Biohazard & Trauma/Crime Scene Cleaning

Following a traumatic incident, visible contamination may represent only part of the affected area. Blood and bodily fluids can penetrate:

• Carpet and underlay
• Timber, concrete and grout
• Plasterboard, walls and skirting
• Furniture, mattresses and upholstery
• Vehicle interiors

Professional remediation involves assessing what can be effectively cleaned and what may need to be removed. We assist following incidents including accidental injury, workplace accidents, serious assaults, suicide, homicide, unattended death, medical emergencies and significant blood-loss events.

We provide environmental cleaning and disinfection following infectious-disease contamination and outbreaks, including situations involving COVID-19, rotavirus, norovirus, viral gastroenteritis and other communicable illnesses where environmental cleaning and disinfection form part of the appropriate response.

Services may be provided in homes, offices, childcare centres, kindergartens, schools, aged-care facilities, accommodation, retail, commercial workplaces and community facilities.

COVID-19 Cleaning

COVID-19 remediation is approached as environmental cleaning and disinfection. Depending on the circumstances, this may include assessment of affected areas, detailed surface cleaning, cleaning of frequently touched surfaces, appropriate disinfection following manufacturer contact-time requirements, appropriate PPE, cross-contamination controls and safe waste handling.

Cleaning and disinfection may form part of broader workplace or public-health infection-control measures.

Childcare and Gastro Outbreaks

Childcare and early-learning environments can be particularly susceptible to gastrointestinal outbreaks because children share toys, bathrooms, change areas, furniture and frequently touched surfaces. We can assist following outbreaks involving rotavirus, norovirus, viral gastroenteritis and vomiting and diarrhoeal illness.

High-contact areas may include:

• Toilets and nappy-change stations
• Door handles and light switches
• Tables, chairs and cot rails
• Toys and play equipment
• Taps and floors
• Kitchens, food-service areas and staff rooms

Professional cleaning complements the infection-control advice provided by Queensland Health, public health units and the organisation's own procedures.

Hoarding and squalor environments vary substantially. Hoarding itself does not automatically mean a property is a biohazard. The actual risks present should determine the remediation approach.

Potential hazards may include:

• Accumulated waste and spoiled food
• Faecal, urine and animal-waste contamination
• Decomposition
• Pest activity
• Mould or moisture damage
• Sharps and contaminated bedding or furniture
• Blocked access and fire-loading concerns
• Severe odour, and unsanitary kitchens and bathrooms

Squalor Remediation Process

Depending on the property, remediation may involve:

1. Establishing safe access.
2. Identifying physical and biological hazards.
3. Separating recoverable items where included within the scope.
4. Removing accumulated waste.
5. Identifying and managing sharps.
6. Removing contaminated and unsalvageable materials.
7. Detailed cleaning.
8. Applying appropriate disinfection where required.
9. Addressing odour sources.
10. Repairing affected building materials.

The objective is not simply to empty the property. The goal is to address identified contamination and sanitation hazards and return the property toward a safe, functional and usable condition within the agreed scope.

Respectful Hoarding Remediation

Hoarding situations can involve complex personal circumstances. Where appropriate, remediation can be coordinated with occupants, family members, property managers, guardians, support workers, insurers or other authorised representatives.

Items are not automatically discarded simply because excessive belongings are present. The agreed scope determines what is retained, removed and remediated.

1. Assessment

   We establish what has happened and identify known or suspected hazards.

2. Risk assessment

   We consider contamination, sharps, access, affected materials and cross-contamination risks.

3. Controlled work area

   Access is restricted where appropriate to prevent unnecessary exposure.

4. Contaminant removal

   Gross contamination and unsalvageable materials are removed using controlled procedures.

5. Detailed cleaning

   Affected surfaces are physically cleaned.

6. Disinfection

   Appropriate disinfectants are applied where required and in accordance with their intended use.

7. Waste management

   Affected materials are contained and directed to the appropriate waste stream.

8. Decontamination

   Equipment and work areas are managed to minimise transfer of contamination.

9. Inspection

   The completed area is assessed against the agreed scope.

10. Building remediation and reinstatement

    Where contaminated flooring, walls, ceilings, cabinetry or other building materials have been removed, our qualified trades can complete the required reinstatement.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification develops recognised professional standards and practices for the cleaning and restoration industry. The ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard addresses trauma and crime-scene remediation involving blood and other potentially infectious materials.

IICRC certification complements our Queensland regulatory responsibilities and does not replace applicable workplace, health, environmental or waste-management requirements.

For significant contamination:

• Restrict access. Keep children, pets, employees and members of the public away from the affected area where practical.
• Do not disturb an active crime scene. Wait until police or the appropriate investigating authority has released the area.
• Do not handle sharps with bare hands. Avoid unnecessary contact with needles and other potentially contaminated sharp objects.
• Avoid spreading contamination. Do not walk through affected areas or move contaminated contents into clean areas unnecessarily.
• Do not rely on deodoriser alone. Odour treatment does not replace removal or remediation of the contamination source.