Biohazard cleanup in Olympia is done by independent private companies that you hire directly, not by the city, the county or the police. If a death or serious injury happened, the first step is to let law enforcement and the Thurston County Coroner’s Office1 finish their work and release the home. Biohazard Network can connect you with an independent local company; we do not do any of the cleanup ourselves.
A biohazard is any material, such as blood or other body fluids, that may carry germs able to make people sick. This page explains who you will deal with in Olympia, what each type of cleanup covers, and what to ask before you hire.
Olympia is a city, so city rules apply
Olympia is an incorporated city, organized as a noncharter code city.
The Thurston County Public Health & Social Services Department2 runs a Solid Waste (Garbage) - Compliance program, but it covers unincorporated Thurston County and the urban growth areas. For a concern inside a city, the department says staff contact that city for a joint approach or refer the concern.
Getting a company to the property
Olympia is part of the more urban north county, along with Lacey and Tumwater. Interstate 5 and U.S. 101 both run through the Thurston region, and local planning efforts address congestion on I-5 between Mounts Road and Tumwater. On the county road system, crews clear arterials such as Martin Way and Yelm Highway first in snow, ice or windstorms, reach residential routes last, and do not plow subdivisions or driveways. If the home is on a private drive or in a subdivision, mention access when you first call a company so it can plan.
Who investigates a death in Olympia
In Thurston County, the Thurston County Coroner’s Office1 is led by an elected coroner. A coroner is a county official who investigates certain deaths to learn the cause. This office investigates sudden, violent, unexpected and suspicious deaths. Under RCW 68.50.010, the coroner has jurisdiction over deaths like these, and the person may be moved to the morgue.
No one should start cleaning until scene release. Scene release means the officials in charge confirm their work at the property is done. While you wait, Deputy Coroners stay in contact with families and help with answers about the death and next steps toward final arrangements. You can reach the Thurston County Coroner’s Office1 at (360) 867-2140. Its Resources page3 includes a list headed “Bio-Hazard Clean-Up Services,” which you can use alongside this site.
It is better to arrange cleanup soon after release, because contamination can spread into floors and walls the longer it sits.
Paying for cleanup
Start by asking your homeowners or renters insurance company whether the policy covers this work. The Coroner1’s investigation may help speed insurance claims, Social Security benefits and estate settlements, so keep your contact with the office handy.
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: Exclusions in home contracts may include certain events, such as flood or earthquake, says the Insurance Commissioner’s insurance glossary. Standard homeowner policies also do not cover sewer or drain backups, says the Commissioner’s page on being underinsured.
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)
If a death came from a criminal act, the coroner’s office notes that benefits may be available from the Crime Victims Compensation Program5 of the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries5 (L&I). Be aware that this program does not pay for crime scene cleanup. It may help with grief counseling, mental health treatment and funeral expenses, and it pays only after primary insurance.
Cleanup services in Olympia
Pick the kind of job that fits your situation. Each page explains more and lists questions to ask.
Unattended death cleanup
When a person dies at home and is not found right away, the area needs careful cleaning and disinfection once the coroner releases it. Disinfection means using products that kill germs on surfaces. See unattended death cleanup in Olympia.
Crime and trauma scene cleanup
This covers a home, vehicle or business after a violent event, a serious accident, or after someone has died by suicide. See crime and trauma scene cleanup in Olympia.
Hoarding cleanup
When a person who hoards, or your parent, needs help making a home safe again, a company can sort, clean and sanitize it. Ask for a pace that respects the person living in the home and what they decide to let go. See hoarding cleanup in Olympia.
Blood and bodily fluid cleanup
This is for smaller incidents, such as an injury at home or at work. The concern is bloodborne pathogens, which are germs carried in blood that can spread disease. See blood and bodily fluid cleanup in Olympia.
Odor removal
Odor removal means removing the source of a problem, not just covering it up. This service deals with odors that stay after a death, an illness or a long period of neglect. See odor removal in Olympia.
Sewage and biohazard waste cleanup
This covers sewage backups and items like sharps, which are used needles, syringes and blades. The county health department2’s Wastewater - Water Quality Resources page3 lists Olympia among the sewer providers, and its medication drop-off sites take no sharps or bloody or infectious waste. For health questions, call the Thurston County Public Health & Social Services Department at 360-867-2500. See sewage and biohazard waste cleanup in Olympia. If water, fire or mold damage is also involved, read how biohazard cleanup fits with restoration.
Checking a company before you hire
Ask any Olympia company whether its workers follow OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, “Bloodborne pathogens,” and the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup, written by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), a non-profit organization for the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries. Then search the business on L&I’s Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business tool, and use the certifications guide to understand what you find.
For the rest of the urban north county, see the pages for Lacey and Tumwater, or the Thurston County overview.