Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as “PPE”, is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that can cause serious injuries and illnesses according to OSHA. These injuries and illnesses may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other hazards. While very few people knew the term PPE before the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become quite familiar in recent years, especially given that different forms of PPE such as masks were mandated across the globe.
Even if wearing PPE is second nature for you if your career makes it so the exposure to hazards is high like health care workers and law enforcement officers, it may feel like overkill to wear it at home when you are cleaning. While wearing PPE while dusting and wiping surfaces might be a bit much, there are many circumstances where cleaning your home yourself (especially without PPE) can be extremely dangerous.
If your home was the scene of a crime or accidental death or if it has been exposed to a virus, it’s incredibly important to clean and disinfect the area properly so you can safely return. Keep reading to learn more about why PPE is so important and when you should turn to professional biohazard cleanup companies for help.
How can PPE help protect you?
PPE is designed to help you reduce exposure to hazardous materials and waste such as blood-borne pathogens and bodily fluids. If you happen to come into contact with these things without the proper protective gear, you run the risk of contamination which can lead to serious injuries and illnesses. Not only can PPE help serve as a line of defense between you and a hazardous material, but it can also significantly reduce the risk of any harm.
Different types of PPE
Some of the most common types of PPE include things many people already have at home like face masks which protect your mouth and nose and gloves which protect your hands. Other types of PPE include face shields to protect the face, mouth, nose, and eyes; gowns and aprons to protect skin and clothing; goggles to protect eyes; hair nets to protect your scalp and hair follicles; and respirators to prevent the inhalation of infectious material.
Regardless if you are only wearing a mask for a short while or if you are using PPE from head to toe all day long, it’s important to wear it properly and to remove and discard it carefully. Since this is your layer of protection against hazardous materials, it’s in your best interest to handle PPE with care.
When to seek outside help
Since safety is paramount, it’s important that you avoid any risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens or bodily fluids if your home has become contaminated with them. Cleanup of blood spillage and contaminated spaces is a specialty service that should be provided by companies who have the proper training, certification, and PPE. Professional biohazard cleaners are experts at handling the extensive remediation process required for proper blood cleanup and have protocols for selecting the appropriate protective gear for whatever job they’re faced with.
With systematic cleaning methods that allow them to properly contain affected areas, further preventing the chance of cross-contamination, biohazard cleanup companies should be brought in whenever you need help cleaning a contaminated space. Our team at Xtreme Cleaners consists of highly trained technicians who are certified in biohazard recovery so you can gain peace of mind that your home is safe to return to when we are finished. If you or someone you know needs help decontaminating a space in Louisiana, give our team a call at 800-524-9591.