Blood or other bodily fluid in Gig Harbor, whether from an injury, a fall, a medical emergency or a death at home, is cleaned up by a specialized cleanup company whose crew seals off the area, removes what cannot be saved, treats surfaces to kill germs and sends the waste through a regulated disposal channel. First, anyone hurt needs care, and if police or the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office1 (the county office that investigates certain deaths) are involved, they must release the space before cleanup begins. Biohazard Network connects you with an independent local company that you hire directly; we do not do the cleanup ourselves.
Finding blood at home, in a car or at work is upsetting, whatever led to it. This page explains what the work involves, what to avoid before a company arrives, and what to ask the company you choose.
Why wiping it up is not enough
Blood and other bodily fluids are a biohazard, meaning a biological material that can carry disease. They can contain bloodborne pathogens, which are germs carried in blood that can cause illness, such as hepatitis B. Safety rules also cover OPIM, short for “other potentially infectious materials,” which are body fluids handled with the same care as blood.
Fluids also soak into porous materials, meaning materials with tiny openings that absorb liquid, such as carpet and pad, mattresses, upholstery, drywall and unsealed wood. A spot can look clean on top while fluid remains underneath. Car seats and floor carpet absorb fluid the same way, as do fabric chairs and carpet tiles in shops and offices.
If this happened at your business, bloodborne pathogens rules protect employees who might be exposed to blood, so staff should not be asked to clean it up without training.
What to do first
- Get care for the person. Medical needs come first.
- Wait for release. If police or the medical examiner are involved, they control the space until they release it. Scene release means the authorities in charge have finished and the area may be entered and cleaned. The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office1 determines the cause and manner of death and investigates deaths in Pierce County that are under its jurisdiction and of concern to public health, safety and welfare. If you are not sure whether it is involved, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office can be reached at (253) 798-6494.
- Leave the area as it is. Do not scrub, move soaked items, throw things away or spray household cleaners. Close the door if you can, and keep children and pets out.
- Mention any needles. Sharps are needles, syringes, lancets and blades. If you see any, leave them where they are and tell the company when you call. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department2 links a brochure, Safely Remove Discarded Sharps, from its Infectious Waste Management page and also offers a sharps response kit.
What to expect from the company you hire
The crew wears protective equipment, such as gloves, eye protection and coveralls. It sets up containment, which means closing off the work area so contamination is not carried through the building. Affected porous materials are removed, and hard surfaces are cleaned and then disinfected; disinfection is the step that kills germs on a surface, beyond removing what you can see. If an odor lingers after the source is gone, ask about odor remediation.
Before work starts, ask for a written description of what will be removed and what records you will receive. Homeowners insurance sometimes covers this work, so ask for photos and an itemized list for your insurer. Ask about discretion, billing and timing too, rather than assuming.
Usually covered: Homeowner insurance protects your home and belongings from damage caused by specific risks, says the Insurance Commissioner’s page on how home insurance works3. Personal property coverage includes your furnishings and personal items, such as your TV, clothing and dishes, the same page says.
Usually not covered: Standard homeowner and renter policies exclude wear and tear: insurance covers sudden accidents, not ongoing issues, says the Insurance Commissioner’s smoke damage page, which lists what standard policies exclude4.
Ask your insurer: “Without filing a claim yet, can you tell me if my policy covers cleaning up blood or body fluids in my home, and what limits apply?” Source: Steps to take after home damage or a loss (Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner)5
To check a company yourself, ask how its work lines up with OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, and with the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup (IICRC is the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, a non-profit organization for the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries), then look the business up in the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) tool called Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business. Our certifications guide explains what each of these covers and how to read the results.
The process, step by step
Here is the order the work follows, so you know what to ask about at each stage.
1. Assessment
The company checks where fluid reached, including beneath surfaces, and plans what to clean and what to remove.
2. Containment
The work area is closed off so the rest of the home, vehicle or workplace is protected.
3. Removal of porous materials
Materials that absorbed fluid and cannot be made safe are taken out. Ask to be shown anything before it goes, so you can decide about belongings that matter to you.
4. Cleaning and disinfection
Remaining surfaces are cleaned first, then disinfected.
5. Disposal of biomedical waste
Biomedical waste is the legal term for certain disease-carrying waste. Washington’s definition is limited to the types listed in RCW 70A.228.010, which include discarded human blood, materials containing free-flowing blood, and sharps waste. A company that collects, transports and disposes of it must keep an operating plan that holds it separate from other solid waste until treatment or disposal. In this county, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department2’s Infectious Waste Management program permits and inspects businesses that generate, transport or treat infectious waste, so ask the company who will haul and treat the waste from your job.
6. Final check
Walk through the area with the company before the job closes, ask what checks it has done, and keep its final paperwork with your insurance records.
Blood cleanup in Gig Harbor
Gig Harbor is an incorporated city. If removing flooring or drywall leads to repairs, ask whoever does them whether anything is needed from the city’s Community Development Department, which is responsible for land use, planning, development and code enforcement within the city limits.
The steps are the same whether the address is a home near Crescent Creek Park, which long-time residents still call “City Park,” or a business near a Cushman Trail trailhead. Give the company the exact location, and say if the job is a vehicle.
For the wider county, see Biohazard and Trauma Cleanup in Pierce County. If you also look after property on Ketron Island, leaving the island on the county ferry needs a reservation at least 60 minutes ahead, so ask how a company will plan that trip. Other services in town are listed on the Gig Harbor page, including unattended death cleanup and crime and trauma scene cleanup.
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.
- Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (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.