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UK General Cleaning Forum => General Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: heidi on August 16, 2006, 08:14:32 pm

Title: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: heidi on August 16, 2006, 08:14:32 pm
 :hi every one a would just like some advice a have worked as a domestic now for fifteen years and am interested cleaning end of tenant lets, squat cleaning but most of all crime scene cleaning does any one know how to go about this been looking in various sites on web but so far no luck
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: The Great One on August 16, 2006, 09:42:33 pm
Hi

www.nationalfloodschool.co.uk

They won't have a course for a few months but register your interest with them as their speakers are from the US. Once they have enough interest they will hold another.

Regards

Martin 8)
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: mark bowditch on August 16, 2006, 09:59:08 pm
Hi Heidi,
Welcome to the forum.
Its something I was considering when I start up my Pressure Washing business.
Have a look at the couple of links below.
http://people.howstuffworks.com/crime-scene-clean-up.htm

http://www/index.cgi?action=display&board=crimescenecleaning&thread=1153816540&page=1#1155629665

Also do a search on the forums.
Best of luck
Mark
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Cinders on August 17, 2006, 11:44:58 am
Express cleaning do a course on trauma scene clean ups is this the same thing??? the link below was on the events page for a july course but might be worth taking a look

http://www.express-cleaning-supplies.co.uk/oos/trainingcourses/BPT2120706.html
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: DP on August 17, 2006, 11:02:53 pm
Quote
Express cleaning do a course on trauma scene clean ups is this the same thing???

No nothing at all to do with it. I think a crime scene is without spilt blood isnt it?
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Cinders on August 17, 2006, 11:26:10 pm
oops  :)
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: DP on August 17, 2006, 11:49:15 pm
Cinders
What a really honest reply which by the way made me laugh, and at least deserves my apology for being sarcastic.  ;)

That just goes to show that it doesn’t have to be all blood and guts on here (pardon the pun) you could have come back with anything.
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Art on August 18, 2006, 12:11:20 am
Isn't trauma clean the same as crime scene or have i missed something?
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: calmore on August 18, 2006, 08:57:04 am
Did anyone see "Cutting Edge" a few weeks ago? It was all about "extreme" cleaners who go round cleaning up body fluids when someone dies. Fascinating programme.

Apparently, you can earn around £900 per body!
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Cinders on August 18, 2006, 10:41:36 am
Ha ha no worries DP...to me crime scene clean up would be traumatic enough to do so I thought they were the same thing! haha
 :D
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Mr BSF on August 19, 2006, 11:05:59 am
Isn't trauma clean the same as crime scene or have i missed something?

They are the same, but these terms usually cover a wide assortment of cleaning tasks, obviously the larger populated areas have a higher demand for this type of work, it can range from squatters wiping crap all over the walls of a flat/house, to a property that has been the scene of a fatal shooting.

The work is well paid but you could get a call at 3am in the morning to go and clean up sick from a police cell.

Please remember that if you are serious about this type of work a strong stomach is essential, also consider the psychological effects, ex fire-fighters, paramedics and police are the best people to carry out the extreme side of this work.

Also any person wanting to do this line of work must have hep b injections etc, the hep b from the first jab to blood test to see if it has worked is about 6 months.

Regards

BSF ;D
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: DP on August 20, 2006, 12:36:47 am
LOL
I was being ironic, come on guys at least Cinders got it and she was the one who made the comment.

BSF bought up a very very prominent issue which should be raised. The psychological issue is actually much larger then you may think. The odd thing is that although you manage at the time quite well, it can/does have a profound effect latter on in years once you’ve stopped doing it. Of course its relevant to what you’ve seen, but its nothing to do with blood or body parts, that’s the easy bit.

BSF you forgot to mention the need for a very resiliant nose as well! Not sure that ex police fit the profile as I have seen loads throw up  ;)
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: The Great One on August 20, 2006, 12:04:13 pm
Hi

You would of course need a very strong nose and an even stronger state of mind...

At some point along the line in this work you will come across a child accident, murder, or a child dying in some horrific way. And you will / may be called in to scrape their remains, bits of brain (maybe not the actual body) off the road, floor, wall etc.

You and any staff will of course need to detach yourself from this somehow?

Of course we all see the money side of the business, but don't forget once you have taken the £500 2 day course you need to fit and equip your van with all the right equipment, which include bio suits, industrial wet vac, bloodkits, chemical kits, chemicals, blood/ chemical test kits, all the correct jabs, all the correct licences for proper disposal of contaminated waste to include blood/ body stained carpets, curtains, walls, furniture, clothing and human waste. This all must be disposed off at the proper facilities.

Then you need to be able to go back to your own family, knowing you have just scraped the remains of a 7 year old girl off the floor who may of died from an horrific trauma like a car accident or rape etc

This kind of work must be entered into with both eyes open to the worst case scenarios...

Regards

Martin 8)
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: John Kelly on August 20, 2006, 01:25:20 pm
Martin, you do put it so bluntly. But hey this is what we do.
Anbody thinking of running this of a stand alone business would have to offer national coverage as there isn't the workload to operate locally. It can of course be added to an existing business and carried out when required.
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Mr BSF on August 21, 2006, 12:02:11 am
Not 2 sure about the blood/chemical test kits ??? or the £500 two day course.

But a drop or two of olbas oil in your face mask will combat the nasty smell/s.
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: need a cleaner on August 21, 2006, 12:17:09 am
I dont know about any1 else,but for me the money side is very acttractive but its not a side of the business that i will be looking explore as somethings are just not worth it.
Just my 2cents
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: The Great One on August 21, 2006, 10:18:03 am
Hi

At the National Flood School who run the course it is 2 days at £495 + Travel + accomodation + food etc.

Then you need to kit out your van with all the right equipment.

Olbas Oil is great stuff, not sure if it would cover up the smell of death though?

I have been thinking of this line of work myself and have been doing loads of research for about 3 months...

Regards

Martin 8)
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Mr BSF on August 21, 2006, 08:05:45 pm
Hi Martin,

the olbas oil does do the trick ;D I cant comment on how good the course/s is/are, it seems alot of money to me, the best way to learn the trade so to speak is to work for a company that carry's out this type of work, in my opinion you can't learn anything worth knowing from a classroom.

Although having said that the tutors/speakers will probably have been hands on at sometime and can let you know what to expect, this is the best way to learn, so disregard my first comment ;D

regards

BSF ;D 
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: The Great One on August 22, 2006, 10:25:18 am
Hi Mate

I think the course is very intense with experienced Crime/Trama guys giving the lecture. Also the course gives you a certification.

But as you say there is nothing like hands on experience.

Regards

Martin 8)
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: DP on August 23, 2006, 12:18:43 am
I don’t see any problem with people wanting to advance themselves or gain other skills if they can afford to do so.

If however the idea is to spend money to earn money and its important that you see a viable return for your investment then you need to be sure that you are spending it in the right place.

After all, you can train to be anything you like, even an astronaut, but what’s the likelihood of you ever working as one?

It doesn’t matter what you have heard or how much people tell you you can earn, unless you can find the work in this very very tiny market your not going to earn £squat!!

The power of a whisper is amazing especially when its "GOLD RUSH"

Franchise Anyone??   ;)

Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Spiceman on August 23, 2006, 01:05:41 pm
This is an area of the business i have been looking into. The training is an essential element in my opinion as is the right kit, the correct type of masks , gloves, suits etc ... proper arangements for the disposal of cleaning used fluids etc. (i saw that Cutting Edge programme on tv the other week too, i felt that the staff were not equiped sufficiently to do the task properly in my opinion)
The rest of our management team are against going into this sort of work. The opinion is that the volume of return would not be suffient to justify the outlay. Thats without the psychological effect. After all someone is going to have clean up that house in Cheadle after that gruesome discovery this week.
John
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Mr BSF on August 23, 2006, 04:32:57 pm
With reply to the comment of the company being poorly equipped... most of the equipment needed for this type of work is only basic stuff that most cleaning companys will already have.

The main hurdle is getting the work and getting the right sort of people to complete the tasks in question.

The whole range of this type of work is huge, your right someone will have to go into the house you mention, but believe me theirs not many people that would or could do it, if you could do that particular job I would guess the return without the £500 course would cover all of your outlay at least 10 times over.

The course mentioned could be a waste of money because you might do it, then get no work, if you ever do you might not like it afterall :o

regards

BSF

 
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: The Great One on August 23, 2006, 08:48:57 pm
Hi

BSF is correct.

Although I do think the course will be of great advantage and you do get an accreditation.

Turnover in this kind of business is huge, people usually last about a year on average.

If you put Crime trauma scene cleaning in google you will find a US site with a video.

As I said before go in with your eyes open, just don't look at the cash rewards only. I have been thinking and researching for 3 months and still cannot decide?

Regards

Martin 8)
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: DP on August 23, 2006, 11:46:05 pm
Ok with all this brilliant advice, lets not be any more mystic about this. Who on here is actually doing full blown crime scenes like murders, suicides etc

How many do you do (lets say) a month?
How many of these are more then £500?
Who actually pays you?
What percentage of your turnover does this represent?
What accreditation do you have?
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Liahona on August 24, 2006, 10:57:41 am
I have in the states but as yet not over here. I have done a few here but till you have been around a while so to speak you dont get the good ones. Once you are known then of course you do. Apart from the odd bit of blood where you cut out the carpet and or upholstey almost all jobs are worth way more than 500 quid. It depends who you are working for as to who pays you. Sad part is you dont have to have any credentials although you would be stupid not too and you probably wouldnt be given the work in the first place. You need to have have your shots for hep a and b and also tetnus. To do medical waste from a hospital you need to have a bit more credits so to speak. Also to be the top man so to speak you need 40 hours haz mat and without it you cant do a variety of things. I cant remember too much as it has been too long for me to remember, best, Dave.   Oh and you need to have a level 1 bio-remediation certificate, or best if you do anyway and a lot of common sense and a bit of a nerve so to speak.
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Mr BSF on August 24, 2006, 03:51:56 pm
I must admit I’ve never done the extreme side of it, I have a business associate that has been doing this work for a very long time who I know very well, I have seen and looked in on some bad jobs, as far as I know the insurance company will settle the invoice in some cases, sometimes the police, the local authority/housing association, or the family.

I can say that he does very very well from this type of work, the £500 figure mentioned is well below the average price.

This is only a small part of what he does, other services would include: fumigation, removal of dead animals or birds, shuttering properties, alarms, sharps removal, fogging, void valets, graffiti removal etc etc.

We do carry out some of the work ive mentioned, but as of yet not the extreme side of it.

Regards

BSF  ;D
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Mr BSF on August 24, 2006, 08:51:12 pm
Hi DP,

I forgot to answer one of your other questions, their were approximately half a million deaths in the UK last year, it would be hard to find out how many died in their own homes, but my colleague covers roughly 60 sq miles of a heavily populated area, in 2005 his company completed about 175 jobs that involved deaths/suicides/murders.

Regards

BSF ;D   
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: John Kelly on August 24, 2006, 10:07:11 pm
We do this work occasionaly although not as much now as in the past. This mainly comes from insurance companies as part of our fire & flood restoration work. We have been trained and it is not pleasant work. Runs at about £1000 per day.
Jobs we have tackled include an old guy who fell from his wheelchair and ruptured his jugular vain in his neck. Bloke who's wife died and he couldn't live without her so drank 2 bottles of whiskey (naked) then slashed his wrists and ran round the house defecating and spraying blood everywhere. He survived and his poor sister had to deal with the aftermath. Another bloke lived with his sister, she went on holiday for 3 weeks, when she returned she found him dead on the sofa, he had died 9 days earlier. All the body fliuds had seeped into the floorcoverings and weyrock flooring and millions of blue bottles had poop blood over every surface.
We have also dealt with quite a few fires where pets have died and also a few involving people.
This is not nice work and I don't actively seek it. Anyone wanting to I would suggest contacting the police first but remember they'll probably be on the phone at midnight on Saturday wanting you to go and clean the blood from a cell.
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Sir Squeaky on August 24, 2006, 11:11:05 pm
kill someone   ;D
I can think of a useful candidate...
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: heidi on September 02, 2006, 02:57:22 pm
SO WOULD YOU SAY ITS BETTER TO DO THE COURSE AND WORK FOR YOURSELF OR TO TRY AND GET WORK WITH A COMPANY WHO DO THIS SERVICE DOES ANY ONE KNOW OF ANY COMPANIES IN ENGLAND THAT DOES THIS KIND OF WORK,A KNOW IT CAN BE GORY BUT A HAVE A STRONG STOMACH WORKED IN HOSPITALS OLD PEOPLES HOME S THEY USED TO SMEAR POO ALL OVER WALLS BE SICK EVERY WHERE A KNOW THATS NOT THE SAME AS SCRAPING A DEAD PERSON OF THE STREET BUT IF YOU DETACH YOURSELF FROM IT A THINK IT DOES AFFECT YOU LATER A THINK IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IN THE WAY THAT THIS DEAD BODY IS A PERSON AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO IT MAKES THE NASTY STUFF EASIER TO DEAL WITH AND AT THE END OF THE DAY SOME ONE S GOT TO DO IT
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: heidi on September 02, 2006, 03:01:43 pm
HEY JOHN KELLY A WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU WORK FOR YOURSELF OR FOR A LARGER COMPANY  AND WHER WAS YOUR FIRST PORT OF CALL
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: The Great One on September 02, 2006, 04:20:55 pm
HI

Although off topic, try not to post in all capital letters, it is considered SHOUTING!!! and also considered to be rude.

Just thought I'd mention it?

I am hoping to get on the next course and have registered my interest.

Regards

Martin 8)
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: Art on September 02, 2006, 05:02:04 pm
Can't imagine why anyone would want to get into this type of work.

Maybe per job it's a good earner, but how long before your going to be established, that's if you last that long.
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: georgy on September 26, 2006, 05:11:24 am
I would like to get in to crime decon(tamination) but I would be happy to send other people on the course and to the jobs whilst sitting back and taking the £!

I wouldn't worry too much about losing staff i suppose you have to advertise in hospitals and stuff find people used to doing that knda thing, lure them away with large salaries. if you got stuck you could always turn down work for a while. 
Domestic & commercial cleaning markets too saturated now, businesses have cottoned on and are hiring thier own cleaning staff same with homeowners- i've just started a cleaning co lst yr but I want out already!
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: bluesteve on October 11, 2007, 08:56:38 pm
sorry to bring this topic up again, but dealing with death is not as traumatic and horrendous as people are led to believe, it may stink but so what , we ve been conditioned to think that its going to effect us , however in real life its not as bad as you have been led to belive!
 I am trained to deal with hazmat, and have seen death at close hand ,and would take on any "gruesome" trauma cleaning for someone.
  please feel free to email me or pm  . im based in the south.
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: ag on October 12, 2007, 09:24:29 am
HI All

I did the National Flood school course in trauma cleaning - v.good. I spent a while thinking about whether this type pf work was for me, so I decided to go and do the course and that would help me make my mind up.
It all really depends on your constitution and whether you get effected by stuff much. Also it would help to have a really crap sense of smell.
There is a bit in getting yourself set up, its not just as easy as getting a job and driving off to do it tomorrow, you will need to up the anti on how hyginieic you are, even if you think your are really hyginic at the moment.
Yes, there is good money in it. However after the course I found myself thinking about some of the stuff I had heard/seen about a good while later and I just decided that I would find it emotionally a bit rough.What I made up for in profit would be going back out again, psychologically or whatever.
Having said that  - that really is just me, there were guys on the course that had been doing it for years. Whats required, as already said - strong constitution, strong psychologically, you do need to be physically fit.
Hope that helps
agnes
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: John Kelly on October 12, 2007, 07:49:44 pm
The physical side of it ie guts, blood and crap is not the problem. Its the pyschological side of things that can affect certain people. You are primarily dealing with the bereaved relatives which is hard in itself. Then it is the realisation of whats actually happenned that can prey on your mind. My last one involved a estranged father returning to the house and stabbing to death his young son, daughter, wife and her brother. Her other brother then had to give me access to the house and point out where the various killings took place.
The guy that done one of my training courses from the states actually started crying when he recounted the worst job he had done when a father killed his own family including hanging his children from the shower rail.
This is what can get to you. Also there isn't a massive amount of this work around.
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: quantum cleaning on October 12, 2007, 09:24:08 pm
If you fancy this sort of work get a job as a recovery driver doing police jobs i.e fatals Ive did this job for over 3 years the money is poor you get to stand in and scoop up peoples guts of some poor sod who either commited suicide or was run over etc  traumer scenes are just the same shot gun wounds you have to clean every bit up, people gassing themselves in cars and not found for days its not just adults you get too find its kids too  drug dealers having tit for tats you must need your head examining to want to do this kind of work its not like watching TV where do you think you will get the work  flyer? door knocking?  The people who get this work are big multi nationals
be prepared to start drinking heavy to block the experiences from your mind

been there got the tee shirt
you can earn well over £40 per hour window cleaning  dont be fooled into thinking traumer scene is big money  the big boys charge it but you get if your lucky £20 an hour before tax  and up in the middle of the night!!!
Title: Re: a am trying to find out how a get into crime scene cleaning
Post by: murky on October 15, 2007, 11:11:35 am
A mate of mine is an undertaker and keeps going on at me to do the course as he can give me loads of work doing clean up after traumas.

I told him to get his blokes on the course and he could do it as an add on to what they do already, he said his blokes wouldnt do it!!!!!   Its bad enough already evidently. 

This is bearing in mind what they do, he recently had to do a bloke who had walked in front of a train, put him together so his wife could see him.

Cheerful subject this isnt it?

Murky