Most of us only know that death is messy because of popular television shows like Law and Order and CSI, which show a lot of violent deaths. Police officers, paramedics, and crime scene investigators show up at the scene, checking the victim, questioning witnesses, gathering evidence, and removing the body. But one thing you don’t see is the cleanup.
Removing the evidence of a violent death or accident has traditionally been the responsibility of the victim’s family – depending on where the incident occurred, of course – and it was not until recently that cleaning companies began handling this difficult job. Crime scene cleaning requires a significant amount of training, special knowledge, and the proper tools to do the job effectively. However, there are still a lot of misconceptions about this industry. In view of this, we at Scene Clean, Inc. are providing some answers to the most common crime scene cleanup questions:
1. What Does Crime Scene Cleaning Involve?
The jobs that crime scene cleaners perform don’t always involve a crime scene. Our professionals are tasked with clearing and decontaminating locations and disposing of hazardous waste properly, which covers a broad range of circumstances. Though their most well-known jobs may be crime scene and suicide cleanup, they also handle tear gas, industrial accidents, hoarding, and decomposing people and animals. Certified, thoroughly trained technicians restore the scene to its pre-incident state, and each situation is carefully assessed to determine the best way to remove affected items such as furniture and wallpaper.
Crime scene professionals must also understand the federal regulations involving blood borne pathogens and biohazard decontamination. State and federal laws require that a biohazard cleanup company store records of where items were disposed of and who handled them.
2. Who is Responsible for Crime Scene Cleanup?
In most instances, it is the responsibility of the property owner to have the scene cleaned and decontaminated. This means that if the incident occurred in the home, the family would be responsible; if a crime or accident occurred at a business, the company or individual who owned it would have to make arrangements; etc.
3. How Long Does Crime Scene Cleanup Take?
The length of time cleanup takes depends on the severity and extent of the damage and the amount of manpower involved in remedying it. In most cases, it takes 4 to 8 hours to fully restore a space to its former condition; however, some larger tasks may require two days.
4. Is Crime Scene Cleanup Dangerous?
It can be. If there is blood at the scene and it contains pathogens, a person handling the cleanup might be at risk if not properly protected. Sharp objects like broken glass and knives also have to be taken into account, as well as any substances that are dangerous to inhale. That is one of the reasons that it’s important to hire trained professionals with equipment suitable for handling these situations. Your average homeowner or worker is in much more danger when trying to manage this daunting undertaking.
5. Why Hire a Crime Scene Cleanup Company?
Aside from the physical risks, family members, friends or others who try to clean up after a violent death or accident usually find the task tiring and emotionally overwhelming. In addition, there are often other arrangements to be made in the wake of incidents of this sort – and these will often occupy enough time and energy to make cleaning up impractical, at best. For these and several other reasons, many families and businesses hire our crime scene cleanup company to remediate their spaces.
To learn more about crime scene cleanup, if you have any questions or are searching for a crime scene cleanup company, contact us today.
