Many companies dedicated to professional disinfection after traumatic events such as accidents, homicides, and suicides speak of biohazard clean-ups, but what is it and what do we mean by them?
A biohazard (or biosafety risk) is defined as the possible exposure to microorganisms that can give rise to diseases, motivated by work activity. Its transmission can be through the respiratory, digestive, blood, skin, or mucous membranes and these risks can be found basically anywhere.
We can distinguish 4 levels of biohazards:
BSL-1
This level includes microbes that don’t consistently cause disease in immunocompetent adults or cause minimal biohazards. Example: Bacteria on the skin.
BSL-2
Microbes can cause a moderate hazard to people and the environment.
Examples: Herpes, common cold viruses (RSV, rhinoviruses), or salmonella.
BSL-3
They can cause serious or fatal illness through inhalation.
Examples: SARS CoV-2, avian influenza, and tuberculosis.
BSL-4
They represent a high risk of life-threatening disease. They include the Ebola virus, Marburg Virus, and Smallpox.
If you need professional help to clean up biohazard materials from a trauma scene, such as a crime, suicide or an unattended death in the Greater Vancouver area, please don’t hesitate to contact us. In times of distress, we are the experts to call.
check out our youtube channel for videos on trauma scene cleanup