Steps to Take Immediately When Your Car is Stolen
Forty-three seconds.
Yup. Every 43 seconds, a vehicle gets stolen in the USA according to data from the FBI. That number is insane, considering all the high-tech security alarms in cars and cities armed with millions of CCTV’s. But, car thieves seem to adapt to new technology as fast as security experts can think of them.
We know losing anything to thieves can be traumatic and devastating. If your car vanishes out of thin air, take a deep breath and collect yourself. We’ve prepared a list of steps you need to do before you can utter a guttural cry of “why me?”
Following these steps can help you put things in perspective.
1. Make sure Your Car was Actually Stolen
Before you freak out and panic, make sure that your car is really missing! Think about where you parked. Was it a few levels up or down? Could you have stationed in a different building altogether?
Parking lots have numbered “zones” painted on the floors, walls, and pillars (A-5, E-17). There’s a real chance you may have just forgotten exactly where you parked. Ask building security if they can help you track your car using the security video feed.
Lastly, did you let someone borrow your car?
2. Maybe You Got Towed?
Illegal parking can lead to parking tickets and your car getting towed. If you did a little curbside parking and your car isn’t in a spot where you parked, check with the impound lot first before calling the cops.
By checking the local impound, you won’t have to fill out a police report, which saves everybody time.
3. Go to the Police
If your initial search fails and there’s no trace of your car, it’s time to report the incident to the police. Make sure you give the officer all the vital details of your vehicle and the event. You should be ready with your car’s VIN number, make, model, year, color and any unique identifying marks like a custom paint job or decals.
Taking your car’s documentation with you is a good idea and can save you extra trips to the police station. You should also try to recall everything that happened on the day of the car theft. The date, time, location, weather, the people you met, etc. are critical.
4. Call the Insurance Company
After filing a police report, you need to call your insurance company to let them know that your car is missing. Get your policy number ready and fill the insurance adjuster in on precisely what happened. What you reported to the police would do.
Try to recall anything valuable inside the car when it got stolen. Your wallet, phone, laptop, designer sunglasses, house keys, documents, checkbooks, etc.
What you get out of your insurance claim will depend on your coverage.
5. Be Proactive
Call your bank if your credit cards are missing and change all the locks in your house if you left your house keys in the stolen car. Go online and search for your car on Craigslist and other used car sites. There’s a small chance your vehicle ends up for sale on the internet because there are a lot of people who prefer to buy a used car. Just don’t confront or meet up with the suspects. Tell the cops what you found.
After taking all the steps outlined above, all you can do is sit back and let the authorities handle the case as car theft is common in the USA. Remember that when you report a stolen car immediately after the theft, the chances of recovering it are higher.
Oh, and you can utter a guttural cry now 🙂
How to Protect an App Idea: The Legal Steps You Can Take
How do you stop someone from getting their hands on your brain?
Cloned apps steal around 10% of an app developer’s userbase on average. Protecting your app idea can be an uphill struggle in a competitive and even unscrupulous marketplace. To achieve it, you need to know what tools you have at your disposal.
Here’s how to protect an app idea made simple.
Can You Copyright an App Idea?
The most basic protection that applies to any creative work is copyright. Copyright is automated and applies as soon as your work exists in fixed form.
But that last part is the key. Ideas are—in a word—worthless. You can’t copyright an idea.
For that, you need to “fix” your idea. In an app’s case, that means you need to start work on coding to make your app a reality. Once you’ve built your app in your app maker, your app will fall under copyright protection.
Even then, the basic idea of your app will never fall under copyright. Your copyright will only apply to the expression of that idea. So another app can’t use your code, assets, or content, but it’s free to exploit the same basic idea.
How to Patent an App Idea
Another method of protecting your app idea is through patents.
But patents are much more complex than basic copyright protection. As with copyright, you can’t patent an idea. You need to show how your idea works and also how it differs from all the previous ideas currently patented.
You’ll need to carry out a patent search to confirm your idea is unique. If you’re confident, you’ll then need exhaustive documentation of your idea. With that, you can submit a patent application.
There’s no guarantee your patent will pass muster. And even if it does, your patent isn’t immune to legal challenges. If an app is already doing what yours will do, patented or not, they’ll be able to challenge your patent on the grounds of prior art.
I’m Still Wondering How to Protect My App Idea
You may have noticed by now that protecting your app idea is pretty complicated. Patents are a high-grade solution for the simple act of protecting your work, and copyright can’t protect your idea until it exists in tangible form. So what can you do?
The truth is that, in most cases, copyright will be enough to protect your app—but only its fixed form, not the basic idea. Copyright will give you the power to legally challenge anyone infringing on your creation. Given the saturation and level of crossover in the app market, patents can be more trouble than they’re worth unless your app does something truly revolutionary.
How to Protect an App Idea Made Simple
How to protect an app idea isn’t always a straightforward issue. If you’re trying to protect your app, you need to remember that there are thousands of apps out there all trying to do the same.
Has someone infringed on your intellectual property? You can find a lawyer to help you fight your case.
Why More People Are Making the Switch from Tap to Filtered Water
Authorities in health recommend that people consume around eight cups of water per day. That number may be higher, depending on your physical makeup, activity level, and the climate you live in.
But while people can generally agree on how much water to drink, there’s more debate on whether the type of water you drink is as important.
In recent years, it’s become less of a debate, however. People can agree that filtered water is a better choice than tap water. But why is that the case? Is filtered water really healthier than tap water?
Read on to learn why more and more people and drinking filtered water over tap, so you can make the most educated decision for yourself.
Tap Water Has Contaminants
This is the number one reason to drink filtered water instead of tap water. Tap water can be filled with several contaminants.
These contaminants aren’t necessarily harmful in small amounts, but tap water can be poorly regulated. You can’t know the exact amounts of each contaminant in your water, which is why it’s best to filter the water before drinking.
Some of the contaminants that are in tap water include:
- Flouride
- Chloride
- Arsenic
- Aluminium
- Copper
- Ammonia
Contaminants can come from agriculture, industrial plants, urban runoff (car oil, gasoline), and even from the pipes in your home.
If you don’t like the idea of not knowing what your drinking along with your water, then it’s time to start filtering your water.
Filtered Water Tastes Better
Have you ever drank water from the tap that tastes like toilet water or worse? How will you force yourself to drink eight cups of water each day if that water tastes terrible?
Filtered water removes the harmful (and nasty-tasting) contaminants, leaving you with pure water that tastes just as water should.
Filtered Water is Better for Cooking
If you enjoy cooking or making coffee, you shouldn’t be using tap water. Tap water cooks differently than filtered water and can actually alter the taste of what you’re cooking.
It is okay to use tap water if it’s going to be boiled because boiling it for several minutes will kill off the contaminants. But if you use water in sauces or soups, definitely go with filtered water. Your taste buds will thank us later.
What About Bottled Water?
If you think this debate is pointless because you only drink fancy bottled water anyways—think again! Studies show that 64% of bottled water is actually just tap water. So you’re basically just paying a lot more for the same stuff you can get from your sink at home.
If you like having a water bottle with you at all times, consider buying a reusable bottle and fill it at home with your filtered water instead of spending money on bottled water.
Filtered Water vs. Tap Water: The Debate Is Over!
There shouldn’t be a debate between filtered water and tap water. Unless you like the idea of drinking unknown and potentially harmful contaminants, it’s time to make the switch to filtered water.
Looking for more helpful info on a wide range of topics? Check out our blog today!
Venture Custom Pools – Pool Safety Requirements
For new pool owners, many often wonder about the pool safety requirements they need to adhere to. If proper pool safety rules are not followed, there is the risk of drowning or spreading infectious diseases. Reports show that there are 9 million swimming pools (public and residential) in the United States. If pool owners follow proper safety measures, including the use of signs, it can go a long way in preventing accidents that fall under swimming pool liability.
Swimming Pool Liability and Insurance
Swimming pool liability simply means you are legally responsible if something happens in your pool. It goes without saying that swimming pool liability is pretty much straightforward when it comes to public pools. However, it is somewhat complicated for residential pools as both pool owners and the injured parties may have a case to argue. The injured party could argue there was inadequate supervision, willful misconduct or negligence on the part of the pool owner. On the other hand, pool owners can argue their case using trespassing laws. Pool ownership is associated with a lot of liability. In some cases, pool owners can be held liable even if they use signage and follow proper fencing precautions. Venture Pools in Dallas builds hundreds of pools a year and says that it’s extremely important for pool owners to get pool insurance. Pool insurance can help protect pool owners in the event of an accident leading to medical or legal costs.
Pool Safety Guidelines
| By following pool safety guidelines, you can make your swimming pool safe and enjoyable for both adults and children. First, let a pool contractor confirm that the depth of your pool water is sufficient enough if you are installing a slide. Use non-slip materials on the diving board, ladders and pool deck. There should be a barrier four feet or higher around the swimming pool with a lockable deck. This will help keep trespassers and children out of the pool. Be sure to clearly mark how deep the pool is. | |
You can use safety slopes to show where the pool becomes deeper. Lastly, check the swimming pool to ensure it is well maintained and clean. Repair any broken railings or ladders and replace non-slip materials which are worn out.
Measures to Reduce Pool Risk
Owning a pool comes with its own risks and benefits. Insurance policies may help cover some of the risks but there are precautionary measures you can take to reduce the risk of tragedy. The following are steps you can take if you want to reduce swimming pool liability.
Use Pool Covers
Pool covers are an effective way to negate swimming pool accidents involving kids and prevent trespassers from swimming in your pool. It is advisable for pool owners to use covers frequently and not just when the pool is not in use.
Fencing
Using fences with lockable gates is arguably the best way to reduce pool risk. In addition, you can use a pool alarm to alert when someone is near the pool that shouldn’t be. Most states in the US have specifications regarding the fence height and gate specifications.
Supervision
Pool owners should ensure kids who are around pools are well supervised. Kids should not be allowed to swim unsupervised.
Conclusion
Following the above pool safety requirements can reduce the risks that can lead to an expensive lawsuit. It is important for private pool owners to take precautions, such as a CPR class, which can be lifesaving in case of an emergency. Additionally, pools should be equipped with built-in ladders, and other safety measures, to help swimmers if an emergency arises.
Items Movers Can’t Move – Safety Standards
What are the items movers can’t move? There are various items that even the best movers won’t move. Some of the items are logical while others can come down to state laws. Professional movers may be prohibited either by ethics, safety standards or laws to move certain belongings. That said, below is a list of items you should not plan for movers to relocate.
Fresh Food
It is difficult for movers to relocate fresh produce long distance. While you may be able to pack a small amount in a cooler for your personal vehicle, it’s difficult for movers to keep food from becoming spoiled. Movers will be more likely to move food that is non-perishable. In addition, some states have their own laws regarding fresh food coming in from other states. Someone moving to Seattle is going to cross different laws then someone has different laws then moving to Phoenix.
Valuables
It’s the role of movers to safeguard your belongings. However, it’s your role to carry valuable items which may not be replaceable in case of loss. Such valuables include cash, jewelry, crucial documents among others. Keep such items in a safe and carry them in your own car. Movers have no insurance for valuable items, so they legally cannot be held responsible if there was no agreement on these items beforehand.
Explosives
Explosive items are likely to burn or explode thus presenting huge risks to everyone. Such items include gasoline, matches, black powder, igniters among many others. While some movers will relocate firearms, they won’t move the ammunition. Most movers are prohibited from moving explosives under safety standard laws.
Pets
| Pets are another big no! There are laws protecting animals, so they cannot be moved like the rest of your home. Pets have the right to safe transportation. The moving truck doesn’t have much ventilation, so this can cause your pet to possibly suffocate. If you need to move your pet, then consider carrying them in your own vehicle or hiring a professional animal mover. | |
Plants
Movers are not allowed by interstate laws to move any type of plant. It’s against the law to move pants in a distance of more than 150 miles without a license from your State Plant Regulatory. The aim here is to reduce the spread of harmful diseases and pests attacking plants. Besides that, live plants are likely to wither and die due to moving conditions. Moving trucks have no special storage for plants since they are mostly covered by extreme weather conditions. If you are moving within your state, then it’s advisable to carry the plants on your own. Wrap them carefully to avoid any destruction.
Hazardous Materials
Hazardous materials include acids, chemical, aerosols, paints, fertilizers, batteries and more. The moving company will first provide you with a list of materials they cannot take before they pack your belongings. However, the good news is that you can easily dispose of such materials at a local waste collection center. Don’t make a mistake of trying to dispose of them on your normal garbage. They can be harmful to the public, which is a reason why movers won’t relocate them for you.
Powered Tools
Professional movers won’t move any powered equipment containing fuel. Examples include machines and motorcycles. You must first empty the fuel tank before professional movers move them.
Liquor
This is another item which requires a special license depending on the relocation state. Establish first whether your state allows moving of liquors before you pack them.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a few reasons behind why movers are unable to move certain items for you. When it comes to the list of items movers can’t move, the reasons for each often come down to state laws, permits, and/or the mover not being comfortable relocating the items. Before you start the packing process, make sure your move complies with state laws to help ensure your movers relocate everything safely and lawfully.
Under Lock and Key: How to Secure Documents Safely
Roughly 300 billion emails are sent every day around the world. Many of those emails contain sensitive information that can have massive legal implications.
Does your business deal heavily in the storing and transmission of trade secrets? What about customer data?
If you answered yes to either of those questions, it’s important that you understand how to secure documents.
No matter the contents of your documents or their medium (digital or paper), our team offers some practical advice on how you can best preserve sensitive information and avoid prying eyes.
1. Always Backup Important Documents
The lowest hanging fruit when it comes to avoiding the loss of pertinent data is to backup documents. You can backup your documents in a variety of ways.
If your documents are paper, make a photocopy of them or digitize them.
If your documents are digital, make digital copies of your documents and store them separately from your original.
However you choose to do it, never have a single copy of something important. If you rely on a single copy, you’re setting yourself up for disaster.
2. Keep Documents on Encrypted Hard Drives
No matter where your digital documents are stored, ensure that their storage place is properly encrypted. Without encryption, a data thief could easily intercept sensitive information.
There are a number of programs out there (like BitLocker for instance) that allow you to apply military-grade encryption to any digital device you’re leveraging for document storage.
Talk to an IT professional about which tools will work best for your needs.
3. Leverage Safe Deposit Boxes
No matter how much effort you put into protecting your physical or digitally secured documents, they may be at risk if kept in an accessible location. To make sure that hard drives or documents are never intercepted and decrypted, consider storing them in safe deposit boxes until needed.
Safe deposit boxes provide an extra layer of security to your already protected documents. With that, even the most sophisticated of thieves won’t be able to access your data.
4. Use Secure Share Features on Cloud Drives
While not recommended, some businesses transfer secure documents through cloud storage services.
It’s important to know that cloud services, if compelled to do so by the authorities, will release your documents. To better understand third-party service’s relationship with your data, read their privacy policies.
If you send documents via cloud services, use their “protected” share features. This will ensure that if somebody intercepts the link to your document, they won’t be able to read your file’s contents.
5. Drop Physical Documents in Secured Bins for Disposal
Many businesses print out documents that contain a variety of trade secrets. Unfortunately, most assume that if these secrets get shredded prior to disposal, they’re safe.
That’s not the case.
A number of data miners are extremely adept when it comes to piecing back together shredded information.
To truly ensure that your secured documents remain secure upon disposal, find a “secured bins” provider in your area. Then, dispose of your documents in the padlocked trash cans they provide.
6. Ensure That Paper Documents Do Not Sit for Years Unsealed
Client information. Real estate records. Bank statements. These are all examples of documents you may want to preserve.
It’s important to know though that all paper deteriorates if left unsealed in closet spaces or filing cabinets.
Do you have secured documents that will be sitting for long periods of time unattended? If you do, ensure that you take proper steps to reduce their exposure to the elements.
This blog post can give you insight on how long your business might want to hold onto to legal documents. The National Archives provides some guidelines for safe document storage that you can reference here.
7. Leverage a VPN when Sharing Sensitive Information
Many legal professionals advise that people leverage VPN (virtual private network) protection when transmitting information online. Doing so hides your online identity. It also provides data an extra layer of security en-route to its destination.
VPN services can be purchased on a monthly basis from a variety of online service providers. They offer individual subscription plans and enterprise-level plans which are suited for organizations that value high levels of discretion.
8. Provide Employee Training
At the end of the day, human error is the number one culprit when it comes to undermining the safety of secure documents. To eliminate that factor, training is paramount.
If your document concerns revolve around your business operations, take the time to educate. Talk to anybody that comes into contact with sensitive data about how they should manage it.
With a dose of prevention, your business can avoid a world of headaches. It can also avoid civil legal repercussions that come with sensitive data falling into the wrong hands.
Wrapping Up How to Secure Documents Safely
Depending on the context of how your secure documents are being utilized, there are a number of measures you can take to ensure their integrity.
We hope that our tips above have informed you as an individual on how to be more cautious with sensitive data and/or have informed you as a business how to better protect trade secrets and customer information.
If you should need any legal help when it comes to your personal or corporate privacy, our team at HALT can help.
HALT is a premier legal directory that has been helping both individuals and businesses form lasting partnerships with local attorneys for years.
Browse our directory, and get the legal guidance you need today!
Safety Standards for Garage Doors
Chances are that if you are a homeowner, that your home also has a garage. The electric garage door was invented to keep our homes safe. It comes with many benefits that include greatly enhanced convenience and how it doesn’t require physical effort to open. It is incredibly crucial however that an electric garage-door meet legislation and safety requirements to ensure that it is safe to use. This article will focus on the safety standards necessary for an electric garage door and how to find out if whether your door meets them or not.
Safety Features of Garage Doors
For an electric garage door to be considered safe for use, at least one sufficient safety feature has to be incorporated into its mechanism with the aim to prevent property damage or personal injury. Should there in an impact, safety can be assured by the following means:
1. Obstacle Detection
| Obstacle detection is a kind of pressure sensitivity that blocks the door from descending at the time it comes into contact physically with an obstacle. Only is this realized through either an intelligent drive unit or movement sensors that detect contact upon an obstruction. | |
2. Safety Edge
This is another pressure sensitivity form. Safety edge is a rubber strip having embedded sensors sensitive to contact fixed at the bottom of the door. In the event that this door touches anything as it descends, the mechanism will prevent injury or damage by reversing. With proper track adjustments on the garage door, the sensors could save future problems.
3. Light Curtaining
This technology is an innovative one, whereby the infrared light is radiated across the garage entrance. The garage door halts when these beams get interrupted by the by an object’s presence hence hindering harmful contact.
4. Hold-to-Run
The hold-to-run system needs the user to click on a button that is found in the sight of the door to either close or open the garage. This depends on the operator establishing the moment it is safe to have the door used. This method does not facilitate remote usage but eliminates any necessity for physical exertion.
Does My Electric Garage Door Meet Safety Standards?
Many pieces of physical evidence are there to tell you that your garage door fulfills the necessary safety legislation. First, the CE label should be placed upon the door. This label is an indication that the door proven safe for use. This label also contains additional information on it like the performance characteristics and the product type.
There are also two other documents that you should be provided with by the professional garage door installer for safety verification purposes. These are the declaration of performance and the declaration of conformity. These two serves to indicate that the electric garage door you have chosen has been tested sufficiently and certified in accordance with the law.
Maintenance
After fully installing your electric garage door, what follows is to stick to develop and trick to a maintenance plan to make sure that it stays in a safe working state. Routine maintenance activities like lubricating wheels and tracks and regular inspections will help you note potential hazards early, therefore, extending the life of your garage door.
Conclusion
Now you know all about the safety standards and other important elements regarding the electric garage door. To ensure your safety, it’s important to adhere to these standards set in accordance to legal standards.
DataStreet – Safety Laws For Construction Workers
What are the safety laws for construction workers? There are several safety measures which have been put in place for construction workers. The different types for construction jobs will require different safety measures. For instance, if you are involved in high rise building, you need to be secured to avoid falls. Trench workers need to adhere to safety measures which can protect them against collapsing trenches. For the case of electrical works, they should as well adhere to safety measures to avoid electrical shocks. Putting together a quality T&M contract can ensure proper measures are followed and some measures are determined by the type of construction job you are involved. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), has ten common standards for safety laws for construction workers. In this article we will discuss five of the common standards.
Safety Laws For Construction Workers
Scaffolding Laws
When scaffolds are used, they should be well secured to avoid injuries due to falls. Ensure you remove unstable objects such as boxes and loose bricks before you erect a scaffold. When mounting the scaffolds, they should be erected when supervised by a competent personal. There are several safety measures which should be taken at all times to avoid injuries associated with scaffolding.
Fall Protection
| In a construction site, falls contribute to a lot of injuries each year. In most cases, they involve falls from elevated surfaces such as ladders and high construction sites. There are several safety measures which can be put into place to protect against the falls. They include use of covers, safety nets, fall arrest systems and restraints which can protect against falls. Some of the solutions to such form of injuries include prevention measures such as using aerial lifts which can provide safe working environments. | |
Guardrails should be provided to avoid the falls. Safety net systems can act as barriers which can protect you against possible falls. All ladders should be well secured before you can start using them in your construction site. To avoid injuries along stair ways, they should have guard rails to avoid slip and fall.
Trenching
There are cases where trenches have fallen which leads to fatal accidents. Some of the safety measures which can be employed include avoiding unprotected trenches. A registered professional engineer should be employed to supervise trench construction. There are several trench safety measures; they should be adhered to so that you can avoid cases where you can end up having fatalities in your trench construction site.
Head Protection
| If workers are an area where there is risk of objects falling, then they should all wear protective hats. They should as well have eye and ear protection to avoid cases where toxic substances or too much noise can affect them. In each construction site, a safety checklist should be carried out to ensure all workers adhere to the regulations to avoid the adverse effects associated with the falls. | |
Foot Protection
In a work environment, proper footwear should be worn at all times to avoid possible injury. The worker should as well have hand as well as eye protection. To achieve the best results, you need to assess the work environment before you come up with the best protective gear which can keep your workers protected.
What are safety laws for construction workers? The above are some of the factors you need to take into consideration so that you can adhere with the safety laws in a construction site. OSHA outlines regulations construction companies need to follow in order to ensure the safety of their employees.
Overcome the fears of legal infringement in viewing streaming apps by using VPN
The popularity of video streaming apps is spreading like wildfire as the audience is seeking more options in viewing television programs and chosen movies and soaps just in the way they want. Viewers are keen to enjoy live events of sports, music and other entertainment on all kinds of devices including mobile phones even when they are on the go and the streaming apps provide the right type of entertainment that makes them happy. However, viewers often face copyright and related legal problems that surround the streaming of videos that many of the streaming companies curate from various websites on the internet. Â You can know about several instances when viewers face a penalty for copyright infringement as such incidents are reported in the news and articles that appear on Bestdroidplayer, a blog that has become the face of the streaming industry.
Evading legal hassles
Many streaming services attract viewers by allowing them to view some premium live events free that would have otherwise cost them good money as they had to subscribe to the services. In simple words, some streaming services cut corners and circumvent the law to attract viewers and to take advantage of it viewers must ensure that they avoid all kinds of surveillance when viewing such programs. Therefore, maintaining complete privacy in viewing streaming services becomes a necessity so that viewers can avoid the legal hassles that arise from it. This has led to the growing demand for VPN services, many of which are free.
VPN offers complete privacy in viewing
VPN helps viewers to access the internet without leaving any trace of their online activities which are usually under close monitoring when using Wi-Fi and open networks. By using VPN, you can access any website or view any video streaming service including those that face restrictions in some countries and even access live streaming of major sporting events like NFL for free. No one can ever detect your online presence, and you are at liberty to access the internet in the way you want. In the process, viewers can avoid costly subscriptions, and the money-saving aspect adds to the enjoyment of viewing selected programs without any fear of trespassing the law. However, you may have to sacrifice speed when using VPN as it is not possible to get the best of everything.
VPN for network
For multiple users, you can use VPN across a network by choosing the best free VPN for Routers that create a firewall around the network and in addition to ensuring privacy in viewing it provides an additional layer of security. All incoming traffic passes through the firewall and undergoes scrutiny that protects the network from hacking or malware. Â By configuring the router, it becomes easy to monitor the traffic that flows to and from the network.
All devices connected to the network whether wired or wireless that use VPN installed on the router enjoy the protection of VPN. Â Since VPN provides an encrypted tunnel of communication, viewers can enjoy complete privacy as they remain invisible to the monitoring systems that track online activities.
What Are The Regulatory Requirements for Cleaning Crime Scenes?
Crime scene cleanup is an essential part of the process of restoring a crime scene environment and making it safe for habitation. The cleaning of crime scenes is not officially a regulated industry, yet there are regulations, restrictions and guidelines for crime scene cleanup staff to follow that ensure that rigid public safety standards are met. There are several agencies that are responsible for overseeing the protocols, namely, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Department of Transportation (DOT). Any company that offers crime cleanup services would be recognized by the above organisations as being capable of carrying our necessary cleaning at crime scenes, while the company itself would have a rigorous training program to ensure that all their employees meet the very high standards that this type of work demands.
Crime Cleanup Companies
In the US, there are certain crime cleanup companies who operate across the country and their staff are specifically trained for this type of work. Crime cleanup technicians undergo special training and encounter horrific scenes that might arise from the following scenarios:
- Homicide
- Suicide
- Unattended Death
- Disease
The crime scene cleanup company would also be called in to eliminate risks from a tear gas infected area and render the environment safe for habitation and that means removing all traces of the harmful chemicals.
Special Skillsets
This type of work does not suit everyone, due to the traumatic scenes that one is likely to encounter, not to mention dealing with the people who are directly affected by the incident, the owners or occupants of the property. The cleanup company do sanitize the entire room where a trauma has occurred, yet they do not clean carpets, which are disposed of in a safe way. Items such as bedsheets, blankets and items of clothing are also disposed of, while the floors and walls are cleaned using special chemicals that break down the blood pathogen. The cleanup process is very thorough and the technicians wear special protective clothing while at work and due to the nature of such incidents, the company would have mobile teams who provide a round-the-clock service 365 days a year.
Bloodborne Pathogens
When cleaning up blood or human waste, the technician is always aware of the potential danger from bloodborne pathogens and is required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), the technician would be competent in the use of many different products used to sanitize a trauma scene. Bloodborne pathogens can be transmitted from person to person, such as hepatitis and HIV, therefore great care must be taken when cleaning up blood or other bodily fluids.
Second Responders
Crime scene cleanup technicians are what is known as second responders and would be called in when the police have finished collecting the required evidence and in many cases, they have to comfort family members before and after the cleanup process. If, for example, a person took their own life at the family home, the crime scene cleanup technicians would be called in as soon as possible and in such situations, family members are still in a state of shock and a high level of compassion is required when entering the affected premises and carrying out the cleaning.
Safe Removal of Biohazardous Materials
This is the primary role of a crime scene cleanup technician, who would thoroughly disinfect the area to ensure that all biohazardous materials are safely removed, Certain items would not be cleaned, rather they would be bagged up and incinerated and it is a time consuming task to completely clean the trauma scene, while great care must be taken by the technician to ensure they have completely removed all biohazardous materials and the property has been thoroughly sanitized.
Should you ever require the services of a crime scene cleanup company, an online search would be the best place to start and by dealing with an established company that is accredited and recognized by regulatory bodies, you can be sure the cleanup will be carried out promptly and effectively, allowing you to safely occupy the property. Typically, the cleanup company would have a network of branches and would cover several states or perhaps a region of the US.