How hoarding can lead to Danger

6/22/2021 (Permalink)

People with hoarding disorder excessively save items that others may view as worthless. They have difficulty getting rid of possessions, leading to clutter that disrupts their ability to use their living or work spaces.

Hoarding is not the same as collecting. Collectors look for specific items, such as model cars or stamps, and may organize or display them. People with hoarding disorder often save random items and store them.

Possible Dangers Related To Hoarding:

• Increased Risk of Fire – The more items around a home, the higher the chances a fire can ignite and the more fuel it has to spread, which can put you in a dangerous situation.
• Decreased Escape Routes – Rescue crews often have limited access to a home due to piles of stuff blocking windows and doors. Thus resulting in fatalities, when salvation could have been otherwise possible.
• Increased Indoor Air Pollutants – Mold, Mildew, Radon, Carbon Monoxide, Pollen, Dander and Cigarette Smoke are just some of the indoor serious air impurities and odors that hoarding can cause a contaminated house and the results can lead to adverse health effects.
• Tripping or Falling – Piles of items and stacks of belongings that start to consume a house make it harder to navigate through, and easier to stumble upon. The risks increase with age, falls can even be fatal in seniors that don’t have the strength to get back up.
• Structure Collapses – The more your home stores, the greater the weight becomes and if rooms are filled with possessions the load can and has led to structures collapsing.
• Biohazard Development – If items are growing at an alarming rate, there is probably a good portion of garbage, debris possibly pharmaceuticals and if animals and pets are present feces and urine. All of these are considered a biohazard and the health risks grow the longer they remain in your home. Serious toxins and diseases such as E. Coli, Staph Bacteria, and the Hanta Virus can thrive in your house.

Luckily for you – SERVPRO is available 24 hours a day—our highly trained technicians are standing by. We have the qualified trained professionals who are ready to respond to these incidents. We will always treat your property and the people involved with the greatest empathy and respect in the face of trying circumstances.

Biohazard Job

5/20/2020 (Permalink)

Sewage contains both water and waste products which can include human wastes, mineral salts, and garbage; both organic and inorganic matter. Organic material decomposes quickly and discharges odorous gases that could be perilous to one’s health. This is particularly the case when coming from human waste, as it often contains disease-causing pathogens, which is why the fast and complete elimination of sewage is critical after any backup. Sewage water is considered Category 3, or black water; and while it is not transmitted through the air, contact with skin can result in rashes and infections. Moreover, if you mistakenly touch your nose, eyes, or mouth, it is likely you may get sick. In the case a sewage backup happens in your home, it is often best and safer to call the professionals. Our specially trained teams can carefully and effectively extract any standing water and sewage, assess the damage and complete a comprehensive remediation plan.

Biohazard / Odor Job

4/16/2019 (Permalink)

This Fallbrook residence was littered with human waste, trash, and maggots throughout; after squatters were living there. The cleanup required removal of all the laminate flooring; deodorizing and sealing the subfloor; removal and disposal of all the upholstered furniture along with the replacement of the baseboards. 

The decontamination of a home or business due to trauma, sewage backups, chemical spills, hoarding or other biohazards can be both dangerous and emotional. Specialized training and experience is key when choosing a cleanup company to resolve these circumstances. Please refer to our Biohazard Emergency Tips - Until Help Arrives Guide and follow these tips to protect yourself and your property.

Getting Educated on the Different types of Biohazard Waste

3/28/2018 (Permalink)

Did you know that the improper disposal of biohazard waste could potentially expose healthcare workers, waste handlers, patients, and the community at large to infection, injuries, and toxic effects, according to the World Health Organization?

The reason disposing of biohazard waste improperly happens is because there are so many different types of medical waste; many people might forget that certain items need to be properly and safely disposed of. In other cases, they may simply not be properly trained on how to handle said waste. Here are a few of the most common biohazards.

Microbiological Wastes.

One of the most common types of biohazard waste is microbiological waste, which is any laboratory waste that contains or has been contaminated with concentrated, infectious agents. For example, specimen cultures, discarded live viruses, stocks of etiologic agents, and devices used to transfer, inoculate, and mix cultures.

Human Body Fluids.

All human body fluids in a liquid or in a semi-liquid sate, including any and all human blood and blood products, are a form of biohazard waste. Items that have been contaminated with blood, saliva, secretions, cerebral spinal fluid, amniotic fluid, peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, pleural fluid, and/or synovial fluid in any way, shape, or form, are biohazardous. These wastes represent the majority of hazardous waste.

Animal Wastes.

Any animal carcasses, body parts, or bedding material which an infected animal may have used, are also a form of biohazard waste. That is, unless the bedding material is inoculated with pathogenic microorganisms that aren’t infectious to humans. However, it’s most often times better to be safer than sorry in these cases, and treat the bedding material as such anyways.

Pathological Waste.

Pathological waste is any and all human body parts, organs, and tissues, including any materials that may have come from surgical procedures, biopsy materials, or any unfixed human tissue.

Keeping these biohazard wastes separated is paramount for their proper disposal, just as appropriate education and incentives can help hospitals reduce red bag waste.

For more information on Biohazardous waste, please visit the World Health Organization website at http://www.who.int/en/

For more information on the Biohazard Services provided by SERVPRO click the following link - http://www.SERVPROdelmar.com/biohazard-cleaning