Crime scene cleanup
Encyclopedia
Crime scene cleanup is a term applied to any situation involving biological cleaning and or health concerning issues. Such issues may include:
have added to the popularity of the term Crime Scene Cleanup. Australia, Canada and England have added it to their professional cleaning terminology.
The generic terms for Crime Scene Cleanup include trauma cleaning, biorecovery, crime and trauma scene decontamination
, CTS Decon, blood
cleanup and bio
cleaning and crime scene clean up. The State of California refers to individuals who practice this profession as Trauma Scene Waste Management Practitioners.
, battery
, or homicide
. Companies also clean suicides, unattended deaths, tear gas damaged environments, and other crime and trauma scenes. Larger crime scenes involve terrorist attacks, mass murder
scenes, and the cleanup of anthrax
and other biochemicals.
Crime scene cleanup companies may also clean bird and rodent infested areas. Crime scene cleanup companies are trained to clean up "compulsive hoarding
" situations where the dwelling owner, over time, refuses to remove items of any kind such as trash, food, and animal and human waste. The crime scene cleaners' experience and equipment more suits this type of cleaning than a typical cleaning company's. Besides the Federal Government's OSHA standards, many state Health, OSHA or EPA departments have created similar standards and regulations. Similarly, the Center for Disease Control establishes standards and regulations for working with blood soiled environments as well as exposure reporting.
activity in most cases. At times small businesses, such as carpet cleaning
and water damage companies add crime scene cleanup to diversify their activities. Due to the legal and ethical complications crime scene cleanup is becoming either its own business entity or a complete division. Those who hire a crime scene cleanup company should make sure that they are properly trained in federal or state OSHA regulations and can provide documentation of proper biohazardous waste disposal. If in California or Florida the client should confirm that the company is registered with the State Department of Health. As of December 2010 California and Florida are the only states that require specialized licensing for crime scene cleanup. Other states may require biohazardous waste transport permits.
scene cleaners' work begins when the coroner
's office or other official, government body releases the "scene" to the owner or other responsible parties. Only when the investigation has completely terminated on the contaminated scene may the cleaning companies begin their task.
Standard operating procedures for the crime scene cleanup field often include military-like methods for the decontamination of internal and external environments. Universal precautions
recognized Worldwide are the cautionary rule-of-thumb for this field of professional cleaning.
In the U.S. OSHA regulates this industry through its Bloodborne Pathogen Rule 1910.1030. California regulates this industry directly through the Trauma Waste Practitioners Act of 1997. Other states have a smattering of regulation for Crime and Trauma Scene Cleanup usually through the State's Department of Natural Resources and Health Departments.
produced Curdled
, then after an eleven year hiatus in the Samuel L. Jackson
vehicle, Cleaner
, and most recently when Amy Adams
and Emily Blunt
teamed up for Sunshine Cleaning
. On television it's found its way onto a smattering of documentaries aired on The National Geographic Channel and The Discovery Channel, as well as reality series such as Grim Sweepers. In print and online it’s been the subject of Alan Emmins book Mop Men: Inside the World of Crime Scene Cleaners, been featured in an Entrepreneur Magazine Ten Off The Wall Businesses profile, and in a piece on six figure jobs that appeared on CNN
.
- Clandestine methamphetamine laboratory contamination
- Flood and sewage backups
- Suicides
- Homicides
- Human decompositions
- Hoarding (pack rat houses)
- Bird or rodent droppings (hantavirus/histoplasmosis dangers)
- Toxic mold, spore, and fungus remediation
- Distressed property remediation (unfit for habitation)
- Animal and pet odors
- Biological terrorism
- Mass casualty scenes
- Police chemicals usage
- Disease outbreaks
- Medical waste transport, treatment and disposal
Usage
Television productions like CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
have added to the popularity of the term Crime Scene Cleanup. Australia, Canada and England have added it to their professional cleaning terminology.
The generic terms for Crime Scene Cleanup include trauma cleaning, biorecovery, crime and trauma scene decontamination
Decontamination
Decontamination is the process of cleansing the human body to remove contamination by hazardous materials including chemicals, radioactive substances, and infectious material...
, CTS Decon, blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
cleanup and bio
Bio
Bio may refer to:*Bio., Australian pay-TV channel*The Biography Channel, an American cable channel sometimes called bio*Bio , graffiti artist*Bio , a Chuck Berry album released in 1973 by Chess Records...
cleaning and crime scene clean up. The State of California refers to individuals who practice this profession as Trauma Scene Waste Management Practitioners.
Types of cleanup
A crime scene cleanup may involve a single blood loss event following a burglaryBurglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
, battery
Battery (crime)
Battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the fear of such contact.In the United States, criminal battery, or simply battery, is the use of force against another, resulting in harmful or offensive contact...
, or homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
. Companies also clean suicides, unattended deaths, tear gas damaged environments, and other crime and trauma scenes. Larger crime scenes involve terrorist attacks, mass murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
scenes, and the cleanup of anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
and other biochemicals.
Crime scene cleanup companies may also clean bird and rodent infested areas. Crime scene cleanup companies are trained to clean up "compulsive hoarding
Compulsive hoarding
Compulsive hoarding is the acquisition of possessions in excess of socially normative amounts, even if the items are worthless, hazardous, or unsanitary...
" situations where the dwelling owner, over time, refuses to remove items of any kind such as trash, food, and animal and human waste. The crime scene cleaners' experience and equipment more suits this type of cleaning than a typical cleaning company's. Besides the Federal Government's OSHA standards, many state Health, OSHA or EPA departments have created similar standards and regulations. Similarly, the Center for Disease Control establishes standards and regulations for working with blood soiled environments as well as exposure reporting.
Insurance Coverage
Crime scene clean up, blood clean up or trauma scene clean up is covered under most insurance companies policies. Although not mentioned in the policy specifically, insurance companies have felt a moral duty to pay the costs of blood cleanup from murders , suicides, and unattended deaths due to he emotional strife that the homeowner or property manager is going through.Business
Crime scene cleanup is a small businessSmall business
A small business is a business that is privately owned and operated, with a small number of employees and relatively low volume of sales. Small businesses are normally privately owned corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships...
activity in most cases. At times small businesses, such as carpet cleaning
Carpet cleaning
Carpet cleaning, for beautification, and the removal of stains, dirt, grit, sand, and allergens can be achieved by several methods, both traditional and modern...
and water damage companies add crime scene cleanup to diversify their activities. Due to the legal and ethical complications crime scene cleanup is becoming either its own business entity or a complete division. Those who hire a crime scene cleanup company should make sure that they are properly trained in federal or state OSHA regulations and can provide documentation of proper biohazardous waste disposal. If in California or Florida the client should confirm that the company is registered with the State Department of Health. As of December 2010 California and Florida are the only states that require specialized licensing for crime scene cleanup. Other states may require biohazardous waste transport permits.
Methods
The crimeCrime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
scene cleaners' work begins when the coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
's office or other official, government body releases the "scene" to the owner or other responsible parties. Only when the investigation has completely terminated on the contaminated scene may the cleaning companies begin their task.
Standard operating procedures for the crime scene cleanup field often include military-like methods for the decontamination of internal and external environments. Universal precautions
Universal precautions
Universal precautions refers to the practice, in medicine, of avoiding contact with patients' bodily fluids, by means of the wearing of nonporous articles such as medical gloves, goggles, and face shields. The practice was introduced in 1985–88. In 1987, the practice of universal precautions was...
recognized Worldwide are the cautionary rule-of-thumb for this field of professional cleaning.
In the U.S. OSHA regulates this industry through its Bloodborne Pathogen Rule 1910.1030. California regulates this industry directly through the Trauma Waste Practitioners Act of 1997. Other states have a smattering of regulation for Crime and Trauma Scene Cleanup usually through the State's Department of Natural Resources and Health Departments.
Organizations
The generally recognized organization for this field of cleaning is the American Bio-recovery Association, ABRA. Clean Trust (AKA IICRC) is a certifying body for the cleaning trade in general.In popular culture and the media
Crime scene cleanup as a profession in its own right has only popped up a few times in popular culture and the media. It first showed up in films when Quentin TarantinoQuentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
produced Curdled
Curdled (film)
Curdled is 1996 black comedy written and directed by Reb Braddock. The film stars Angela Jones as a Colombian immigrant who takes a crime scene cleanup job, and discovers evidence about a local serial killer dubbed the "Blue Blood Killer" for his targeting of socialites...
, then after an eleven year hiatus in the Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
vehicle, Cleaner
Cleaner (film)
Cleaner is a 2007 thriller film directed by Renny Harlin, and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Harris, and Eva Mendes.-Plot:Single father and former cop Tom Cutler has an unusual occupation: he owns and operates a crime scene cleanup company, and performs much of the duties himself...
, and most recently when Amy Adams
Amy Adams
Amy Lou Adams is an American actress and singer. Adams began her performing career on stage in dinner theaters before making her screen debut in the 1999 black comedy film Drop Dead Gorgeous...
and Emily Blunt
Emily Blunt
Emily Olivia Leah Blunt is an English actress best known for her roles in The Devil Wears Prada , The Young Victoria , and The Adjustment Bureau . She has been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, two London Film Critics' Circle Awards, and one BAFTA Award...
teamed up for Sunshine Cleaning
Sunshine Cleaning
Sunshine Cleaning is a 2008 comedy-drama film starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt. Directed by Christine Jeffs and written by Megan Holley, the film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2008. It was purchased by Overture Films for distribution and opened in limited release in...
. On television it's found its way onto a smattering of documentaries aired on The National Geographic Channel and The Discovery Channel, as well as reality series such as Grim Sweepers. In print and online it’s been the subject of Alan Emmins book Mop Men: Inside the World of Crime Scene Cleaners, been featured in an Entrepreneur Magazine Ten Off The Wall Businesses profile, and in a piece on six figure jobs that appeared on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
.