| The police, fire department and crime-scene | | | | possess a contractor's license from the State |
| investigators who arrive at a crime scene perform | | | | Registrar of Contractors. The contractors license is |
| crucial tasks in the aftermath of a death. But they | | | | required because biohazardous waste cannot be |
| don't, as a general rule, clean up. The cleaning is | | | | removed from many common household building |
| ultimately left up to the family or loved ones. In the | | | | materials. For example, drywall, carpet, permanent |
| past, these types of cleanups would be washed up | | | | fixtures, and other porous materials must be |
| by a simple garden hose and towel, mopped up with | | | | removed if contaminated. Secondly, a Biohazardous |
| household chemicals, or at the very best cleaned by | | | | Medical Waste Transportation License from ADEQ or |
| the mortician. | | | | the use of a licensed waste transporter is required. |
| In 1970, under President Nixon, the Occupational | | | | Without this license, biohazardous waste cannot be |
| Health and Safety Act (OSHA) was passed. Under | | | | properly disposed at certified facilities. CSC companies |
| this legislation, employers were to be held responsible | | | | are also required to be OSHA compliant. This includes |
| for worker safety and their exposure to bloodborne | | | | bloodborne pathogen (BBP) training, respiratory fit |
| pathogens. Although OSHA had regulation for | | | | testing and training, written BBP exposure control |
| employees contact and exposure, there was no | | | | plan, and providing a method to remove and properly |
| agency to protect the home/business owners from | | | | store biohazardous waste. Lastly, the Environmental |
| improper cleaning procedures and illegal dumping of | | | | Protection Agency (EPA) requires companies to use |
| biohazardous medical waste. Thus, the Arizona | | | | EPA approved chemicals for the removal and |
| Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) was | | | | decontamination of biohazardous waste. |
| founded in 1986. Throughout the years, OSHA and | | | | The largest issue within the CSC industry is illegal |
| ADEQ have raised the standards for the Crime | | | | dumping. Within the ramifications for transport, there |
| Scene Cleaning (CSC) Industry and filtered out | | | | is an underlying grey area. A company is required to |
| unqualified construction, restoration and carpet | | | | possess a Biohazardous Medical Waste |
| cleaning companies. As more and more of these | | | | Transportation License or have a licensed waste |
| companies stopped offering CSC because of the | | | | transporter pick up the waste. Since most CSC jobs |
| extensive training and compliance required by State | | | | happen after the hours transportation companies are |
| and Federal agencies, a niche industry was born. | | | | open, CSC companies who use a transporter and get |
| The CSC Industry is becoming a vital ally to police | | | | a call after hours are faced with a decision. A) Pass |
| depts., fire depts., constables, property management | | | | the job onto a properly licensed company, or B) |
| companies, body shops, funeral homes and various | | | | Illegally transport and dump waste. If biohazardous |
| state agencies, such as victims witness and homicide | | | | waste is illegally transported, it is usually illegally |
| survivors. After a tragic incident, it is helpful to have | | | | dumped. Proper disposal facilities will not accept |
| someone unattached from the family clean the scene | | | | waste from anyone other than a licensed transporter. |
| as it can create painful memories. Customers will | | | | Through the research of OSHA, ADEQ and EPA, we |
| have peace of mind that the scene is properly | | | | know the dangers of illegal dumping. Hepatitis can |
| disinfected and free of any infectious diseases. CSC | | | | remain dormant for up to a year and is reactivated |
| companies keep businesses OSHA compliant by | | | | with just a drop of water. If biohazardous waste |
| preventing exposure of blood borne pathogens to | | | | containing hepatitis is illegally dumped and made its |
| untrained employees. | | | | way to a water supply, we could see a mass |
| Each state has their own rules and regulations for | | | | outbreak in our city. |
| CSC companies. In Arizona, a CSC company must | | | | |