Asbestos, Biohazard & Trauma Remediation

Asbestos is a natural mineral that was once used widely in materials like cement, plastic, and fabric because of its flexibility and resistance to corrosion.

The mineral fibers are extremely toxic to humans when inhaled or ingested — once inside the body, they don’t pass through or dissipate, thus causing severe scarring and an increased risk of aggressive cancers like mesothelioma over time.

Over time, breathing in asbestos fibers can scar your lungs. The beginning signs usually include:

• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue and difficulty focusing
• Chest or shoulder pain

If you experience any of these symptoms and believe you’ve been exposed to asbestos, contact your doctor right away. Those most at risk for asbestos exposure are individuals in the construction and electrical industry who have been involved with the demolition of old buildings containing the mineral.

If asbestos is left completely undisturbed, it doesn’t present a health risk since the mineral fibers won’t be inhaled. If the material containing the asbestos (typically concrete, insulation, or flooring) is damaged, however, it will immediately become dangerous and need to be removed, ideally by a professional, certified asbestos abatement company.

While no amount of asbestos exposure is considered safe, thankfully the health risks of a short-term event are pretty low on average. Things like a one-time exposure during a home renovation are unlikely to cause future diseases like mesothelioma or other cancers.

With that said, it’s important to note that asbestos exposure is cumulative, so short occurrences can add up to cause harm over time. Even if the exposures happen years apart, each one increases your risk of developing severe health problems, so it’s best to stay away from asbestos entirely.

Extreme events can also cause heightened exposure over a short period of time — for example, contact during the 9/11 attacks led to an especially high rate of disease despite the short window of exposure. Pay extra attention to asbestos during natural disasters or large construction projects.

Legally, yes, a homeowner can attempt to remove asbestos from his or her own property. There used to be an array of federal regulations that prevented these do-it-yourself projects, but as of 2018 all of them have been lifted.

Although there is no legal trouble associated with removing asbestos on your own, it is still dangerous, and we strongly recommend against it. The Environmental Protection Agency advises homeowners to use an accredited abatement professional to avoid the risk of future problems and long-term health complications.

Any dangerous biological substance is considered a biohazard — including blood. Bloodstains can carry HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, not to mention other less common but still potentially dangerous pathogens.

Dried blood is significantly safer than a fresh stain, but no one can guarantee that all harmful bacteria have died when the stain dries.

It’s always best to wear personal protective gear when cleaning up any type of bodily fluid or to call a professional to take care of it for you.

The time it takes to clean up after a crime scene, suicide, or other trauma depends on the severity of the biohazard. A mild scene might require a couple of hours to clean, while a more serious situation might take a few days.

Revive Restoration has the best response time in the Madison, WI area for restoring all types of home and business damage. No matter how big or small your trauma cleanup is, we’ll get on site quickly and work relentlessly until we’ve made everything right again.

Each crime scene is unique. Throughout the entire trauma cleanup process, professional crews wear personal protective equipment including shoe covers, liquid impermeable coveralls, gloves, and eyewear to keep them safe from the biohazard of bodily fluids and tissues. With specifically rated cleaning agents, they make sure that infectious pathogens are completely eradicated.

Biohazards like blood and other bodily fluids can carry dangerous pathogens like HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and others. Expert remediation teams are trained to minimize health risk and ensure safety.

Professional crime and trauma cleaning crews do their best to restore every scene to its former state, but they can’t guarantee that every item will be able to be saved. Some porous materials, including carpet and soft furniture, may need to be completely replaced due to safety concerns.

Due to the potentially hazardous nature of biological materials like blood, tissue, and other body fluids that are left behind after a crime or trauma accident, it is recommended that you do not try to clean up the scene by yourself.

Instead, you should enlist a trained professional who can guarantee safe, complete removal of all dangerous material.