| Health-based
Recommendations for Restoration
REMEDIATION SHOULD BEGIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!
The longer the contamination is allowed to persist,
the greater the potential for microbial growth and resultant damage.
Unprotected occupants or workers should be evacuated
from the affected areas during the initial stages of decontamination,
cleaning and disinfecting. (e.g. until sewage has been removed and
disinfectants applied)
Technicians & others in the vicinity of the
sewage during the initial stage of decontamination and cleaning
should be equipped with proper personal protection gear including
respirators, gloves, and protective suits.
Care should be exercised to prevent cross contamination
from affected areas to unaffected areas.
In all cases, never consider that sewage backflows
or river flooding is just a simple wet carpet or wet basement condition.
Levels
of Sewage: Defined Conditions
There are 3 levels
of sewage contamination to be considered when dealing with homes
and buildings. The restoration response in each situation may be
different.
Level
1:
Limited waste that originates within the home
or building is deposited or flows slightly beyond the confines of
the sewage. Waste
is more localized and does
not penetrate the environment. An example may be a bathroom or laundry
area overflow where the waste is confined
to a tile floor where nonabsorbent materials are involved. Restoration
procedures including decontamination, water extraction, cleaning
and disinfecting can be effective in reducing possible health risks.
 Level
2:
Waste originates in the home or building and
flows beyond the confines of the buildings disposal system. The
flooding is limited but it does permeate the structure or furnishings.
Example: Overflow from an upstairs bathroom-waste flows under the
wall, through the floor and onto the carpet. In this case, there
is limited waste confined to a relatively small region of the building.
Although, it does penetrate regions that are complex and difficult
to restore. All affected porous surfaces must be carefully evaluated
for contamination. However, there is the possibility of some material
replacement because of the relative confinement of the sewage spill
although aggressive comprehensive treatment can be effective at
this level.
Level 3:
Waste that has entered and mixed with other wastes from outside
the immediate home or building. The main line of the sewage system
is backed up and disperses or penetrates into the furnishings and
structure. In this situation, there is an extensive risk that humans
could be exposed to pathogenic raw wastes. In this situation, the
occupants should be evacuated and restoration procedures should
be started immediately by highly trained, equipped & protected
professionals.
River flooding/Run-off flooding-Due to the unknown levels of contaminates
and sources of water, river flooding should be considered a level
3 when outlining a plan of remediation.
Disease
Causing Organisms in Sewage: Partial List
| Organisms
|
Disease
Caused |
| Enteric
Viruses |
Gastroenteritis |
| Enteroviruses
(67 types) |
Meningitis |
| Rotaviruses
|
Infectious
Hepatitis |
| Hepatitis
A |
Respiratory
Diseases |
| Adenoviruses
(31 types) |
Typhoid Fever |
| Bacteria
Bacillary |
Dysentery |
| Salmonella
(up to 1700) |
Balontidiasis |
| Protozoa
|
Amoebiasis |
| Balantidiumcozi
|
Balantidiasis |
| Entamoeda
Histolytica |
Amoebiasis |
| Giardia
Lamblia |
Giardiasis |
Issues
Of Concern Associated With Contamination Problems
There are several factors that bear on the remediation of the problem.
Among those is the nature of the contamination, types of materials,
(organic or synthetic, porous, semi-porous or non-porous) the sewage
microflona, (pathogen/allergens) organic matter load, water volume
and the impact of ambient outdoor temperatures and humidity levels
of the indoor environment. The major concern is the survival of
sewage-bare microflora (viral, bacterial, fungal and parasites)
and their potential transmission to humans. The potential exists
for some fungal and bacterial contamination to establish an ecological
niche and presents a health risk from chronic exposure for some
time after the event
ServiceMaster Disaster Recovery Services Can Help.
- We provide
24-hour response to your emergency needs
- "FREE"
Consultation on the conditions /remediation procedures
- Complete
service from gross contaminant removal, drydown and eventual rebuilding
- We can provide
clearance testing to verify that cleaning & sanitizing has
been completed through an independent testing firm.
- We can bill
your insurance company (if coverage exists) after deductible payment
is met.
Additional
Services
- Content Moving/Storage
Complete Structural Repairs
- Furniture
Repair / Refinishing Pressure Washing
- Carpet &
Flooring Sales/Installation Landscape Repairs
- Complete
Deodorization Furnace & Duct Cleaning
Our trained
project managers and leadmen handle the entire project. They will
keep you informed of the progress along the way. However, there
is no avoiding the inconvenience that a damage problem presents.
Our goal is to minimize the inconvenience, take appropriate actions
to restore the health of the building and most of all to protect
the building's in.
Sewage
Damaged Environments Should Not Be Taken Lightly
Some symptoms of sewage workers that have been reported in scientific
literature:
- Increased
Protozoa Infections
- Acute Eye
Irritation
- Acute Skin
Disorders
- Acute Diarrhea
- Acute Fever
& Chills
- Shortness
of Breath
- Chronic Cough
- Dizziness
- Respiratory
Dysfunction
- Flu-like
Symptoms
ServiceMaster
Disaster Recovery Services offers complete residential & commercial
sewage/flood damage remediation. |
