When you are facing a dangerous situation in your home or business needing cleanup right away, you want to be sure the company you hire is well-trained and experienced in the type of cleanup needing to be done.
In the arena of hazardous cleanup, there are two main types: “hazmat” and “bio hazardous.” Though there can be some overlap in the type of work these cleanup professionals do, hazmat cleanup and bio hazardous cleanup are two distinct and important specialties.
Hazmat Cleanup
Hazmat cleaners specialize in chemical-related hazards and cleanup techniques including, but not limited to:
- lead removal
- asbestos removal
- chemical spills cleanup
- radioactive waste removal
A hazmat team is thoroughly trained in how to quickly seal off an area to prevent further damage, isolate various chemicals, how to safely remove and dispose of hazards such as lead and asbestos, how to best protect themselves while handling corrosive, volatile, and possible explosive chemicals, and where lead and asbestos are usually located within a structure. These hazards also have specific rules and regulations around the handling and disposing of such material – laws with which any hazmat cleanup company needs to be intimately familiar.
Biohazard Cleanup
Biohazard cleanup companies deal with blood, bodily fluids, urine, and vomit – anything that once came out of a living human or animal. This type of company deals with situations such as:
- unattended death cleanup
- infectious disease cleanup
- industrial accident cleanup
- suicide cleanup
- mold remediation
- crime scene cleanup
- odor removal
- hoarding cleanup
When it comes to biohazard cleanup, there are numerous diseases present in such materials against which expert biohazard cleanup teams know how to protect themselves. Due to these specific dangers, there are numerous OSHA rules and regulations as well as state and local laws and statutes on how to handle and dispose of bio hazardous waste. With bio hazardous cleanup, there can also be emotional repercussions when handling a crime scene or suicide that a bio hazardous company trains for and knows how to handle.
Hazmat and Biohazards Overlap
Hazmat and biohazard cleanup companies both handle dangerous substances and will at times branch out to offer overlapping services. As an example some hazmat teams also handle mold remediation.
Choosing the Right Company for You
When deciding which kind of company you want to hire for your specific cleanup situation, think about whether it is more of a chemical issue or a bio-hazard issue. Once you’ve identified your need, then choose the company with the training, experience, and knowledge on how best to clean up that type of material quickly and safely.
If the company you select specializes in the other kind of cleanup but offers the service you need, make sure they have the needed experience and know the best practices on how to handle and dispose of that material so you, your loved ones, and your business’s employees are safe.
Need Help?
If you have any questions on biohazard cleanup in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson, or anywhere in Arizona, give us a call here at BioteamAZ and we’ll be happy to help – (602) BIO-TEAM.
