Biohazard cleanup and other hazard cleaning services in Everett, from death and crime scene cleanup to hoarding cleanup, are done by private companies you hire directly. Biohazard cleanup in Everett, WA is done by independent local companies that you contact and hire directly. Biohazard Network does not do the work; we can connect you with an independent company that serves Everett. If someone has died, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office1 comes first, and cleanup begins only after scene release, which is when police or the medical examiner say the property may be entered and cleaned.
A biohazard is material, such as blood or other bodily fluids, that can carry germs that cause disease. Below you will find which offices you may deal with in Everett and which type of cleanup fits your situation.
Permits and code issues in Everett
Everett is a first-class charter city, so city departments handle permits and code matters inside city limits. Permit Services (City of Everett Public Works) processes all required permits for construction in the city, which matters if cleanup leads to repairs such as new flooring or drywall. Code issues go to a separate department, City of Everett Code Enforcement, which enforces parts of the Everett Municipal Code on public health and safety issues, including nuisances and dangerous buildings.
Getting a company to the property
Snohomish County stretches from the Cascade Mountains to Puget Sound, so the company you hire may travel some distance. The US 2 trestle is the only direct highway route across the Snohomish River to I-5, and it has no carpool or transit lanes. A crew driving north on I-405 may hit afternoon back-ups, which often build near the I-5 interchange in Lynnwood. For family coming from Whidbey Island, the Mukilteo terminal, served by WSF ferries from Clinton, is a major link to the greater Puget Sound region. Ask where the company’s crew is based and how it plans to reach you.
When a death is involved
A medical examiner is a public official who investigates certain deaths. Here, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office1 determines the cause and manner of death of people who die suddenly, violently, or unexpectedly while in apparent good health. Under RCW 68.50.010, the medical examiner has jurisdiction over the deaths that law lists, including a person found dead, and the body may be moved to the morgue.
For your family, this means the office’s work comes first and cleanup waits. Investigators are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 425-438-6200. The office’s Information Guide for Families answers common questions about next steps and its role.
The office also posts a Biohazard Cleanup Services list. It says the list is for convenience only, is not complete, and that being on it is not an endorsement, and it does not take responsibility for any listed company’s work. Use it as a starting point and ask every company the same questions.
The local health department
The Snohomish County Health Department2 covers Everett; its main office phone is 425-339-5200. Its programs include Nuisance Properties, Garbage & Waste, Hazardous Waste, Medicine Disposal, and Drug Contaminated Properties. It does not investigate indoor sewage spills, but it offers Guidelines for Cleaning Indoor Sewage Spills and a Report a Sewage Complaint page.
Cleanup services in Everett
Once the property is released, sooner is better, because affected materials keep the space unsafe to use. Pick the service that matches what happened.
Unattended death
Unattended death cleanup is for a home where someone died and was not found for some time. It covers removing affected materials and disinfection, meaning products that kill germs on surfaces. Porous materials, such as carpet, mattresses and drywall that soak up fluids, may need to be removed rather than cleaned.
Crime and trauma scenes
Crime and trauma scene cleanup covers homes, vehicles or businesses after a violent event, serious injury or death, including after someone has died by suicide. If privacy matters to you, ask the company about unmarked vehicles and discretion.
Hoarding
Hoarding cleanup helps when a home has become hard to live in safely. Hoarding is a recognized condition, and a good plan works with the person living in the home, sorting belongings and respecting what the person decides to let go. If you have received a notice from the city or the county, share it with the company so its plan addresses it.
Blood and bodily fluids
Blood and bodily fluid cleanup covers events such as an injury or medical emergency at home. Bloodborne pathogens are germs carried in blood that can cause disease, and OPIM (other potentially infectious materials) are certain other body fluids that can carry them. Sharps are needles, syringes, lancets and blades; leave them for the crew.
Odors
Odor removal deals with odors that remain after the source is removed. The health department2 has a Mold & Air Quality information page, but it does not test for mold and has no indoor air quality program, so ask the company how it will confirm the work is done. If water, fire or mold damage is also present, see how biohazard cleanup fits with restoration.
Sewage and biohazard waste
Sewage and biohazard waste cleanup covers sewage backups inside a building and removal of waste that can carry disease. Biomedical waste is defined in Washington law as a set list of types, such as discarded human blood and used sharps. Ask the company how waste will be packed, who will haul it, and where it goes.
Before you hire
Ask for a written estimate that lists what is included. Homeowners insurance sometimes covers this work, so call your insurer and ask the company whether it will bill the insurer directly.
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: Exclusions in home contracts may include certain events, such as flood or earthquake, says the Insurance Commissioner’s insurance glossary4. Standard homeowner policies also do not cover sewer or drain backups, says the Commissioner’s page on being underinsured5.
Ask your insurer: “Without filing a claim yet, can you tell me if my policy covers biohazard cleanup in my home, and what limits apply?” Source: Filing a homeowner insurance claim (Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner)
Ask each company how its crew 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, a non-profit organization for the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries. You can also look up the business yourself in the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) tool called Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business, and the certifications guide explains what each of these means.