Biohazard – Biological substances that pose a threat to the health of living organisms, primarily humans.
Biohazard Remediation – Many know this as crime scene cleanup, but the job of a crime scene cleanup technician consists of more than cleaning up after a death. The biohazard technician or crime scene cleanup technician is responsible for removing any type of biohazardous waste. They often get called to workplace accidents, car accidents, or other incidents where blood loss happened, and the area needed to be cleaned up and disinfected.
Infectious Waste – In Wisconsin, medical waste or biowaste is referred to as infectious waste. Infectious waste is a subcategory of the broader medical waste stream. Infectious waste includes, but is not limited to, cultures and stocks of infectious agents, pathological wastes, human blood and blood products, sharps used in patient and animal care, laboratory wastes and dialysis waste.
Crime Scene Cleanup – Forensic cleanup of blood, bodily fluids, and infectious items. Also known as biohazard remediation and forensic cleanup. This is because crime scenes are only a portion of the jobs that require biohazard cleaning. Examples are accidents, suicides, attempted suicides, homicides, decompositions from unattended deaths, mass trauma, industrial accidents, infectious disease contaminations, animal biohazard contaminations (feces or blood), regulated waste transport, treatment, and disposal.
Compulsive Hoarding – A persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them.
Physical Trauma – A serious injury to the body. There are two main types of physical trauma: blunt force trauma and penetrating trauma. Blunt force trauma is when an object or force strikes the body, often causing concussions, deep cuts, or broken bones. Penetrating Trauma is when an object pierces the skin or body, usually creating an open wound.
Personal Protective Equipment – Also known as PPE, it is protective clothing, helmets, respirators, goggles, gloves, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer’s body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter.
Decomposition – The state or process of rotting or decay. Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death. Also known as putrefaction.
Decontamination – The neutralization or removal of dangerous substances and offensive odors.
Malodor – A very unpleasant smell. In most cases, the bad smell is obvious.
Insurance – A means of protection from financial loss. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to hedge against the risk of a loss. An entity which provides insurance is known as an insurer, insurance company, insurance carrier, or underwriter.
Homeowner’s Insurance – A type of property insurance that covers loss and damage to a person’s home and belongings in the home.
Deductible – In an insurance policy, a specific amount of money that the insured homeowner must pay before an insurance company will pay a claim.
Vehicle Decontamination – The process of removing blood, vomit, urine, or other bodily fluids from a car, van, SUV, police car, bus, ambulance, or any other emergency vehicles. This also typically requires the removal of offensive odors in the vehicle.