A sewage backup, a failed septic system, or a room with needles or rodent droppings is hard to face, especially in a rental, a vacant property or a business you are responsible for. In Federal Way, this work is done by an independent biohazard cleanup company that you hire directly, and the first step is to keep people out of the area and leave the material alone. Biohazard Network connects you with an independent local company; we do not do the cleanup ourselves.
What this service covers
A biohazard is any material that can carry germs that make people sick. This page is about contamination that is not tied to a death or a crime:
- Sewage that has backed up into a home, rental unit or business
- A failed septic system that has released waste onto floors or into a crawl space
- Needles and other sharps, which Washington law1 describes as hypodermic needles, syringes or IV tubing with needles attached, scalpel blades and lancets
- Rodent droppings and nests
- Contaminated material left behind in vacant properties or after a tenant moves out
If someone has died or been hurt, see unattended death cleanup in Federal Way or crime and trauma scene cleanup in Federal Way instead.
Ordinary cleaning falls short here. Porous materials, meaning things that soak up liquid like drywall, carpet pad and insulation, can hold contamination deep inside where a mop cannot reach. The Washington State Department of Health2 (DOH) says to hire a cleaning professional if a moldy area has been contaminated by sewage.
What to do first
- Keep children, pets and anyone not needed away from the area.
- Do not touch needles. Public Health – Seattle & King County3 has a page called How to handle used or found sharps.
- If sewage is coming from outside the building, the health department3’s page Sewage releases in Seattle and King County applies. For a septic problem, its On-site Sewage/Septic System Program is the place to start.
- Do not throw belongings away yet if insurance may be involved; the insurer may want to inspect them.
You can reach Public Health – Seattle & King County3 at 206-296-4600. If a person has died at the property, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office investigates sudden, violent, unexpected, and suspicious deaths in King County, and cleanup waits until the scene is released.
Rodent droppings and hantavirus
DOH4 warns that infected deer mice live throughout the state and can shed hantavirus in urine, saliva and droppings. Because you cannot tell how old a dropping is, DOH says to treat all of them as infectious and not to vacuum or sweep, since breathing the dust is how people are exposed. A dust mask will not protect you, so for a large or hidden problem a company with proper protective gear is the safer choice. DOH also says there is no evidence the virus spreads from person to person, which may ease worry about family members. The health department3 also takes Rodent complaints.
What to expect from the company you hire
The crew should wear protective equipment such as gloves, eye protection and breathing protection. Ask how they will set up containment, which means sealing off the work area so contamination does not spread to clean rooms. They remove porous materials that cannot be saved, then clean and disinfect, meaning they apply products that kill germs on hard surfaces. Odor work comes after the source is gone; see odor remediation in Federal Way. Ask for photos, a written scope of work and a list of removed items for your insurer.
Before you hire anyone, ask whether the company follows OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, and the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup from the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, a non-profit for the cleaning and restoration industries). Then look the business up yourself with L&I’s Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business tool, and read our guide to certifications for what to look for.
The process, including how waste must leave the property
- Walk-through. The company looks at what is contaminated and how far it has spread.
- Written plan. You should get a scope that lists what will be removed and what will be cleaned.
- Containment and removal. Affected materials are cut out, bagged and sealed in the work area.
- Cleaning and disinfection. Remaining surfaces are cleaned first, then disinfected.
- Disposal. Waste is taken away through the proper channel, described below.
- Handoff. If walls, floors or subfloors were removed, rebuilding is a separate step.
Disposal has rules. Biomedical waste is a legal category of waste that can spread infection, and Washington’s definition1 is a limited list that includes sharps waste and human blood. Ask the company which of the materials it removes falls on that list and how the rest is handled. The state also requires a company that hauls solid waste for pay to first get a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, under RCW 81.77.040. Under that commission’s rules, a company collecting biomedical waste must keep an operating plan that holds it separate from other solid waste. Ask who will haul your waste and where it goes.
Insurance and paperwork
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner says you can ask your agent or insurance company whether a loss is covered without filing a claim. It notes that most homeowner policies do not cover gradual leaks, so a slow septic seep may be treated differently from a sudden backup. You have the right to choose your own contractor for covered repairs, and the office warns that signing a contractor’s assignment of benefit form could affect your rights. Landlords should know that the office says a landlord’s policy does not cover a renter’s personal property.
Usually covered: If your home is on a sewer system, sewer backup coverage can be added to a home policy as an optional endorsement, says the Insurance Commissioner’s flood insurance page5.
Usually not covered: A standard home policy does not cover sewer backup, but it can be added as an optional endorsement, says the Insurance Commissioner’s flood insurance page5. If you rent, your landlord’s or property management company’s policy covers the building but not your belongings, says the Commissioner’s renter insurance page.
Ask your insurer: “Does my policy include a sewer backup endorsement, and does it cover this backup?” Source: Learn how home insurance works (Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner)
When restoration follows
Sewage cleanup overlaps with water damage work. Once the biohazard is removed, a restoration company may dry the structure and replace what was taken out; see how biohazard cleanup fits with restoration. DOH2 says not to paint or caulk over mold. A former drug lab is a separate job in Washington, because decontamination workers and contractors must be certified through DOH’s Drug Lab Cleanup Program.
Federal Way and King County details
Federal Way is an incorporated city, so local code questions go to its Community Development Department. Its Code Compliance division handles enforcement cases on private property on a complaint basis, and its Building Division administers building codes, including plan review and inspection, which matters if rebuilding follows.
The rural Snoqualmie Valley/Northeast King County surrounds cities such as Duvall and North Bend, and the Fauntleroy ferry terminal links West Seattle with Vashon Island. Ask any company where it is based and whether it serves Federal Way. More local information is on the Federal Way page and the King County page.
Who to call first
In an emergency, call 911.These official offices may be part of the first steps. They are government pages, not ours.
- King County Medical Examiner (opens in a new tab)After a sudden or unexpected death, cleanup waits until this office is done.
- Public Health – Seattle & King County (opens in a new tab)For local health questions, such as a home that was used as a drug lab.
- Washington Crime Victims Compensation Program (L&I) (opens in a new tab)If a crime happened, it may help with some costs, such as funeral expenses. It doesn't pay for cleanup.
- Verify a contractor (L&I lookup) (opens in a new tab)Look up whether a company is a registered contractor before work starts.
- Washington State Department of Health (opens in a new tab)State health rules, such as for drug lab cleanup and hantavirus.