Our Top 5 Most Helpful Biohazard Cleanup Stories of 2022
2022 was a year that at times seemed to be marked more by unexpected lows than highs.
While the threat of COVID-19 seemingly decreased, people all over the globe were reminded once again of how easily the safety of “home” can become an illusion as they watched disturbing scenes of Russia invading Ukraine. In the U.S., mass shootings took center stage in all their various forms. The amount of breaking news on homicides, violence, kidnappings and crimes seemed never-ending across social media, while the passing of individuals of influence, celebrities and journalists across the world — to crime, suicide, accidents or natural causes — seemed especially notable (i.e., Queen Elizabeth II, Barbara Walters and Jerry Lee Lewis, etc.).
Through it all, thankfully most individuals saw a return to normalcy throughout their daily personal and professional lives after three years of isolation from the pandemic.
At Alabama Bio-Clean, Inc., we appreciated the return to normalcy as it meant safer and better working conditions for our staff, families and communities. We saw a lot of growth in 2022 as a business and continued our commitment to cleaning with compassion when responding to various biohazard cleanup situations in our communities. We are forever thankful for all the clients who chose us for their biohazard and trauma cleanup needs in 2022, and we are looking forward to a new year of new business opportunities and, of course, serving you.
One of our points of pride as a business is sharing our knowledge of the industry with the greater community, giving everyone — not just those seeking our services when affected by trauma — an awareness of how the biohazard cleaning industry operates and the topics that might be useful to them in their daily lives.
In 2022, our community found a lot of use from the various stories we posted monthly on the Alabama Bio-Clean, Inc., blog; we dug into the site analytics to find the helpful biohazard cleanup stories that mattered to you most in 2022!
5 Top Biohazard Cleanup Stories of 2022
From the dangers of fentanyl use to what it takes to be a crime scene cleaner, the variety of topics you spent time learning about was vast. However, in no particular order, here are just 5 of our most helpful biohazard cleanup stories of 2022.
STORY 1: Keeping Your Family Safe from Biohazards in the Home
“Be safe, not sorry” was the overall gist of “Keeping Your Family Safe from Biohazards in the Home.” At Alabama Bio-Clean, Inc., we consistently see interest from our readers in simply understanding what biohazards are, especially as it pertains to biohazards in homes.
Since most biohazards cannot be viewed with the naked eye, it can be difficult to recognize when you or your family may be at risk of exposure to harmful pathogens like viruses, bacteria, mold or parasites. Common biohazards in the home could include liquid waste, sharp objects, solid waste or pathological waste.
Read “Keeping your Family Safe from Biohazards in the Home” to learn what hazardous materials fall under each of these four categories.
STORY 2: 4 of the Most Gruesome Murders in Recent Alabama History and Why Homicide Clean Up is Important
In the middle of 2022, when this story first debuted, the city of Birmingham, Alabama, was set to surpass its all-time annual record high of homicides. Its all-time annual record was set in 1933 when Birmingham saw 148 slayings. Birmingham had a total of 144 homicides this year, making 2022 the second-highest homicide year on record for Birmingham in almost 90 years. Though the city saw a dramatic increase in 2022, homicides throughout Jefferson County were down compared to 2021.
At Alabama Bio-Clean, Inc., homicide cleanup and restoration remains one of our top requested services annually due to the potential of blood-borne pathogens present at the scene. The entire state of Alabama has witnessed some of its most unforgettable murders in just the last 30 years.
From a twin murder case in 1992 to a massacre in Geneva County, it wasn’t hard to pick out some of the most horrific murder cases in the state’s history.
Read “4 of the Most Gruesome Murders in Recent Alabama History” to see the full list of heinous homicide events.
STORY 3: What It Takes to Become a Crime Scene Cleaner
You found one of our most helpful biohazard cleanup stories in 2022 to be “What It Takes to Become a Crime Scene Cleaner,” for good reason. In the field of crime scene cleaning, “tragedy has no schedule.” Crime scene cleaners, as we’re often referred to, are the second-responders to the scene of an accident, crime, murder, unattended death or suicide, among others.
Also referred to as bio-recovery or biohazard remediation, the industry that crime scene cleaning belongs to provides a necessary emergency-based service that keeps businesses, homes, government facilities and other public places safe and sanitary. But much more goes into becoming a skilled, professional crime scene cleaner than what most normal people realize, and it is a technical profession that we are proud to shine a little more light on.
Find out what kind of effort goes into training to become a crime scene cleaner and what Alabama Bio-Clean, Inc., expects from the crime scene cleanup professionals it hires when you read “What It Takes to Become a Crime Scene Cleaner,” one of our most informative industry-related blogs of 2022.
STORY 4: Why is Fentanyl So Dangerous Compared to Other Drugs?
It was arguably one of the most-read blogs from Alabama Bio-Clean, Inc., in 2022 related to the dangers of what is currently one of America’s most lethal drugs: Fentanyl. And, though we wouldn’t call ourselves experts at knowing the ins and outs of hard drug use in the U.S. and its health risks, we have learned a thing or two about the topic from providing chemical cleanup and decontamination services throughout Alabama.
Fentanyl is used mostly in cancer patients or those suffering from terrible chronic pain. A few things we know about the drug that are terrible enough to make even us hope to never have to clean up another scene involving it:
- Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, making it incredibly easy to overdose on and die.
- Fentanyl is more addictive than heroin.
- Merely coming into contact with fentanyl by air can result in an overdose.
That’s it; that’s all we need to know to feel certain this is one drug no one should be messing with. If you find yourself needing a breakdown on fentanyl beyond this, read on for “Why is Fentanyl So Dangerous Compared to Other Drugs?”
STORY 5: From Messy to Filthy: The Health Risks of Hoarding
One of our most highly requested services, Hoarding Cleanup and Restoration, hoarding as a topic was also one of our most-read biohazard cleanup stories in 2022.
In hoarding situations, there is a fine line to crossing into a gross-filth situation. This blog post sought to break down the differences and shared four of the main health risks of a hoarding situation turned gross filth. A complex mental health issue, hoarding can put hoarders at serious risk for health problems, injury or even death.
Some of the main health risks of hoarding turned gross filth include diseases from biohazards, falls or accidents, infestations and fire hazards.
Read “From Messy to Filthy: The Health Risks of Hoarding” to learn more and to see our top do’s and don’ts of trying to help a hoarder living in gross filth.
Alabama Bio-Clean, Inc., is Here to Help with All Your Biohazard Cleanup Needs in 2023
In 2023, Alabama Bio-Clean, Inc., remains committed to our clients, those suffering directly from an unexpected trauma or indirectly. Our promise is to always be client-focused, providing compassionate cleaning services. If you find yourself in need of biohazard remediation services, don’t hesitate to reach out to us, especially for those services presented here in our top 5 biohazard cleanup stories of 2022:
- Crime Scene Cleanup
- Homicide Cleanup and Restoration
- Clandestine Drug Lab Decontamination and Chemical Cleanup
- Hoarding Cleanup and Sanitation
- Gross Filth Cleanup and Sanitation
Give us a call directly at 1-866-502-2916 to schedule your cleanup. We look forward to sharing more useful biohazard cleanup stories with you in 2023!