Blood decontamination | Biotrauma decontaminates blood-borne diseases

Tuesday March 31, 2009 - While blood decontamination following an accident or death might seem to be an easy task compared to other casualty situations, in reality this is one of the most dangerous biohazards. Blood-borne pathogens can cause disease and eventual death for those who come in contact with them. The most common blood-borne diseases include HIV, hepatitis-B and hepatitis-C, making blood decontamination essential to the public health. In fact, it is illegal for a non-professional to conduct crime scene clean-ups. In situations where blood is present, the trained professionals of Biotrauma can remove all traces of blood and restore the environment to its original state.

Even when blood is not visually detectable at a crime scene or other location of death, blood decontamination may still be necessary. Chances are it is still present in hidden areas, such as seeped into floorboard cracks or carpet, caked under a car seat, or splattered on bedding or furniture. Left untreated, hidden blood can result in mold, bacterial growth and fungus, which will cause additional environmental health risks down the road.

Biotrauma's knowledgeable, fully insured technicians know what to look for and how to properly conduct blood decontamination. For the reasons discussed above, law enforcement and emergency response personnel are not permitted to clean up in these situations, as gruesome and emotionally traumatizing as they may be for onlookers.

In situations involving on-the-job accidents and injuries, blood decontamination may still be necessary even though death is not involved. Co-workers are usually deeply affected by the scene of a traumatic injury, and using a staff member to clean up following such an event is not recommended. Generally, janitorial staff are also not prepared to tackle blood decontamination because they lack the training and certification necessary to handle biohazardous materials.

The Biotrauma team offers a host of specialized equipment to successfully complete blood decontamination. A few of the tools used include personal protective gear, sealed containers for biohazardous waste, industrial-strength cleaners and deodorizers, solvents, razors, steam cleaners, odor removal equipment, carpentry tools, and a van or truck to transport and dispose of waste.

Back to News & Articles