What Are The Dangers Associated With Trauma Cleaning?

CONTENTS

• Who will attend the event of a trauma?
• What health risks are present at a trauma scene?
  • Pathogens
  • Biohazards
  • Insects & pests
  • Foul odours
• What PPE is worn to prevent the development of health risks?
• Sensitivity and discretion
• The decontamination process
• If you have been affected by a traumatic event
• Get in touch

In the event of a trauma, the likelihood of health and safety issues arising is high. Professional cleaning services must follow strict government regulations during a trauma clean up, including how to remove biohazardous waste.

Examples of areas traumatic cleaning covers are: homicides, suicides, undiscovered deaths, crime scenes and road traffic accidents. As these events are of a sensitive nature, professional services will approach the situation with caution and care. Here at ICE Cleaning, this is one of our priorities during the trauma clean up, including arriving on site in unmarked vehicles to ensure your confidentiality.

Below are details about what is required for trauma cleaning, including what the health risks are and how the decontamination process works. This is a difficult time for anyone to experience, but professional cleaning teams can help you through the process.

 Who will attend the event of a trauma?

This depends on the type of traumatic event that has taken place. For instance, in the case of an undiscovered death or a road traffic accident, emergency services will be required to attend first. This could be to determine if the scene is the result of a crime, or to deal with all necessary matters before clean-up of the site begins.

Once they have said the site is safe to enter, then trauma cleaning services can be brought to the site. Here at ICE Cleaning, we are specialists in this area and are accredited members of organisations such as the National Association of Crime Scene Cleaners (NACSC) and IOSH. We are also qualified to dispose of any materials found on the site for your ease of mind.

What health risks are present at a trauma scene?

There are many health risks associated with a trauma scene that should be dealt with correctly and thoroughly. It is important that these are treated in the correct manner to help prevent the development of disease. Below are some examples of the dangers you may come across at these sites.

Pathogens

These are organisms that attach themselves to a host, where they will cause diseases to develop. Examples of pathogens include fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Pathogens will go on to infect more organisms when they spread from their original host. For more information on how viruses are treated during a trauma clean up, please click here.

Biohazards

Examples of biohazards include human blood, needles, and bodily fluid. They are biological materials that are a serious health concern at trauma scenes. As they are classed as dangerous, it is important that they are eradicated from the site as soon as they are identified.

Exposure to biohazards such as drug paraphernalia in the form of needles can lead to the development of diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis C. Trauma cleaning services are necessary to remove these dangers from the site.

Insects & pests

Particularly prevalent in the event of a body decomposition, insects and pests are used to establish how long the corpse has been in that state. A professional trauma clean up team will remove pests and insects from the environment – do not attempt this yourself.

They will work to create a safe and deeply cleaned site free of these hazards. To find out more about the services we offer in the event of an unexpected death, please click here.

Foul odours

Unpleasant smells are likely to have a high presence in these circumstances. It is not wise to leave these untreated, as they can become increasingly difficult to get rid of the longer they are left.

What PPE is worn to prevent the development of health risks?

As there are biohazards, pathogens, and other harmful entities likely to be present during a trauma clean up, personal protective equipment will need to be worn. The trauma cleaning services will wear gauntlet gloves during the clean up, as well as filtered masks to make breathing easier.

Stone-capped boots are often worn during the cleaning process as well to protective feet from hazards on the surrounding floor area. In some situations, respirators may also be worn to provide filtered air to the cleaning term to protect their safety.

Sensitivity and discretion

A fast response is crucial in the event of a trauma. This provides more chance of health risks being fully eliminated and cross-contamination being avoided. Additionally, quickness means that there is a stronger likelihood that stains will be removed from the affected area and not become permanent.

We are respected in the industry as trauma cleaning service specialists, and treat your personal situation with the respect and discretion it deserves. Our customer service team are available to contact 24/7 to help you through the process and if you have any questions.

The decontamination process

Pathogens, bacteria, and viruses are often present at the scene of the trauma. Standardised cleaning products are not adequate for this situation, so specialist equipment will be necessary. It is important that these harmful entities are removed from the site as soon as possible.

Cleaning teams will only be able to attend the scene once it has been approved by the authorities present. The affected area will be sealed off by professionals to prevent any cross-contamination.

The trauma cleaning process is very thorough, with the team detailing all health concerns on site. During the clean-up, bacteria will be eradicated to ensure the site is safe and clean once work has been completed.

Odour removal may also be necessary in an indoor environment. A trauma cleaning team will neutralise the odour with a deodorising solution to eliminate foul smells and bacteria.

If you have been affected by a traumatic event

Traumatic events are distressing and upsetting for those who have witnessed or been affected by them. It is important at this time that you do not feel alone. If you do find you’re struggling or need someone to talk to, please contact your local GP. There are also charities who can provide you with support, like Mind or ptsduk.org. They also have useful resources and information on their website if you are unsure what help you might need.

Get in touch

If you would like to find out more about the trauma cleaning services we offer, please contact us on 0208 066 0360 or enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk. Our dedicated customer service team will be here to help you every step of the way.