Crime Scene Cleaning

Crime scene cleaners, also known as decontamination specialists, clean up blood, bodily remains and other hazardous materials. Their job is to thoroughly clean and decontaminate different types of crime scenes, including homicides, burglaries, suicides, sexual assaults and other traumatic events. The job requires special training and skills.

Purpose

• The purpose of crime scene cleaning is to make the site clean and safe for people to inhabit again. It is also done to help victims avoid the psychological challenges associated with cleaning up blood and other things that could remind them of the traumatic event. Many victims may not be physically capable of cleaning up their homes or offices after a crime, so crime scene cleaners assist for this reason as well.

Health Risks

• Those who work in the field of crime scene cleaning are specially trained to avoid health risks. When blood or other bodily fluids are present, there is a risk of certain blood-borne pathogens. These pathogens can cause certain infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Special cleaners and solvents are used during crime scene cleanups that kill these blood-borne pathogens.

What Is Cleaned

• Crime scene cleaning involves the cleanup and disposal of blood, body fluids and other biohazards. Crime scene cleaners do not clean up human bodies, only what is left after the coroner removes the victim and the detectives or crime scene investigators collect their evidence. Crime scene cleaners might have to remove rugs, carpets and furniture that cannot be thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated to make the dwelling safe for habitation.

Types of Crime Scenes

• This type of cleaning involves a variety of crime scenes. These workers regularly clean crime scenes such as homicides, batteries, burglaries, sexual assaults, unattended deaths, suicides and places where trauma has caused a person or persons to bleed. The job also might involve the cleanup of larger, more dangerous crime scenes, such as multiple homicides and biochemical, anthrax, teargas or terrorist attacks.

Skills

• Workers must have a variety of skills to get the job done. They must be able to recognize environmental and physical hazards. Environmental hazards include blood, body fluids and other chemicals. Physical hazards include holes in floors, walls that are falling down and other similar hazards. They also must properly and safely eliminate these hazards. Crime scene cleaning also might involve light construction work, such as removing stained or damaged carpeting, reinforcing walls or repairing furniture. Crime scene cleaners also must be able to preserve evidence if necessary.