Blood Cleanup is Better Left to the Professionals

About 20% of Americans pass away at home every year. If the deceased were living alone, this is referred to as an unattended death. Unattended deaths are an often overlooked situation that can not only impact loved ones, but also those living in close proximity to the deceased. Just ask Ana Cardenas, a woman renting an apartment in El Paso, who found out first-hand how an unattended death can have lasting implications.

According to KTSM El Paso, “Cardenas woke up around 4 a.m. to the sound of something dripping. When she got up to see what the noise was, what she thought was rain was actually blood splattered across the walls, her bed, and her body. The blood, which covered parts of her bed, walls, furniture, and even her hair, was coming from her upstairs neighbor. Cardenas said it was a man who had died.”

KTSM did a walk-through of Cardenas's apartment after it was ‘disinfected’. The ceiling had been removed, but flies and a foul smell still lingered. These were clear signs that the apartment was not properly disinfected by a professional biohazard remediation company specializing in this type of loss mitigation.

Cleaning companies that offer biohazard remediation (in addition to other normal cleaning services) routinely underestimate the knowledge and experience necessary to guarantee full decontamination and disinfection of a property. Not to mention, they very rarely have the regulatory-required training, licensing, and exposure control practices to protect themselves and others in the proper remediation, transport, storage, and disposal of this federally recognized hazardous waste. 

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IN THIS SITUATION?

These are no ordinary circumstances, which is why you need to call a professional. Any reputable biohazard remediation professional that specializes in unattended death cleaning should provide you with:

• A dedicated customer care advisor who will always be available to answer questions and guide you through the remediation process

• A quickly dispatched local field team for an on-site assessment

• Proof of insurance and verification of proper licensing and bonding.

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSE TO AN UNATTENDED DEATH IS VITAL

The longer a person’s remains are unattended, the further along they will be in the decomposition process. It is well known that numerous volatile gases are produced during the autolysis, bloat, active decay, and skeletonization stages of the human body decomposition process. Aerosolized pathogens produced by a decompositional event are not only biological hazards but can adsorb onto and into nearly any surface as they diffuse into the surrounding area.

These decomposition byproducts are known to be harmful to humans and cause significant physical damage to the home or property. A decomposed body can impact a home’s livability in as little as a few hours in warm weather conditions. It is imperative that the scene of an unattended death be completely remediated, disinfected, deodorized, and tested for confirmation of cleaning.

It's important to note that not all biohazard remediation companies are created equal – many are generalists, few are true experts. When biohazards, blood, and bodily fluids are involved, you need a dependable expert to ensure proper environmental remediation and occupant protection from infectious pathogens. 

THE DANGERS OF BLOOD & BODILY FLUID

Unattended deaths can be contaminated with large amounts of blood and body fluids that may contain harmful bloodborne pathogens, including common agents like HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and MRSA. This is why it is crucial for a certified professional with extensive training to complete an unattended death cleanup and disinfection. 

HOW WE CAN HELP

BIOGONE is the northwest leading provider of biohazard remediation services and specializes in unattended death cleanup services to individual families, property managers, and commercial businesses. Our experts are available 24/7 to assist you. All of our services are performed by BIOGONE employees (no subcontractors), and we stand by our work with a 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee.

Contact us today for more information on our biohazard remediation services.