Hoarding- the Unknowing Biohazard and its Reasoning

12/15/2021 (Permalink)

"Like it never even happened." That's the SERVPRO way, an efficient and capable body of technicians carving a path to a greater clean and restoration.

Biohazard is defined from the oxford dictionary, a risk to human health or the environment arising from biological work, especially with microorganisms. These vicarious manifestations of hoarding may contain spoils of hazardous material. 

Here at SERVPRO of East Honolulu we have seen these kinds of incidents, and there is an assumption to wearing protective mechanisms if we encounter them. Like clogs with mold underneath them, or feline pee when met with the utmost care the whole situation can be solved.  

Here are some common bio-hazard materials found in residential/commercial property: 

Bodily Fluids- needles and bloods 

There are numerous blood borne pathogens contained in bodily fluids such as AIDS, hepatitis, HIV...etc. These unattended items and fluids attract deadly bacteria that are not safe to be in your home. 

Pharmaceuticals and other chemicals 

Hoarding has no ends, sitting pharmaceuticals or out-dated chemicals are harmful with rotting molecules. It makes one privy to chemical fires, which behave differently than other fires. Expired drugs become more potent over time, making it toxic and occasionally fatal. 

Garbage 

Pure trash with its rotting organic materials are an insane threat to life and health. It is one not commonly talked about tending to be talked over yet it has the capabilities to create numerous pathogenic and bacterial colonies. Harmful to digest, touch, or be in the nearby vicinity. Trash also attracts animals of all kinds, curating a play ring for allergies and bacteria.  

Animal fecal matter, urine, and vomit 

This also attracts myriads of viral, allergenic, bacterial transgressions around the property, this is like bodily fluids. In some cases much worse, such as with urine. Urine contains a type of ammonia who will cause symptoms with breathing, sleeping, attention spans, impaired memory, vomiting and diarrhea. This also negatively affects neighbors and other family members alike. 

Understanding the dangers of hoarding is one of the best ways to prevent it. Whether it is met with the gusts of triumph needed to face the anxieties of mess is only one story to tell. And if push comes to shove, worse to the absolute worst; SERVPRO of East Honolulu is here for all cleaning and mitigation services.  

We are available 24/7 for questions and emergencies: 

(808) 395-9545 

SERVPROehonolulu@AOL.com 

Hoarding- the unknowing biohazard and its stages

7/2/2021 (Permalink)

Hoarding can be a biohazard due to its very nature which consists of keeping any or all things. Such as trash accruing bacteria or blood from tissues these can be very hazardous to one’s ohana and the community. 

In some gravely important biohazard cleanups SERVPRO of East Honolulu has seen animal/human fecal matter, or mounds of trash with rotted food. 

The official definition to exist as a compulsive hoarding, as to the International OCD Foundation, possesses these three qualities. 

1. A person collects and keeps a lot of items, even things that appear useless or of little value to most people, 
2. These items clutter the living spaces and keep the person from using their rooms as they were intended 
3. These items cause distress or problems in day-to-day activities.  

These qualities are actively in the works whilst living in a cluttered home, or with existing stages of a hoarder. Once stripped to the bone the inner cognition exists in 3 stages;  the clutter, the clots, and finally the clogs. They are not isolated incidents, and they’re are probably numerous clogs co-existing with nearby clutter edging a developed clot. 

Clutter: 

Once clutter exists this is the door to obsessive hoarding. Clutter exists in most homes, the day is over too quickly or too slowly. Life drudges on, and you wake up one day with no access to the kitchen sink. Full of forks, knives, coffee mugs being put off until a newer you has the means to accomplish the task. Indication of clutter in these parameters is when these clusters are disorganized, trash, clothes, and other culminated gewgaw. You can still the floor, but you can not see the method behind the madness.  

Clot: 

The clot arises when the clutter is not addressed. Amassed during a 6 month period unattended in any notion. This is when hoarders are too anxious about the clutter that transpires to this. 

Clog: 

This is when the clot rises to be a true menace, blocking rooms or obstructing daily infrastructure. I digress that when this happens it is not an unfixable problem. SERVPRO of East Honolulu has the protective gear, cleaning products, and capable technicians who can get rid of these most troublesome times. This is when bio-hazard is most prevalent.

As always we are available for emergencies 24/7, call us after 911 at (808) 395-9545

What is Considered Biohazard?

9/10/2020 (Permalink)

Biohazard means that there is an exposure of biological and chemical containment. This can be: sewage backups, blood borne pathogens, illegal substances or illegal substance factories.   

Essentially anything that has infectious materials potentially infectious substances. There needs to be even greater caution when there are bio hazardous materials that can inflict pain or puncture the skin. This is extremely dangerous as they can carriers of blood borne pathogens or other harms to the body or any organism. 

The most common types of bio hazard that we deal with is as follows: animal waste, human bodily fluids (blood, sweat..etc), pathological waste (such as that of sewer water). 

Even when dried biohazardous materials does pose a potential threat, it is a common misconception that they do not. Although it is less likely to effect an organism there is still potential for it to infect and should be avoided and to allow the professionals to handle it. 

SERVPRO of East Honolulu knows how to handle biohazard and is well-trained in it. We also frequently test our employees for blood borne pathogens and other harm to make sure that our employees are safe. We take care of you, and make sure that even any biohazard mess looks "Like it never even happened."

Keeping our Employees Safe from Bio-hazardous Materials

7/1/2020 (Permalink)

Bio-hazard material is one of the most dangerous materials to be cleaned up afterwards, we at SERVPRO East Honolulu take the most precaution when working with bio waste because of its implications. Here are some tips if you need to clean up bio-hazardous material: 

-use disposable gloves, make sure that none of the material can touch exposed skin. The fastest way to get rid of the material is through disposable gloves that way it is a quick disposable process afterwards. 

- absorbent materials, like sand or kitty litter or baking soda. These type of materials can soak up blood or other bodily fluids quickly for easy disposal. 

-cleaning supplies, bleach, disinfecting wipes or spray can help clean up the mess. Although this does not completely clean up everything, it is the best option possible 

-a bio-hazard bag, although they are not an everyday tool; they are essential to cleaning bio-hazardous material. They are plastic baggies that are either yellow or red and have a hazardous waste sign. This notifies anyone handling the bag to use the utmost caution. 

There are so many reasons as to why you should protect yourself from bio-hazardous material, and one of them is blood-borne pathogens. Blood-borne pathogens are microbes such as viruses or bacteria that are carried in the human blood. These are dangerous, so make sure to use the proper equipment and protect your body from these materials.

Cleaning the messes you can't

5/16/2020 (Permalink)

Exposed bio-hazard material

Biohazard has so many complications to the average human. There can be blood-borne pathogens that can effect anyone, there is also the fact that bleach leaves residue even after it looks like it's gone. 

SERVPRO of East Honolulu has the chemical products needed to accurately and effectively clean up any bio hazard. We use specific procedures to protect our customers and our employees alike when dealing with bio hazards. 

We also take the utmost care when handling bio hazard situations, as complications can arise. We do this being discreet and efficient in cleaning any problem that may come. 

Unfortunately, a person passed away and we needed to clean the house for the family. We did this with respect and diligence that is needed for these cases. We always treat these situations wit aloha, and it shows with our final products.

Bloodborne Pathogens

3/13/2017 (Permalink)

Fully suited up in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Cleaning up after a dead body is removed isn't something that anyone wants to deal with, esp. the family members of the individual. Because bloodborne pathogens, such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and MRSA could be lurking, calling a professional crime scene cleanup company such as SERVPRO of East Honolulu is recommended because they know how to clean, disinfect, and restore the affected area, MAKING LIKE IT NEVER EVEN HAPPENED.
Chemicals, blood, and other body fluids from a decomposing body can seep into the subflooring and other porous materials. Even if an area appears to be clean after a dead body is removed, it might not actually be "clean." A dead body can affect a site within minutes of death. The most damaging component of a scene after a dead body is removed is the potential presence of bloodborne pathogens, which are infectious microorganisms in human blood that can cause disease in humans.