The process of a death and trauma clean up company unfortunately starts with the discovery of a tragedy. In this discovery, the person that is responsible often is looking for solutions to the obvious…who is going to clean this up?
This is where referrals or recommendations from family members, law enforcement, the coroner, or your insurance provider is crucial. If one is still looking for resources, a quick search of “death and trauma clean up companies” should populate. Look for those companies with great reviews from their customers.
When the call is received, the company will dispatch a team to the location of the incident. Upon arrival, the certified team will assess the scene and do what’s known as a “hazardous assessment” of the situation looking for necessary precautions to protect themselves and others from potential hazards, such as any biohazard material. This includes taking pictures of all items and areas affected with biohazard. They will convene with one another and determine the appropriate course of action.
At this time, they will report back to the customer their findings, their concerns, and the necessary steps needed to remediate all biohazard from the setting. Usually, there will be one person who will be the point of contact with the customer. This provides a level of trust and consistent communication. This person will record necessary information about the customer, the work to be performed, the estimate of costs and how they plan to pay (from out of pocket or an Insurance Claim), and get a signature to start work after handing them their terms and conditions.
If contracted, the next step is the actual cleaning and decontamination process. In the process of collecting information, the other team members should be setting up a “safe” area to don and doff their PPE. They should be acquiring all the tools, the cleaning chemicals, and miscellaneous items needed to complete the job. With the appropriate PPE, the team will then go to work cleaning and discarding all biohazard in properly marked bins and bags for disposal. We at SCU clean all blood and bodily fluids with a total of 3 different chemicals to assure all threats have been eliminated. The company should remove and dispose of any items that may have been contaminated or need to be replaced, such as carpeting or furniture that cannot be cleaned appropriately.
After the cleaning and decontamination process is completed, the team will conduct a final assessment of the scene with all eyes looking for anything missed. Depending on if odor is present, they will leave their odor elimination machines to clean and scrub the air trying to get fresh, new air in the space. They will do a final walk thru with the client with a detailed report of the services performed and any recommendations for further action.
Finally, the company will transport and handle the proper disposal of biohazardous materials and waste in compliance with local, state and federal regulations. If the job is through insurance, the company (with permission from the customer) can start the claim and talk with the insurance directly of all work performed, but only with permission.
It’s important to note that the process and steps may vary depending on the specific company, the type of incident, and the location. The overall objective of all death and trauma companies is to restore the site to a safe and habitable condition as quickly and efficiently as possible.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email us at [email protected]