Best Safety Practices During Hoarding Cleanup
There are several best practices that restoration companies should follow when remediating a hoarding environment. Safety should be the primary concern, engaging with fire, police, and other relevant authorities to understand the potential hazards before the cleanup begins. They should consider the potential presence of biological hazards, including animal or human feces, mold, bacteria, insects, and bloodborne pathogens. They should assume that one or more of these hazards will be present and wear full Personal Protective Equipment, including suits, masks, and nitrile gloves, at all times. Among other things, they should provide specialized training on biohazard cleanups for employees annually; offer employees post-exposure evaluations and follow up with medical personnel in the case of an exposure incident; have an emergency action plan in place; create a cleaning and staging area; and be courteous and respectful to the hoarder at all times.