Bio-One of Duval County decontamination and biohazard cleaning services

What to Do After an Unattended Death

What to Do After an Unattended Death

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Death is a natural, inevitable part of life. This doesn’t make it any less scary or upsetting, though, and discovering someone has died can be frightening and disturbing. This is particularly true if you are the first to find out about the death of someone who went through it alone, be it a loved one or a stranger.

When you stumble upon an unattended death, it is difficult to digest the situation at first. You may feel a mixture of shock, fright, and confusion, but as it starts to settle in, you will have to collect yourself and take action.

What is unattended death?

An unattended death is when a person dies and remains undiscovered for a while. This could be days, weeks, or even months and could happen due to any reason; natural death, homicide, suicide, or accidents. If the person died alone or was perceived to have been alone, the death is considered unattended.

What to do when you discover an

unattended death?

Contact first responders

It is essential to let first responders know that a death has occurred so that they may arrive at the scene at once. First responders can ensure that the body of the deceased is taken care of properly and handed over to a coroner. The cause of death can be determined, and the loss may be recorded, and any investigation that needs to take place will then be carried out.

Clear the area

It would be best if you got out of the area as soon as possible. When a person dies, their body begins to decompose. Decomposition means that the body starts to release chemicals, gases, and fluids as it decays since the muscles relax, and these can be very harmful to any living beings around. Bacteria that are released alongside can become airborne, and if they are inhaled, they can have extremely detrimental effects on anyone around them.

Call a Crime Scene Cleanup Service

You will have to call a crime scene cleanup service as soon as possible to make sure that the area is cleaned out properly, and the private property and space of the deceased are treated with as much respect as possible.

Death cleanup is a dangerous job for you to undertake on your own, and you must not attempt to do it yourself.

Why You Should Not Attempt to Clean Up

After A Death Yourself

Mental Stress & Trauma

One of the most pressing reasons to avoid taking on such a task yourself is because of how emotionally and mentally taxing it is. After investigations, it is usually left to the victim’s family to clean up the area. Having to clean up the blood amongst that smell can be very unpleasant and traumatic since it will remind the bereaved of the incident and their loss.

On top of that, there are other arrangements to be made, such as funerals, etc. and letting a professional crime scene cleanup service take on the job can get rid of the physical and emotional stress of doing it yourself.

Biohazards

Biological substances pose a significant threat to living beings since they carry the risk of significant health issues, like infections, tissue damages, and allergies. Cleaning up after a death can be extremely hazardous to your health, especially if you do not have adequate protection. Many pathogens that are bloodborne or airborne could enter your systems, and these can cause fatal diseases as well.

If that wasn’t enough, these pathogens don’t just go away when you wipe away the blood, but require careful and calculated sterilization and sanitation, without which they can linger around for years after the incident and cause health issues. Moreover, as you clean up, if you are not experienced and don’t know precisely how to go about it, you may end up spreading contaminants rather than eradicating them.

Specialization

Biochemicals leave behind stains that are not easily removed through conventional cleaning materials. There are always some traces left behind, which are not pretty to look at, and can also carry the risk of lingering bacteria and germs that can pose biohazard risk later, if not treated immediately. Crime scene cleanup services can handle these biological substances with precision and eliminate health risks.

Save Time & Effort

Cleaning up after death is not simple routine cleaning, but it is also tough work. Depending on the situation, it could take hours or even days to complete, and if you are currently mourning the loss of a loved one, you likely do not have the time or energy to expend towards cleaning.

Property Value

If an incident takes place on your property, it may impact its value. Biohazard waste can be dangerous to anyone who may want to live in the area in the future. This could be a problem when people want to move out of a house because they cannot handle living in the same space where their loved ones passed away. As such, hiring a crime scene cleanup service would be best. They can make sure that your property is not affected by the bacteria or germs that traumatic incidents could bring about.

The Law

In some places, civilians are not allowed to clean up after major incidents on their own. This could be because investigations need to be carried out if there was any involvement in criminal activity. As such, it is best to avoid getting caught up in legal problems by attempting to clean up yourself.

 

Bio-One is a professional crime scene cleanup service that can contain and disinfect all biohazard substances from the environment, in a way that is respectful for the bereaved family.