What Does It Take To Be A Good Crime Scene Cleaner?

If you think crime scene cleaners are the same as regular cleaners, think again. These specialised professionals are equipped with the training and tools to deal with high-stress situations involving bio-hazardous material, violence, and crime.

In this article, we break down the characteristics that make up a good crime scene cleaner. Read on to learn more about this difficult and challenging profession.

What Does A Crime Scene Cleaner Do?  

Before we get into what qualities a good crime scene cleaner needs to have, it’s important that we first clarify exactly what they do. So what makes a crime scene cleaner different from a general cleaner?

Crime scene cleaners do much more than just cleaning. Other names for their services include bio-recovery, blood cleanup, trauma cleaning, bio-cleaning, and crime scene or trauma decontamination. After a crime or traumatic accident occurs, bio-hazardous materials are left at the scene of the event.

Unlike your regular old dirt and grime, bio-hazardous materials have to be cleaned with more caution, as they can be dangerous to your health. These materials include bodily fluids, toxic waste, human waste, remains, blood, and more.

When Do You Call In A Crime Scene Cleaner?  

Crime scene cleaners are called in for a number of events. While these might not seem like ordinary, day-to-day occurrences, crime scene cleaners are tasked with dealing with them almost on a daily basis.

• Death
• Suicide
• Murder
• Meth labs
• Trauma
• Unattended death
• Filth
• Decomposed Body
• Blood spill
• Road accidents
• Hoarding
• Debris

When called to these scenes, crime scene cleaners are expected to not only clean and remove all waste and biohazards from the area, but they are also expected to completely decontaminate the entire scene, allowing it to be safely used again.

Qualities Of A Good Crime Scene Cleaner  

• Physical Fitness: Crime scene cleaners need to be physically fit. People who choose to be crime scene cleaners will often have to work in full-body suits and wear full-face respirators. It’s easier to manage the physical stress of the job if you have a high level of physical fitness.
• Team Player: Things can easily go wrong in high-stress situations. As such, crime scene cleaners have to be able to work with other professionals seamlessly. Crime scene cleaners may be paired with biohazard specialists, doctors, and members of the police force so the ability to work with a team is essential.
• Professionalism: Tense situations can lead to a negative atmosphere. Crime scene cleaners are expected to carry out their jobs perfectly, no matter what. As such, professionals have to remain calm and in control of situations as they see through the task from start to finish.
• Compassion: Witnesses, victims, and other unfortunate individuals who witnessed the crime might still be around during the job. In these delicate situations, crime scene cleaners are expected to show compassion to those present and reassure them about their environment.
• Mental Toughness: Violence, suicide, and drug abuse can take a toll on any individual. While it’s hard to ignore these incidents, crime scene cleaners have to have the strength of character to push forward through any given situation in order to complete their job.

Other Requirements  

Being a crime scene cleaner means having a set of necessary skills, but it also means having the right training, qualifications, and background to be trusted in such a sensitive role. Here are other requirements all crime scene cleaners must have:

• Police Check: All crime scene cleaners applicants must apply with a police check. This is because crime scene cleaners routinely have to work with ambulance services, police departments, and other government agencies, and it is necessary that every crime scene cleaner on the team can be trusted with these associations.
• Qualifications: While crime scene cleaners are usually trained and prepared when they become part of crime scene cleaner teams, it also helps to have some previous experience in law enforcement, medical professions, or any serious form of cleaning or biohazard cleaning. This can include training certification or relevant degrees, however, it is not typically necessary.

NTCSC’s Crime Scene Cleaners: Professionalism And Trust 

NTCSC, or National Trauma and Crime Scene Cleaning, is home to the best crime scene cleaning services in Australia. At NTCSC, crime scene cleaners are biohazard remediation specialists available 24/7, and are trained and equipped with the skills and equipment necessary to professionally clean and decontaminate hazardous and infectious areas. 

If you are looking for a compassionate and discreet professional crime scene cleaning company in Australia, call NTCSC on 0488 077 675, where our lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or email us at info@ntcsc.com.au and we will get back to you as soon as possible.