[Matt Steele]

Morning all, I've got a job to look at this morning, basically the customer found his father dead on his study floor, from what information i've been given so far, he lay there for some time and there's a mixture of blood and urine on the carpet, i've told him that small amounts of the above can be removed but a large amount will probably have gone right through carpet, underlay and maybe into flooring, therefore i'd have to remove the carpet rather than cleaning it, what are the rules about disposing of blood contaminated carpets? 

[benny d]

You've put me off my bacon butty now 

[Simon Gerrard]

I think you have to have specialist training to deal with these lind of issues. There are some people on here who do Trauma Scene clean up, they may be able to help.

Simon

[Matt Steele]

Soz Benny, a liberal smattering of brown sauce'l sort that out 

[derek west]

i got a blood call out yesterday. asked how big the blood stain was he said about a meter square,  i turned it down. told him to call our local chemdry.  once you start work on the stains they can produce air born pathogens and all though it may be okay, is it really worth the risk for a few quid when you can pass it on to a bio clean up expert and maybe get a referal fee. if you do do it, (ha ha, do do, ahem sorry) if you do do it then mask up fella. and remembers to decontaminate all your equipment, and you'll need a liscence to dump the carpet.

have i put you off yet  

[Matt Steele]

I'm aware of airborne blood pathogens, and always mask, goggle & glove up, but like you i know my limits, just wan't to do it right is all. what about if i turn up at my local dump with a blood sodden carpet and say "i know i hint got one a them licenses's but can i, just this once" ?

[John Kelly]

This is trauma scene work and should really be carried out by someone with the correct training and insurance in place.
However a lot of carpet cleaners get asked to do this and as long as its not a major scene then I see no reason why it can't be dealt with. PPE up with suit, mask, gloves, cut out the damaged carpet and underlay with a SHARP Stanley knife. Cut it into small squares so it is easy to handle. Bag these in two layers of thick plastic bags. You may find the floor below is also contaminated. You can treat this with products like Microkill, Microsan, Formula 429. Spray the area using a low pressure sprayer, allow a decent dwell time then clean area with absorbent cloths. This may need a couple of goes. There may still be staining remaining and finish off with another spray of anti-microbial. If the contamination to the floor is really bad then that section of floor should be cut out and replaced.
If you go to the local tip don't tell them its trade waste as they'll kick you out. There will be a tip somewhere in your area which handles waste such as Asbestos. Take it there and just say its out of your grannies house and she had a small accident.
Anybody doing this kind of work on a regular basis needs to be trained, insured and needs a waste carriers license.

[Ian Gourlay]

I went to a similiar situation once on the instructions of a solicitor . Place was swarming with flies . it was at the start of my illness and just left the house and was sick on the grass down the road.
i did tell solicitor correct procedures  needed to be followed .

I was on the committee that deals with trade waste and hazardous waste tranfer liciences at the local Council

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I once went to one where it had been a blood spill that was left for a couple of days not too big of a spill but the amount of flies was amazing.

Last time I saw that many flying creatures was when I opened my wallet and it was me this time that coughed blood!

Shaun

[Matt Steele]

Cheers John, just been out there, pretty much did as you suggested, the poor fella couldn't even face going upstairs let alone in the room where he found him, I cut up all contaminated carpet & underlay,bagged and taped it up leaving it for him to dump, the blood hadn't penetrated the carpet but the urine had, big time so he was obviously a repeat offender, the floor was moisture resistant chipboard so i don't think it's penetrated, i sprayed it with clensan, if it still smells in a couple of days i'll replace the damaged section.

[james roffey]

I have done a customers carpet a couple of times and it always has blood stains on the bedroom carpet, never met the husband but i did suspect domestic abuse, didn't say anything though

[Matt Steele]

Ours is not to reason why, ours is just to clean and dry,

God, that's awful, sorry 

[*Hector*]

[cleantech]

Will need a very good anti microbial disinfectant to sanitize as you work your way in, cat 3 coveralls with foot covers. A1P2 MASK, hazardous waste licence, and you need to charge for waste collection if you do not. the carpet, underlay and contaminated sub flooring will have to be removed. that is unless it can be safely sanitized. wood floor will most likely have been affected and will need to be cut out and correctly disposed of. This work will expose you to a few viruses that will affect you for ever more if contracted. this is why you need to do a risk assessment and method statement, the correct anti microbial will kill all blood borne pathogens and needs to be used wherever there is a slight chance of contamination.

[Billy Russell]

its dead easy!

 

I'll grab my coat!

[Bedfordshire Oven Cleaning]

Ask martin_606 on general section, he is an expert in this kind of work and a top bloke if you just want advice.

[Simon Gerrard]

Hope you're charging a stiff price
Taxi please

[jasonl]

I agree with what John said , but I would add that having procedures and paperwork in place is the first thing that needs tackling.

There is no fixed law in relation to this work ( it is not regulated)  . But you must have had adequate training and document what and why you did during the course of the job.

You need a licence from the environment agency to transfer waste, or simply let a waste company take it away .

The risks and time involved in doing the job properly mean that it is not cheap .

[*Hector*]

Hope you're charging a stiff price
Taxi please

its dead easy!

 

I'll grab my coat!

You can both share the taxi.... 




You deserve each other 

[Simon Gerrard]

If you don't take the proper precautions there could be grave consequences