You do not need to learn a new vocabulary to make good decisions about biohazard cleanup. But when a provider writes containment and negative air on an estimate, or an adjuster asks for a manifest, it helps to know what is meant. Keep this page open while reading a scope or talking with an insurer, and ask the person using a term to explain it if anything is still unclear.
Safety and health terms
- Biohazard
- Biological material that can pose a health risk to people, such as blood, certain body fluids, tissue, sewage and some animal waste.
- Bloodborne pathogens
- Microorganisms in human blood that can cause disease, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
- OPIM
- Short for other potentially infectious materials; body fluids and tissues handled with the same caution as blood.
- PPE
- Personal protective equipment: gloves, coveralls, eye and face protection, shoe covers and respirators chosen for the hazard.
- Respirator
- A mask that filters particles or vapors and must fit the wearer to work. A paper dust mask is not a respirator in this sense.
- Standard precautions
- Handling all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious, regardless of who they came from.
- Sharps
- Needles, blades, broken glass and other items that can puncture skin.
- Cross-contamination
- Spreading biological material from a dirty area to a clean one on hands, tools, shoes or air.
Work and paperwork terms
- Containment
- Plastic sheeting, zipper doors and covered vents that keep the work area separate from the rest of the building.
- Negative air
- Using a fan with a filter to pull air out of the work area so particles and odor do not drift into clean rooms.
- Contact time (dwell time)
- How long a disinfectant must stay wet on a surface to work, as stated on its label.
- ATP testing
- A quick swab test that measures organic residue on a surface. It shows cleanliness, not whether a specific germ is present.
- Regulated medical waste
- Contaminated materials that must be packaged, transported and treated under specific rules rather than thrown in ordinary trash.
- Manifest
- A shipping or tracking document that follows regulated waste from pickup to the treatment facility.
- Scope of work
- The written description of what will be done, where, and what is excluded.
- Encapsulant or sealer
- A coating applied to cleaned wood or concrete to lock in any remaining odor before rebuilding.
- Direction to pay
- A form that tells your insurer to pay the provider directly. Read it carefully before signing.
General information for the Denver area, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.