Blood or other bodily fluids in Puyallup are cleaned up safely by an independent biohazard cleanup company whose crew contains the area, removes what cannot be cleaned, disinfects, and disposes of the waste through regulated channels. First, if police or the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office1 responded, wait until they release the area. Biohazard Network connects you with an independent local company that you hire directly; we do not do or supervise the cleanup.
If this follows a fall, an injury at home, a medical emergency or a death under medical care, you do not need to sort everything out at once. This page explains the steps and what to ask.
What this service covers
This service is for smaller or contained incidents, at home and also in cars, shops and offices. A biohazard is biological material, such as blood, that can carry disease. For a death that went unnoticed for a time, see unattended death cleanup in Puyallup; after a crime or serious trauma, see crime and trauma scene cleanup in Puyallup.
Why ordinary cleaning is not enough
Bloodborne pathogens are germs carried in blood that can cause disease. OPIM, short for other potentially infectious materials, means other body fluids that can carry the same germs. Both soak into porous materials, meaning materials with tiny openings, such as carpet pad, upholstery, mattresses, drywall and unsealed wood. A surface can look clean while the material underneath is still contaminated.
At a shop or office
Washington’s workplace bloodborne pathogens rules protect employees who could be exposed to blood, so staff should not be asked to clean it up without training. Close off the area and keep customers and coworkers away.
What happens first
Police or the medical examiner control a scene until they release it. Scene release means the officials in charge have finished and the space may be cleaned. A medical examiner is a public official who investigates certain deaths; state law gives the county medical examiner jurisdiction over deaths such as sudden deaths without recent medical attendance and deaths from unnatural causes.
In this county, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office1 determines the cause and manner of death and investigates deaths under its jurisdiction that are of concern to public health, safety and welfare. If you are unsure whether the office has finished, call the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office at (253) 798-6494. Do not search the affected area for belongings; the office releases personal property, other than money, to the funeral home the legal next of kin chooses.
While you wait:
- Do not scrub, wash or spray anything in the affected area.
- Leave stained rugs, bedding, towels or seat covers where they are, and keep them out of household bins.
- Do not pick up sharps, meaning needles, lancets and similar items that can puncture skin. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department2 publishes a Safely Remove Discarded Sharps brochure and offers a sharps response kit.
- Keep children and pets away, and close the door or lock the vehicle.
The cleanup process, step by step
Ask the company to explain each step before work begins.
- Assessment. The crew checks how far fluids reached, including under flooring or inside cushions, and sets a work plan. Ask for that plan in writing.
- Containment. Containment means sealing off the work area, for example with plastic sheeting, so contamination does not spread. The crew wears protective equipment such as gloves, coveralls and eye protection.
- Removing porous material. Materials that cannot be fully cleaned, such as carpet pad or a section of drywall, are cut out and sealed in bags. Ask the company to check with you before removing anything you may want to keep.
- Cleaning and disinfection. Cleaning removes residue; disinfection then uses products that kill germs on surfaces. Any odor remediation, meaning work to remove lingering odors, should come after the source is removed.
- Disposal of biomedical waste. Biomedical waste is a legal category, and under RCW 70A.228.0103 Washington’s definition is limited to listed types that include human blood and blood products and sharps waste. Ask that these bags leave with the company; do not put them out with household garbage. Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) rules require a company that collects, transports and disposes of biomedical waste to keep an operating plan that keeps it separate from other solid waste until treatment or disposal. Ask who will haul and treat the waste, and know that the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department2’s Infectious Waste Management program permits and inspects businesses that generate, transport or treat infectious waste.
- Final check. Walk through with the crew and ask how they confirmed the area is clean. Request written records: the work plan, photos, a list of what was removed and the disposal paperwork. Homeowners insurance sometimes covers this work, and these records help when you talk with your insurer.
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 works4. 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 exclude5.
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)
Questions to ask before you hire
Before you hire, 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, which comes from the IICRC, the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, a non-profit organization for the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries. You can also look up the business yourself with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) tool called Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business, and the certifications guide explains what each of these means.
Also ask whether the crew can arrive in an unmarked vehicle, whether the company will bill your insurer directly, what payment terms it offers, and when it can start.
Blood cleanup in Puyallup
Puyallup is an incorporated city, incorporated by vote on 16 August 1890, so code questions here go to the city. Its Development & Permitting Services includes a Code Enforcement division, and building code violations go to Puyallup Building Services. If removing drywall or flooring leads to repairs in a rental or business space, ask the city whether that repair work needs a permit.
A downtown business owner may want to ask about work outside business hours.
If you also manage property elsewhere in Pierce County, leaving Ketron Island on the county ferry needs a reservation at least 60 minutes ahead, so ask any company how it would plan that trip. The Puyallup city page covers other local cleanup needs.
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.