm. The IICRC is The Institute of Inspection Biohazard Cleaning and Restoration Certification which is the premier education provider in the Cleaning, Inspection and Restoration Industries.
Affinity Bio Solutions of Arizona provides quality biohazard cleanup services for crime scenes, trauma scenes, auto accident biohazards, unattended deaths and body decomposition, suicide scenes, blood and bodily fluids, hoarder homes and hoarding houses, homeless encampments, abandoned building cleanup, blood borne pathogen and biohazard cleaning, medical waste pick-up and disposal and odor remediation and odor cleanup.
Our certified biohazard cleanup services are provided throughout the Phoenix Valley, Maricopa County and the State of Arizona including the Cities of Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Avondale, Goodyear, Surprise, Sun City, Peoria, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler, Apache Junction, San Tan Valley, Queen Creek, Fountain Hills, Anthem, Litchfield Park, Buckeye, Wickenburg, Prescott, Flagstaff, Sedona, Cottonwood, Payson, Florence, Gila Bend, Yuma, Globe, Casa Grande, Showlow, and Tucson including the Phoenix East Valley and the Phoenix West Valley in Maricopa County and Pinal County.
Contact the Biohazard Cleanup Experts in Arizona at 602-361-1556
