Microorganisms are transported by carriers such as body fluids, dust, lint, respiratory droplets, blood and sloughed skin cells. A significant number of biohazards can be carried in the tiniest size of blood or bodily fluids, which may be invisible to the naked eyes. For example, the number of infectious units of Hepatitis B in a 0.1 microliter droplet is 10,000, which is why it is highly infectious and easily transferable. When these fluids penetrate a material or surface, it carries a number of microorganisms with it. And it is also possible for the biohazards to penetrate the skin without liquid being visible. This is why crime scene cleanup services admonish the general public to not enter a biohazardous site without the right protective clothing. Your everyday fabric will do nothing to protect you from getting infected.
The first thing that crime scene cleanup services assess at a death scene are the hazards and contagious element they are exposed to. Once these have been identified, then they can decide if the selected protective clothing is right for the job. Reason behind this logic is that some microorganisms are so tiny that they can penetrate any porous surface. A microorganism’s movement through protective clothing materials depend upon several factors
- Shape, size and other characteristics of the microorganism
- External factors such as chemical, thermal and physical stress
- Characteristics of the carriers
- Physical and chemical properties of the fabric
At accident scenes and healthcare facilities, there abounds various kinds of microorganisms including viruses, fungi and bacteria. All these microorganisms vary in shape and size, and as such can affect the ability to move through a fabric structure.
It is scientifically proven that viruses are the smallest of all three, bacteria the second largest in size and fungi is the biggest of all three. If these viruses end up on a porous fabric through which they can reach your skin, then the odds of getting infected are high.
Crime scene cleanup services are always thorough in their garment design. Some of the factors to consider in the selection process are the material and seam barrier properties. These are the defining factors for protection and coverage from infection.
Can Crime Scene Cleaners Use Any Protective Clothing?
Unfortunately, no. This is because contact from contagious fluids can come from multiple directions. Some spots contains these hazardous substances that are unknown to many. Direct skin contact with these spots can be hazardous. In line with this, technicians will always go to cleanup site with protective clothing with high levels of barrier protection. The typical gowns or overall can do half of what these biohazardous protective clothing does.
If you fear getting infected at a crime scene or healthcare facility, then you shouldn’t hesitate to gear up. Getting the right protective clothing can protect your from unforeseen dangers and other life-threatening issues. Hence, the importance of protective clothing when dealing with blood, bodily fluids or tissue at a crime scene cannot be overemphasized!
