The situation on site
Industrial accidents rarely happen in tidy places. Blood can reach conveyor belts, guarding, control panels, pallet racking, forklifts, grated platforms and floor drains, often mixed with oil, coolant or product. Coworkers who saw what happened should not be the ones asked to clean it.
We work at manufacturing plants, food processing facilities, machine shops, distribution centers, warehouses, loading docks, construction sites and agricultural operations across Middle Tennessee, from the I-24 and I-40 industrial corridors to rural facilities in outlying counties.
Coordinating with your safety lead
On the first call, we ask where the incident happened, what equipment is involved and who your site contact is. Before we touch anything, we confirm with your safety manager or supervisor that any investigation is complete and that TOSHA, insurers or law enforcement no longer need the scene preserved. If someone died, the medical examiner must release the site first.
We also need the equipment locked out and tagged out by your own qualified staff. Our technicians do not operate, energize or repair your machinery; we clean it once it is safe to do so.
How we decontaminate equipment and work areas
- Walk the area with your team We map every affected surface, including spots that are hard to see such as under guarding, inside belt returns and around drain grates.
- Isolate the zone Barriers and signage keep staff and traffic away while protective equipment goes on.
- Remove bulk fluids Absorbent material lifts fluids from floors and equipment; contaminated rags, absorbents, product and packaging are bagged as waste.
- Clean before disinfecting Grease and grime are cut with detergents so the disinfectant can reach the surface. EPA-registered disinfectant then stays wet for its full label contact time.
- Address drains and porous items Floor drains and trenches are flushed and treated. Absorbent items such as wooden pallets, cardboard and soft seat cushions are usually discarded rather than cleaned.
- Hand back the area We walk the zone with your supervisor, list what was removed, and leave it for your team to inspect and restart.
Surfaces we commonly treat
- Conveyor belts, rollers and guarding
- Press, saw and packaging equipment exteriors
- Sealed concrete, epoxy floors and diamond-plate walkways
- Forklift seats, controls and cabs
- Racking, ladders, rails and stair treads
- Break areas, restrooms and first-aid stations used during the response
Worker safety and your obligations
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires employers with occupationally exposed workers to keep a written exposure control plan and to decontaminate contaminated work surfaces with an appropriate disinfectant. In Tennessee, TOSHA enforces these rules for private employers and state and local government.
Bringing us in does not transfer your own obligations. Your company still handles incident reporting, recordkeeping, and medical evaluation for any employee who had contact with blood. If anyone on your staff was exposed during the response, they should see a healthcare provider. Seeing a coworker badly hurt can stay with people. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).
What to do while you wait
- Keep the area closed off and post someone to stop foot and forklift traffic.
- Do not hose fluids into floor drains or sweep them up dry.
- Leave contaminated tools and gloves where they are, or bag them without compressing them.
- Have lockout/tagout completed before we arrive.
When another specialist is needed
Repairs to equipment, electrical systems or structural elements belong with your maintenance team or outside contractors. Chemical spills unrelated to the injury go to a hazardous-materials vendor. If an incident involved a spill of product into soil or water, contact the appropriate environmental agency.
For injuries in offices, stores and kitchens, see workplace injury cleanup. Companies that want a standing arrangement can read about our commercial biohazard cleanup service.