Some of the greatest hazards are the ones that can’t be seen. Blood borne pathogens are biological agents that can be present in blood and cause disease in humans. Some of the most common blood borne pathogens are HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. When a person who carries these microorganisms has an injury and their blood contaminates open surfaces, there is a risk that other people who come in contact with the blood may contract the disease themselves and the consequences of infection can range from having to take costly medications to death.
Unlike other types of spills, the hazards of a blood spill are not visibly obvious so every precaution must be taken when cleaning up biological material. The host may not even know that they are infected so there is no realistic way of telling if a blood impacted surface contains biological hazards. Some bacteria and viruses can survive for days or even weeks in the open; waiting to find a host to infect and propagate. Also, with the increased number of bacteria strains that are resistant to antibiotics, the consequences of infection can now be more severe. That’s why blood spills should be handled by trained professionals like the decon teams at Protect Environmental. These specially trained responders know how to decontaminate surfaces thoroughly and effectively.
There are many scenarios where blood and bodily fluids can be released and pose a hazard to the health of others. Car wrecks, homicides, suicides and workplace accidents are all unfortunate incidents that occur quite often and can take place anywhere. Proper decontamination, handling and disposal of bio hazardous wastes is the most important thing that can be done after a tragedy to protect other lives and mitigate the spread of infectious diseases.
Richard Cameron is the CEO of Protect Environmental Services.
Protect Environmental Services, Inc. (PESI) is your best-in-class “clutch” performer when you need a First Responder. PESI tackle & remediate the most dangerous chemical spills & removal of hazardous waste. In fact, our pursuit of safety & rapid response for environmental sustainability surpasses ALL other environmental service companies. PESI has been rapidly responding to emergency environmental calls in North Central Texas since 1996.
Richard is also a published author of the “Ebola Response Procedures.” Additionally, he is considered an expert witness to many litigation and mediation cases. He works with multiple law enforcement agencies in forensics to hunt down illegal dumping perpetrators.
