|
other articles on the
CONTRIBUTIONS page
Biohazard cleaning
is a specialty market that presents the professional detailer with an
opportunity for huge profits, but there is a lot to be done to qualify
as a specialist for this market.
What
is the biohazard cleaning industry?
The term biohazard
cleaning refers to cleaning the interior of a vehicle w here someone has
died, let blood, or exposed other forms of biological waste such as bodily
fluids and feces.
Even if all airbag
is activated and causes an injury -such as a bloody nose - that results
in blood shed inside the vehicle, legally this must be cleaned by a biohazard
cleaning specialist.
Biohazard cleaning
is a huge industry comprised of professionals from many different fields
including:
-
Housekeeping
managers for hospitals and nursing homes;
-
Emergency
medical technicians;
-
Surgical
or coroners technicians; and
-
Funeral directors
and cleaners.
Typically, individuals
of the biohazard cleaning industry have been involved in the medical or
death industry in some way, but many who enter the field have had no prior
experience at all.
So, while a professional
detailer doesn't need to have any hospital, medical or death industry
experience, it is important to remember that there are some very real
dangers to be aware of that are involved with both physical and emotional
issues.
There are personal
health risks in biohazard cleaning such as exposure to hepatitis, Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and other communicable diseases.
Not to be overlooked
are the emotional issues of getting into a car that may have been the
scene of a crime or suicide. Regardless of the money that's offered, some
people just cannot emotionally handle this type of interior detailing.
Know
the rules and regulations
Before doing
any biohazard work, your first step is to contact the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) and ask for the regulations concerning
blood-borne pathogen rules.
After you receive
these regulations, you must thoroughly read and study them.
This is where
we separate the detailers who say they have a strong interest in biohazard
cleaning from those that don't. Detailers who do have an interest will
read, study and learn from the regulations that exist.
The blood-borne
pathogen rule is the basis of what must be done when preparing and setting
up the engineering and record keeping practices for a biohazard auto detailing
company. This also covers proper conduct within this field.
The
rule provides requirements on:
-
Training;
-
Written plans;
-
Required
vaccinations;
-
Record keeping;
and
The
necessary personal protective equipment.
For your safety
and the legally required protection of employees, you will need to have
personal protective equipment (PPE) that will include a respirator fitting
for you and your employees.
Start-up
costs
Do not try to
start up a biohazard cleaning service on a shoestring budget. Do what
you have to do to do it right. The returns are well worth it.
To do it right,
you need a minimum of $1,500 -$2,000 for equipment, and another $2,000
for basic marketing and promotional materials in order to let numerous
types of companies and auto dealers know you offer biohazard cleaning.
You can use
your existing truck or van to carry the necessary equipment and chemicals.
To give you
an idea of revenue you can charge, the following are what others in the
industry are charging:
-
$100- $150
for dispatch fees
-
$150 for
setup fees (if you are mobile)
-
$100 per
team member for PPE and other disposable items
-
$125-$250
work rate per hour
Other charges
include cleanup fees for equipment and personnel, and disposal fees for
contaminated waste. If a job requires you to wear your PPE and use a minimum
amount of equipment, but only takes an hour to complete, you can earn
$300 -$400 per hour for that job.
Most work in the biohazard field has an average invoice of over $1,000.
This is a service-based business, so counting the technician wages and
cost of goods, leaves a true 85 percent profit margin.
It is not for
me to tell you whether or not you can handle this work, either physically
or emotionally. There are many detailers that could not handle the heat
of PPE for hours at a time.
What about placing yourself in a position of harm going into these horrific
vehicle interiors? Many detailers will even shy away from biohazard cleaning
simply fearing they might catch a disease. Promotion and insurance
A great way to
promote your service is to send a letter or brochure to coroners, funeral
homes, police agencies and any other first responder group.
You will find
that most police officials and coroners are prohibited from making referrals,
but if they like you they can "mention" your company without
giving a specific referral.
No doubt about
it, this work requires trained professional technicians. Having an untrained
employee, hiring someone who hasn't received proper training in all required
areas, or hiring someone who hasn't had a hepatitis vaccination is in
direct violation of OSHA standards.
Also, you could
be subject to fines of $50,000 or more. All it takes is one disgruntled
employee or someone who becomes ill to report you to OSHA.
If you do choose
to pursue biohazard cleaning, you will need to approach insurance companies
to let them know you provide this type of service. When speaking with
the insurance adjusters, make sure to let them know that this type of
cleaning will be your largest source of business.
Without question,
if you have the emotional strength for it, or you have employees w ho
do, biohazard cleaning can be a most lucrative specialty.
SIDE
BAR
Other
Hazardous Materials
Other than blood,
there are many other biohazard elements to consider. One type that you
may encounter would be animal or human fecal matter that has to be removed
from a customer's vehicle.
Did you know
that feces from birds and bats, including pigeons can cause Histoplasmosis?
Rodents' waste can cause Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and other
illnesses as well.
Other dangerous
containments that biohazard cleanup workers often face is tear gas, methamphetamine
lab residue and mold remediation.
-B.A.
Don't
Discount Emotional Stress
Aside from start-up
costs and knowledgably, there is an important additional factor to consider:
biohazard cleaning can be extremely emotionally stressful.
Dealing with
families and relatives of someone who has committed suicide, or suffered
an unintentional death, can cause a wide range of emotions on the part
of the biohazard cleaner.
Many biohazard
techs suffer from Critical Incident Stress Syndrome (CISS); many first
responders (EMT's, firefighters, police officers) also suffer from this
syndrome.
Symptoms of CISS
may include nightmares, stress dreams and irritability. If left unchecked,
it can lead to reclusive problems in dealing with others. These problems
can be corrected, but it's important to give consideration to these issues
before jumping into biohazard cleaning.
-B.A.
Biohazard
Cleaning Tools
The various tools
used aren't that different than those you are already using in you detail
business.
However, you
will need specific items such as:
Putty knives
Scrapers
Carpet knives
Absorbents; and
Disinfectants.
-B.A.
|