What comes to mind when you hear the term biohazard? Most people imagine some kind of major chemical incident or virus outbreak, usually seen in movies or TV shows, or maybe even on the news.
In reality, a biohazard is any biological substance that can damage the health of any living organism, such as humans or animals. These substances are usually present at trauma scenes, crime scenes or at the site of an unattended death.
Thankfully, few people need to worry about this, as they won't encounter any of these scenarios. However, when the worst happens and you're faced with a traumatic event such as this, you need all the help you can get.
As professionals in the biohazard cleaning industry, Clean Team Scotland has all the advice and information you could hope for. In this blog, we're looking into the cost of biohazard cleaning to give you an idea of what to expect.
We briefly touched on this above, but let's dive a bit deeper to get a better understanding of the processes and costs involved...
A biohazard situation potentially occurs in the following scenarios:
*This is when a person dies outside of medical care and the time of death is uncertain.
We've deliberately left out hospitals and medical facilities here, as the risks are carefully managed along with the cleaning and waste disposal.
Biohazard cleaning (also called biohazard remediation) in the sense that we're talking about is generally reserved for accidental or unexpected events, such as the ones listed above.
The risk level depends on whether blood or bodily fluids are present, as these can carry harmful bacteria, viruses and pathogens. This is usually worse in cases where decomposition of a body (human or animal) has taken place.
These fluids and other nasty substances can harbour AIDS/HIV, hepatitis and MRSA, to name a few. While you might think the risk is minimal, it's important to remember that only a microscopic amount of blood is needed to transmit hepatitis! Direct contact with these substances can spell disaster.
In the event of a chemical spill, the risk can be severe depending on the chemicals involved. The cleanup team will need full personal protective equipment (in the form of hazmat suits) and training to deal with this scenario.
Under no circumstances should an untrained person ever try to tackle biohazard cleaning!
As you'd expect, the cost could vary greatly depending on several factors.
We'll check out each one here to see how they might affect the biohazard cleaning cost:
This is one of the main factors affecting costs, as each one may require different complexities and equipment needs.
We need to know whether we're dealing with animal waste, blood, bodily fluids, chemical spills, etc. before a cost can be estimated. It's vital to treat airborne pathogens correctly to avoid cross-contamination.
We would also need to know the level of contamination, as higher levels of biohazardous material require more specialised cleaning methods and potentially more expensive products.
Trauma scenes can be very contained in a small space or spread over a wide area. There may even be several contaminated areas that need our attention. Clearly, a biohazard cleanup team will need to spend more time on a larger area and will use more cleaning materials, resulting in higher costs.
Also, small, complex areas (like kitchens and bathrooms) could require additional care, potentially raising costs.
If the biohazardous materials have been absorbed by walls, carpets, furniture, etc., they will need to be removed and replaced, which will increase the overall cost.
In cases of long-term contamination, deep cleaning will be required followed by extensive decontamination and sterilisation of the affected area. This is often necessary in relation to sewage backups, flood damage or unattended deaths.
Structural damage is also a possibility, and - though not part of the actual cleaning process - this adds to the final price.
To some extent, the location could affect the cost of biohazard cleaning.
To clarify; we're talking about whether you're in an urban or rural area. Remote areas will be more difficult for the cleanup crews to reach due to the travel and logistical expenses. In towns and cities (London and the south-east in particular), prices will generally be higher as operational costs are always more expensive.
Also, the physical location will have some bearing on the overall cleanup cost. That is, whether the affected area is within a building or outside. A crime scene cleanup cost, for example, might be higher if the event took place in a factory or warehouse, as the confined space may lead to biohazards spreading into HVAC systems, storage areas, or machinery, requiring more thorough decontamination.
Some scenarios require advanced tools, such as HEPA vacuum systems, fogging machines, or UV sanitisation devices.
The use of specialist, government-approved cleaning agents can also add to the cost.
A premium may be added in the event of emergency call-outs. This often applies when a rapid response is requested for a crime scene clean, suicide or road traffic collision cleanup.
This is a standard procedure for professionals in the cleaning industry, as it often involves out-of-hours work and, potentially, the postponement of other commitments.
Most cleaning companies offer a range of extras, such as psychological support services, renovation, redecoration and structural damage repairs, all of which will add to the cost.
Now we've explored the different aspects of biohazard cleanup, we can suggest a figure that you might pay for this type of service.
As you might imagine, we can't offer an exact amount without knowing the full details of the case, but the average cost of biohazard cleanup in the UK falls somewhere between £1,000 and £10,000.
A lot will depend on the conditions, as the actual cost will be significantly influenced by the severity of the situation.
For example, a 'simpler' cleaning project, say, cleaning up a small amount of blood in an enclosed space, might cost between £500 and £1,000. On the other hand, an undiscovered death with decomposition will £5,000 or more, while dealing with spilt chemicals could exceed £10,000 if it's a serious incident.
Here's a handful of example scenarios with potential costs to give you a clearer picture of the pricing structure:
Read our post "How much does trauma cleaning cost".
Most clients are shocked to discover that they are responsible for these costs, as the property owner is usually liable to pay. It's worth checking with your insurance company to see if you are covered for this kind of event as it can save you a lot of expense.
Whatever the situation, when you need biohazard cleanup services you can count on, contact the professionals at Clean Team Scotland.
