Homeless encampments are congregations of homeless individuals in areas that may be secluded, have access to various resources, or provide natural shelter from the elements.
While these areas may have several benefits to homeless people, they can also be much more dangerous than somewhat controlled environments like shelters.
In some cases homeless encampments are found in abandoned buildings in Phoenix and surrounding cities in Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale, Peoria, Goodyear, Avondale, Tolleson, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Queen Creek, and Apache Junction, Arizona.
Homeless Encampments, homeless camps or homeless communities are sometimes found in public property, or parks and also on private property behind buildings or on vacant land as in the above video, behind a commercial building in Phoenix. Often they are found in abandoned buildings or abandoned homes or properties as well. In all cases, regardless of the location, the abandoned homeless community or encampment is loaded with potential biohazards and biohazardous materials left behind which is why it is very important to contact a biohazard cleanup company like Affinity Bio Solutions of Arizona to do a biohazard assessment prior to clean-up of the property or building.
The risk of biohazard present is very high with homeless encampments and abandoned buildings and homes including hypodermic needles, drug paraphernalia or makeshift drug labs, blood, human waste, animal waste, sharp objects (visible or unseen), unpleasant odors, bloodborne pathogens, and chemical hazards.
Drug use, increased criminal activity, and other hazards can cause these makeshift shelters to be quite dangerous for homeless individuals and nearby communities.
Patrons of businesses may feel uncomfortable or unsafe when entering or leaving premises with homeless encampments nearby, which can affect profitability. It is a difficult situation for all involved. Affinity Bio Solutions of Arizona is experienced in cleaning up homeless encampments and abandoned buildings for businesses, city municipalities, local police and individual real estate investors where a rental property trashed by squatters or homeless persons.
Call Affinity Biosolutions of Arizona at 602-361-1556 with any questions regarding homeless encampment and abandoned building cleanup in Phoenix and potential biohazard situation that may be present.
Neighboring communities often witness an increase in crime, and exposure to homeless encampments by school-aged children in some neighborhoods can be disturbing and dangerous for them.
Homeless encampment cleanup contractors like Affinity Bio Solutions AZ are necessary to help municipalities and businesses ensure community safety and avoid possible injury to staff or volunteers without appropriate training or experience to take on such tasks.
Some potential dangers at transient camps that volunteers or workers can be exposed to include: hypodermic needles, drug paraphernalia or makeshift drug labs, blood, human waste, animal waste, sharp objects (visible or unseen), unpleasant odors, bloodborne pathogens, and chemical hazards. These are just a few examples of potential hazards at homeless camps which can be categorized further into physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic hazards, or human factors, and are explained further in our homeless encampment cleanup blog. These factors do create a liability for companies where homeless camps encroach on their property as community members, service workers, and customers are exposed to them. It is possible to be ticketed by the city/county a business is in for not addressing homeless encampment sites, but may also offer resources or help, and are generally the first step in reporting and resolving these issues.
Affinity Bio Solutions AZ is available to work with local governments and commercial clients to provide homeless encampment removal services that are effective and eliminate customer liability. With the ability to bring in heavy equipment, trained technicians with PPE, 40-yard dumpsters, and to remove and dispose of hazardous materials with our license to transport biohazardous and medical waste, we are able to safely and effectively remediate homeless encampments of any size. Our staff is able to sort through and remove general trash or potentially hazardous materials, clean and disinfect the general area, and provide odor remediation services as needed. Our certifications in crime scene cleanup, odor remediation, and OSHA safety practices make us an ideal candidate for homeless camp control. Each situation can differ in scope and severity, so we offer a no-obligation visit to the site so we may provide a free estimate and begin work on a homeless encampment safety plan specific to the site itself. Please contact Affinity Bio Solutions AZ today with any questions you may have about homeless encampment removal and cleanup.
A homeless encampment can be thought of as a place where homeless people congregate and live in makeshift shelters.
Homeless encampments can pop up in a variety of places, most are out of sight and offer some form of shelter from the elements. Homeless encampments may be present on city property or property owned by businesses.
Homeless encampments may block easements and access to businesses, making potential customers or members of the general public feel less safe and more likely to avoid the general area. Criminal activity often increases in and around homeless encampments, these areas can become cluttered and hazardous to one’s health.
Trip hazards, sharp objects, syringes, and gross filth can be hazardous for those living in homeless encampments and anyone who may enter the general area. With little or no access to showers or items needed for personal hygiene, infection/disease may spread more easily.
nce the police have cleared the area, skid steers or other heavy equipment is often necessary to place most items into 40-yard dumpsters. For medical sharps and biohazardous waste, appropriate containers must be used and the company transporting these items to a medical waste disposal facility should have the appropriate license to transport such material. Appropriate personal protective equipment based on a hazard assessment/site safety assessment should also be worn.
or most companies, the liability associated with using one’s own staff to take care of a homeless encampment on property is usually too high. With the Arizona heat and other risk factors such as sharps and biohazardous waste present, it is often more practical to call a homeless encampment cleanup company. The technicians used by companies like Affinity Bio Solutions are trained in the appropriate use of personal protective equipment, are certified to work with potentially infectious materials safely, and are familiar with possible on-site hazards and how to avoid them.
Affinity Bio Solutions of Arizona provides professional, OSHA Approved and IICRC Trained biohazard clean up services for crime scenes, trauma scenes, and Hoarded Environment or hoarding disorder home cleanup, unattended deaths, blood and bodily fluid cleanup and odor removal and odor remediation services. Sometimes the crime or trauma scene could be a crime scene like a murder or a car accident with serious injury or possibly a fatality. Trauma scenes could be a suicide scene that needs to be cleaned up after the police and coroner have completed their work.
In the case of homeless encampments there is the potential for dangerous biohazards or sharp objects like needles or broken shards of glass.
Affinity Bio Solutions serves the entire state of Arizona and the Phoenix Arizona Valley including Glendale, Scottsdale, Peoria, Goodyear, Surprise, Sun City, Avondale and in the East Valley Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler and Apache Junction. So from Flagstaff to Tucson or Yuma to Payson and Prescott, allow Affinity bio solutions to be your professional bio-hazard, crime scene, trauma scene or hoarded home cleanup company in Arizona. For more information give us a call at 623-361-1556
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In the video to the right, First 4 News in Phoenix reports on the homeless situation in Phoenix and Maricopa County in Arizona. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
