Forensic or Bio Recovery: No Matter the Name, Challenges Remain
Working in this restoration niche takes you behind the crime scenes. Just make sure you come prepared.
Forensic cleanup, crime-scene cleanup, bio-recovery — these are just some of the terms used to describe a niche in the cleaning, restoration and remediation industry in which firms are hired to clean up and decontaminate the scenes of homicides, suicides, unattended deaths, and even former meth labs or the homes of hoarders. Experts say it is a largely unregulated profession, growing in part because of the increased fear of contamination and disease and an increased awareness of such services. Restoration contractors working in this niche, and those interested in entering this industry sector, should be aware of current trends and the challenges that accompany this line of work.
In fact, due to renewed emphasis from OSHA and other regulatory agencies related to the disturbance of asbestos during fire and water restoration work, the RIA Board of Directors set up the Environmental Council as a permanent part of the organizational structure more than 15 years ago.
The efforts of this council have truly fulfilled a need for those engaged in this line of work. And such efforts have accelerated as of late, most notably in the form of the publication of the RIA Professional Forensic Guidelines.
RIA’s Director of the Environmental Council Michael A. Pinto, CSP, CMP, notes that in just a little more than a year and a half since being first published, these guidelines have already had a major impact on the industry. He points to the fact that many long-time professionals and organizations are adjusting their language to talk about forensic restoration rather than strictly crime and trauma scene cleanup.
In the forensic restoration field, adds Pinto, it is all about the training and professionalism of the entire team. Protecting the health and safety of the crew members is paramount. As such, keeping up with all of these trends will go a long way toward protecting the individuals who complete such emotionally difficult jobs in a professional manner.
These guidelines come at a very critical time for the field of forensics. In fact, Kent A. Berg, ACBTI, CBRM, CEOP, of the National Institute of Decontamination Specialists, see some important trends unfolding in the near term. These include:
- Long-established independent crime-scene cleaning companies forced to diversify as large restoration companies expand into the niche and large franchises attempt to “do it all”
- People with very little experience in cleaning crime scenes, or no experience at all, passing themselves off as crime-scene cleanup trainers, thereby diluting and confusing the market
- Companies rejecting training or certification because they have field experience and do not see the need for training that is not required or recognized by insurance companies or the public
- The industry shifting from being client-centric to dollar-centric
Berg, founder of the American Bio-Recovery Association (ABRA), says there are no certifications or training required for crime-scene cleanup, aside from OSHA compliance or state licensing rules for transporting regulated medical waste.
“The truth is anyone with a little money and a vehicle could compete for business,” Berg notes. “While the ABRA has been promoting Crime Scene Bio-Recovery Technician education and certifications to the industry for 20 years, those who take the training and sit for the certification exam do so on a strictly personal and voluntary basis.”
However, Berg stresses that hundreds of technicians who have taken his training course say there is so much they did not know. “A good trainer isn’t teaching just what they know; they are teaching from the experience and knowledge of hundreds of technicians, scientists, chemists, biologists and restoration experts. Those who think what they learned on their own is all they need are short-changing themselves and their clients.”
In terms of regulations and standards, Berg chaired the consensus body of the IICRC S-540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleaning. “This is a ground-breaking document that lays out the dos and don’ts of the job, and the regulatory compliance requirements of OSHA, EPA, and other federal and state authorities,” he says. “It is a beautiful piece of work that will help guide those in the industry who choose to read it, and will serve as a prosecutorial or defense piece in the courts.”
Meanwhile, Pinto notes that “2018 looks like the year Georgia will actually license certain aspects of the forensic restoration industry: crime and trauma scene cleanup. Once that happens in a particular state, it is likely that the trend will spread to other states.” Pinto and a colleague are widely considered to have introduced the term “forensic” to the restoration and remediation industry over the past few years and have been the leading advocates for use of the term in the context of restoration and bio-recovery cleanup.
As for particular tools that crime scene and bio-recovery technicians will find useful, Berg says low-vapor steamers, HEPA filtered air scrubbers, ULV foggers, ozone and hydroxyl generators, electrostatic sprayers, and ATP meters can improve the speed and effectiveness of the remediation process.
Pinto adds, “The transference of personal protective equipment from the biosafety field to forensic restoration may actually have the greatest impact on the entire industry, as powered air-purifying hoods provide protection and comfort for many other restoration activities, such as fire cleanup, mold remediation and water damage restoration.”
Based on his personal experience, Berg says forensic cleaning technicians face two significant challenges: marketing and dealing with insurance companies.
“Marketing used to be hard enough since we can’t really market to the end user. Now, we have to market to compete with the other service providers, who often have deeper pockets because they do the high-dollar fire and water jobs, too. I teach in my classes how to establish personal relationships with intermediaries like law enforcement, coroners and apartment managers,” Berg says.
Finally, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among employees is a significant concern for bio-recovery firms. Berg indicates that high turnover in the industry often is related to how management interacts with employees in the areas of emotional preparation and counseling. “Most technicians who have been properly prepared (both technically and mentally), and who have the emotional support of their co-workers and management, coping quite well with the trauma scenes they face. Implementing an atmosphere of understanding and support both before and after the job goes a long way to deflate tension, apprehension and sadness,” says Berg. “I have experienced personally the immediate and lasting benefit of professional counseling. I highly recommend that every company engaged in this work seek out and have a professional trauma counselor who can be employed when needed. You just might save a valuable employee and yourself from a PTSD lawsuit.”
Ultimately, it is important for technicians to focus on the true purpose of the work, handling the difficult job of restoring a property on victims’ behalf as they cope with their emotional distress. Most restoration professionals in this field will tell you that a big part of their jobs is trying to understand the devastation felt by their clients and helping them to achieve some semblance of normalcy.