Common Types of Biohazards We Clean
Cleaning up an area infected with biohazards (biohazardous materials) is a job that takes a lot of empathy, training and special care.
Whether it’s to clean up a crime scene, trauma scene, drug lab, scientific lab or accident with an animal, encounters with biohazards are more common than we think, and the potential risks we need to avoid are quite excessive.
Before we get into the specific types, let’s start with the basics, what exactly is a biohazard?
What is a Biohazard?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), biohazards are “infectious agents or hazardous biological materials that present a risk or potential risk to the health of humans, animals, or the environment.”
This risk can present itself in many ways, including direct contact through infection from humans and animals or as an indirect risk through damage to the environment around us.
These biohazardous materials include a long list of organisms, viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, allergens, toxins, venoms, and the list goes on…
But at First Response, we don’t commonly clean and disinfect each one of these biohazards. Some biohazards are more common than others, some are more dangerous and others are extremely difficult to clean.
List of Our Commonly Cleaned Types of Biohazard
Human Blood, Tissue & Bodily Fluids
Two areas where we are required to clean biohazards are crime scenes and trauma scenes. At these very unfortunate scenes, usual biohazards include blood and other bodily fluids.
While blood or bodily fluids themselves are not directly a biohazard, they may contain blood-borne pathogens which can cause possible illness and disease upon contact.
Without proper protection and preparation, cleaning these biohazards leaves you heavily at risk.
Not to mention the added element of gore that can be present at these scenes, and the emotional toll that cleaning a crime or trauma scene can have on your mental health.
As the local professionals of biohazard cleaning, we are often asked to relieve others of this stressful and dangerous situation.
Animal Waste
Whether it be animal remains from a vehicle accident, or unknown animal feces in your yard, it’s always best to hire professionals for biohazard cleaning.
Anything that remains after the death of an animal, such as bones, carcasses, blood or organs, can contain harmful pathogenic organisms, viruses or bacteria.
While it may seem simple and easy to clean up animal waste, the dangers are present and proper care is necessary.
Sharp Waste
Scalpels, needles, broken glass, iv tubing with a needle attached, our general rule is that if it’s sharp, it needs to be disposed of properly.
Sharp waste can be found in a number of locations or scenarios, including drug lab remediations, scientific lab cleanup, and much more.
While sharp waste may seem much less dangerous than others on this list, they are still a biohazard by all means.
Needles and scalpels for example, could have come in contact with human blood, or tissue, leaving you at high risk of many unwanted possible infections.
Microbiological Waste
Discarded cultures, scientific dishes and contaminated medical devices are often the cause of or in close contact with possibly harmful biohazardous waste.
This is especially the case in universities and research labs where viruses, bacteria and microbes are heavily studied and cultured.
Biohazard Disposal & Cleaning in Eastern Ontario
Do you have an emergency situation that might require professional biohazard cleaning in Ottawa, Kingston, Cornwall, Belleville or surrounding areas?
For all biohazard cleanup and extreme cleaning needs, you can rely on First Response.
At First Response, we have an established reputation in providing reliable, professional extreme cleaning services and have the certifications to handle any extreme situation. If you need biohazardous materials cleaned, contact us.
