Bill Tyrrell is the owner and founder of the company, Triage Bio Cleaning Services, which he started in 2008 after combating a mold problem in his former place of employment. In addition to doing mold testing and remediation, Triage Bio Cleaning offers a complete methamphetamine lab testing and cleanup as well as crime scene cleanup. Here, Tyrrell outlines how and why you should hire a pro to clean up a crime scene.
A lot of people don’t really understand what constitutes a crime scene until they themselves step into one. The term crime scene technically refers to any area where a crime has taken place. Unfortunately, theses places are most often in peoples’ homes. Tragic events such as murders and suicides often occur in private domiciles and houses. Naturally, whenever such an event occurs, the police, ambulance services or fire departments are called first. Of course emergency services do the most important work in these situations, but one aspect of the job they do not handle: the cleanup.
Crime scenes are often disturbing and gory places. A murder or suicide is never pleasant, but the effect and mess left behind can enhance the trauma if not dealt with soon after. Crime scene cleanup professionals are the second call you should always make after a crime has taken place. Don’t try and deal with the cleanup yourself. Here’s why:
- Psychological Trauma – It’s true that the owner of a residence is actually responsible for its cleanup. Still, no one should ever be forced to clean up the remains of a friend or loved one. The trauma of performing such a cleanup can be devastating and the impact of engaging in such an act can scar a person for life. For this reason, the best crime scene cleanup crews are given special sensitivity training and can tactfully interact with a bereaved family while not falling apart at the same time. Not everyone has the thick skin required to clean up pieces of other human beings. Fortunately, professional crime scene cleanup crews are well trained to deal with even the worst tragedies.
- Biohazard Dangers – Federal regulations assert that all body fluids are considered biohazards. As such, only a person trained in removing biohazard materials should clean a crime scene contaminated by bodily matter. This isn’t merely an overly cautious suggestion; blood and tissue are truly dangerous substances that can easily lead to infection. Often a small splatter or stain on a wall or floor only indicates that what lies beneath is a much larger pool of human detritus. Only someone equipped with the tools (such as biohazard suits, non porous gloves, and breathing apparatus) and training should attempt to clean up this kind of mess. Often a crime scene that even appears relatively clean can hide an invisible mess of bacteria and other dangerous pathogens. Only someone with the proper apparatus to completely disinfect the domicile should be called in to clean it up.
- Disposing of Waste – Obviously, you can’t simply throw biohazard or human remains into the trash. Anyone transporting this kind of waste requires special permits and equipment to do so. In addition to transporting issues, crime scene cleaners have to pay a medical disposal company to dispose of human waste by burning it in a special incinerator. The medical waste companies generally charge by the pound and will only burn a minimum amount of waste. For this reason, crime scene cleanup companies will often store biohazard waste until they have enough to dispose of.
There are so many good reasons not to attempt a crime scene cleanup on your own, yet oddly enough few states govern or regulate the practice. With the exception of laws that regulate the transport of biohazard waste, virtually any methodology used in crime scene cleanup can be attempted by anyone. Crime scene cleanup organizations regulate and set certain standards for the industry. So, if a crime has been committed on your property, the best thing you can do is to contact these institutions for a recommendation. Your local police and fire department will always do their job to the utmost, but what happens afterword is up to you. Choose a professional cleanup specialist and you will be assured a safe comfortable home you can rest easy in for years to come.
