What trauma scene cleanup covers
Trauma scene cleanup is the removal of blood, bodily fluids and the materials they have soaked into after a sudden, injurious event. It is needed after a death by suicide, a fall or accident at home, an injury on a factory floor or job site, or an incident in a school, church, store or other shared space.
This is not routine cleaning. Fluids can travel into carpet pad, subfloor seams, upholstery foam and the gaps around baseboards, so a surface that looks clean may not be clean underneath. The work is also emotionally heavy. Families and coworkers should not have to carry it.
We are a mobile team based in the Nashville area. We serve all 41 counties of Middle Tennessee, from Davidson and Williamson to the Upper Cumberland and the southern border counties.
- Homes, apartments and rental units after a death by suicide or a serious injury
- Factories, warehouses, loading docks and construction sites after an industrial accident
- Offices, retail stores and commercial kitchens after an employee or customer is hurt
- Schools, places of worship, parks and venues after a public incident
- Vehicles, garages and driveways connected to any of the above
Before we begin
If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 911 first. When someone has died, Tennessee law generally requires the county medical examiner to authorize moving the person who died, and investigators may need time at the scene. We start only after law enforcement and, where it applies, the medical examiner have released the property.
We do not remove or transport human remains, and we do not collect or handle evidence. Those responsibilities belong to investigators, the medical examiner and the funeral home. Our role begins once they have finished.
How the work unfolds
Every situation is different. Here is how the work usually goes, from your first call to the final walkthrough.
- A calm first conversation You call 615-513-5112 at any hour and a person answers. We ask only what we need to plan: where the property is, what happened in general terms, and whether the scene has been released. You do not have to share more than you are ready to.
- Assessment and written scope We walk the affected area and look carefully at each surface and material. Before any work starts, we explain what we plan to clean, what may need to be removed, and why.
- Containment and protection Technicians wear protective equipment and set up containment so contamination does not spread into rooms that were not affected.
- Removal of affected materials Soft or porous items that have absorbed fluids, such as carpet, pad, mattresses or sections of drywall, are removed and bagged. Cleaning the surface alone would not reach what soaked in.
- Cleaning, then disinfection Hard surfaces are cleaned first to remove organic matter, then treated with EPA-registered disinfectants applied according to label directions, including the required contact time.
- Disposal and walkthrough Contaminated materials are packaged for appropriate disposal, and we walk the space with you or your representative before we leave.
Health and safety considerations
Blood and certain body fluids are treated as potentially infectious. OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard sets out protections for workers who may be exposed to them. That is why this work involves protective equipment, careful handling and labeled waste containers. Tennessee enforces workplace safety through its own state plan, TOSHA.
CDC guidance for blood spills calls for removing visible organic material first and then cleaning and decontaminating the surface. Disinfectant is applied to a cleaned surface and left wet for the full time on its label. We describe what we did and which products we used; we do not describe a room as sterile or free of every pathogen.
Odor after a trauma scene comes from contaminated material. Lasting results start with removing that source. Deodorizing equipment is a supplement, and if ozone is used at all, it is used only in a space no people or pets will enter until it is cleared.
Work we refer to others
Some problems a trauma scene uncovers are outside our scope. We tell you about them plainly and point you toward the right trade.
- Rebuilding floors, walls or framing after removal, especially projects that require a Tennessee contractor license
- HVAC duct cleaning or repairs
- Plumbing and electrical repairs
- Machine repair or recertification on an industrial line
- Grief counseling and crisis support
Working with us
You receive a clear explanation of scope before work begins, and you decide what happens to personal belongings. Items that can be cleaned are set aside for you; nothing personal is thrown away without your agreement.
Some homeowner's, renter's and commercial property policies may cover trauma cleanup, but coverage depends on the specific policy and the cause of the loss. We recommend calling your insurer or agent early. Our insurance guide explains the questions to ask, and our page on what affects cleanup cost describes how jobs are scoped.
For businesses, we can schedule work around shifts and keep the area closed off until it is ready. Employers remain responsible for their own bloodborne pathogen programs, incident reporting and medical follow-up for any exposed worker.
A note for families
If you are reading this after losing someone, we are so sorry. You do not need to know what to ask or have the right words when you call. We will explain each step, move at your pace, and keep the work as private as you need it to be.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).
Specialized trauma scene cleanup services
- Suicide Cleanup — Private, compassionate cleanup of a home, apartment or vehicle after a death by suicide, with belongings handled according to the family's wishes.
- Industrial Accident Cleanup — Blood and bodily fluid cleanup on machinery, production floors, docks and job sites after a serious workplace accident, coordinated with your safety team.
- Workplace Injury Cleanup — Blood and body fluid cleanup after injuries in offices, retail stores, restaurants and other workplaces, so employees are not asked to handle it.
- Home Accident Cleanup — Cleanup of blood and fluids on floors, stairs, carpet and furniture after a fall or injury at home, often finished before the person returns.
- Public Incident Cleanup — Discreet biohazard cleanup at schools, places of worship, parks, stores, venues and transit stops after an injury or emergency involving blood or fluids.