Crime Scene Cleanup
This is something that you never want to think about—crime scene cleanup. It’s something that needs to be done after a crime, and luckily, there are professionals that take care of this. You don’t have to do this on your own.
If there has been a crime at your home, the authorities will be there to help you. They will refer you to the trusted crime scene management in Charlotte, NC to clean up afterwards. They will also help you with other aspects of the crime scene.
This article will give you some information about crime scene cleanup. It will show you some of the things that are done. You can also do more research to find the information that you are seeking.
Shocking Facts
- Crime Scene Cleaners – Crime scene cleaners are not police officers like many people think. They do work closely with the authorities, but they are not working for them. They have their own jobs to do to clean up after the incident.
- They Deal with All Kinds of Violence – There are all kinds of violence that lead to crime scene cleanup including homicide, assault, sexual assault, suicide, and accidental death. There are other traumatic events that lead up to this, but these are the most common. These experienced people need to deal with all events in the same way —in a professional manner that cleans the scene completely.
- They Follow Strict Guidelines – When incidents happen, there are many biohazards that are spread around the scene. There could be blood, bodily fluids, and other hazardous materials. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, has strict guidelines that must be followed to make the area safe again.
- They Must be Trained and Certified – There are two main associations that train and certify crime scene cleaners. These are the National Institute of Decontamination Specialists, or NIDS, and the American Bio-recovery Association, or ABRA: https://www.nidstraining.com/courses/crime-scene-cleanup-training. These places will give training in bloodborne pathogens, handling hazardous materials, and cleaning techniques needed for homicide areas.
- There is an Emotional Toll to the Job – This is a messy job, both physically and mentally, and it takes a toll on the people doing the job. Cleaners must have an emotional outlet to relieve the stress that they have. This can be talking to other such as friends, family, or therapists, or it can be physical outlets such as exercise or meditation.
- They Work Closely with the Family – They deal with the aftermath of violent incidents and then they need to deal with the families of the victims. It requires a great deal of compassion and understanding to do this because families can be highly emotional during this time. The cleaners need to approach the scene with respect and sensitivity, and they do.
- They Use Unique Techniques and Tools – They can’t just go to the nearest big box store and buy the tools and cleaners that are on the shelves. They need to use unique tools and cleaners that will not only clean the area, but also decontaminate the area. There are also unique tools that must be used to do the job that include personal protective equipment, cleaning solutions, biohazard bags, and specialized cleaning tools. See here for more information.
- They Must Get Rid of All Traces of the Crime – They need to clean all traces of the incident, including blood, bodily fluids, and hazardous materials such as needles and other objects that might be contaminated. If it is not cleaned thoroughly, the area can pose a threat to the community. If not cleaned properly, it can also compromise the crime scene.
- They Can Also Clean Up After Natural Disasters – These cleaners can also clean up after natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes. They must do the same things as they do at homicide scenes – return the area to the previous state. They might work alongside other workers such as disaster relief workers and others to clean the area.
- They Must be Available 24/7 – These cleaners need to be available at all times of night and day—murders don’t always happen from nine to five. Cleaning up after an incident can’t wait until the next morning, it needs to be done immediately. This is another thing that makes this job challenging for people.
Conclusion
Crime scene cleaners must do things other people won’t want to do. They are trained and certified professionals that can work anytime 24/7. They must also work with the families that are associated with the victims. All this puts a strain on the workers, so they need an emotional outlet such as therapy or exercise to help deal with it.
These cleaners are good at what they do—when they are done with the scene, you won’t even know that a crime happened there. They help the police, the families, and the community by what they do. They are the unsung heroes of violent crimes.
