How Much Does Biohazard Cleaning Cost?

 
When dealing with biohazard situations such as accidents, crime scenes, or hazardous material spills, it is vital to ensure proper cleaning to protect the health and safety of everyone involved. Bodily fluids, like blood or chemicals, are contaminated with pathogens and can be dangerous to human health. Professional biohazard cleanup services are specialized services that require trained technicians to safely and effectively remove and disinfect contaminated areas.

However, one of the most common concerns when facing this situation is the cost of the services. Various factors contribute to the final price of these services, such as the extent of contamination, type of biohazard, and specific requirements for cleanup. This type of cleanup takes expertise, which is why biohazard cleanup costs can be high. In this article, we will break down the factors of that go into biohazard cleaning, and what you can expect when hiring professionals for the job.

What Situations Require Biohazard Cleaning?

The most common situation requiring biohazard cleanup is crime scenes, especially those involving violent crimes such as homicides, assaults, or suicides. These incidents typically involve blood and other bodily fluids that can pose health risks due to the potential disease-causing pathogens. Additionally, severe hoarding situations may also need additional biohazard cleanup. When severe hoarding situations occur, areas may become contaminated with mold, animal waste, or other biohazards inside of properties. To have these properties safe for people’s health, it is important for these materials safely removed.

Flooding and sewage backups are both situations that may need biohazard cleaning. Natural bodies of water, such as rivers, ponds, and lakes, and even flash flooding can introduce waterborne bacteria, viruses, and chemicals from fertilizers into a property.

Biohazard cleanup crews regularly work with a range of dangerous materials. Whether the materials consist of blood, animal waste, fluids, bodily remains of animals, chemical spills, or other organic hazardous materials, a team experienced in handling the potential dangers is necessary. Biohazards are microscopic. Cleanup crews are trained to locate the biohazardous materials, such as blood that has soaked through the floors and into the subfloors beneath. The professionals are skilled in preventing contamination and avoiding exposing other members of the household to the dangers.

What are the Costs of Biohazard Cleaning?

The services, professional expertise, and advanced equipment come with a cost. On average, a typical 2000-square-foot home can be cleaned for $4,000, with many homeowners paying between $3,000 and $5,000. Due to the dispersal of biohazards, rarely is biohazard cleanup localized to a single room. Receiving an estimate for biohazard cleaning depends on multiple factors that are specific to each situation. Here are the different levels of biohazard cleaning with their expectations.

Level 1: Low-Risk Biohazard Cleaning

Low-risk biohazard cleanup can cost anywhere between $200-$500. This level of biohazard cleaning includes minor spills or small amounts of waste that can be resolved with basic cleaning and disinfection. Using cleaning equipment, disinfectants, and protective personal equipment, this type of biohazard cleaning can be accomplished in one or two visits.

Level 2: Moderate-Risk Biohazard Cleaning

Moderate-risk biohazard cleaning is for moderate contamination situations that have potentially hazardous materials that need a more thorough decontamination process. Situations that are considered moderate-risk may include larger spills, contamination from medical procedures, or less severe crime scenes. Although the costs of moderate-risk biohazard cleanup vary based on the size of the affected area and the complexity of the cleaning process, the average cost is between $500-$2,000. The disposal of waste materials and cleanup are the primary services conducted by professionals.

Level 3: High-Risk Biohazard Cleaning

Crime scenes with extensive blood or bodily fluids, large-scale medical waste, or severe sewage backups typically involve high-risk materials that require intensive cleaning and decontamination. High-risk biohazard cleanup demands a cost between $2,000-$5,000. Using advanced equipment, specialized personal protective equipment, and comprehensive decontamination procedures, professional biohazard technicians approach the situation with care and caution.

Level 4: Extreme-Risk Biohazard Cleaning

In extreme-risk biohazard situations, scenarios including highly infectious diseases, major crime scenes, or large-scale hazardous material spills need to be approached with extra caution. These situations typically require intensive decontamination and remediation procedures with stringent safety measures. On average, extreme situations can cost anywhere between $5,000-$10,000, although the price can be higher depending on the severity of the situation.

How Do Labor Costs Affect the Price of Biohazard Cleaning?

Labor costs in biohazard cleaning are significantly influenced by the Biosafety Level (BSL) required for the cleanup. BSLs categorize the containment and safety protocols necessary for handling biohazardous materials. As the levels increase, the expertise, equipment, and safety measures increase based on the situation, which directly impacts labor costs. The industry term “Biosafety Level” runs from level one to four, with the latter being a hazard causing life-threatening disease.

BSL-1

A biosafety level of one produces a low-level threat to human health, typically working with non-pathogenic materials, and therefore is the least expensive to clean up. The chickenpox virus, for instance, is a BSL-1 threat. The hourly costs of labor for the lowest biosafety level run from $25 to $50 per hour per worker.

BSL-2

A biosafety level of two has the potential, upon direct contact, to cause severe illness from pathogens. Buildings in which a person has suffered mumps or measles, for example, will have this designation. Hourly labor costs for a BSL-2 threat range from $50-$100 per hour per worker.

BSL-3

A biosafety level of three is reserved for instances where airborne pathogens, through aerosol transmission, can cause fatal diseases. An example of such a pathogen is SARS. Biohazard cleanup companies will charge a labor cost of $100-$200 per hour per worker to clean up a BSL-3 threat.

BSL-4

Lastly, a biosafety level of four is given to situations where crews are exposed to a life-threatening disease without the availability of a vaccine. Covid-19 and Ebola are two examples. When biohazard teams are called to BSL-4 scenarios, expect an hourly labor charge of $200 per hour per worker, but this can be much higher depending on the complexity and risk.

Disposal Costs

Disposal costs, averaging $2 to $20 per pound, add to the overall price, as well. Charges for waste disposal usually involve infectious waste, such as those from a hospital, dentist’s office, lab, or a similar source. A separate waste pickup charge will add $50 to $200 for transport.

Deodorization Costs

Deodorization services average $100 per hour and leave the property smelling as it did before the trauma. When odors linger, the deodorization process eliminates all traces. Neutralizing offensive odors is important, as it keeps the memory of the trauma from remaining in the building.

When a trauma occurs in your residential home or commercial building, it is critical to begin the healing process. A first step is to consult Aftermath Services. Our effective techniques and compassionate approach allow you to remain in a hygienic property and close the chapter.

Our certified trauma scene cleanup technicians are experienced in cleaning a wide range of situations. We’ve successfully cleaned hoarded homes, crime scenes, unattended death scenes, and rooms in which suicides have occurred. We remove blood as well as tear gas and pepper spray, too.

Aftermath Services specialists are trained to utilize the most advanced equipment and proven strategies to return a building to its pre-loss condition. We provide not only cleanup, but sanitization, deodorization, and disinfection services so that your property is safe to inhabit once again.

Traumas, floods or any other type of situation that releases biohazard materials can happen in the blink of an eye. This is why Aftermath Services is available 24 hours a day to the Detroit, Michigan, community. Call us when you need reliable, cost-effective, and immediate biohazard cleanup services.