The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recently published the new American National Standard Institute (ANSI)-approved ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup (1st edition, 2017). The new standard defines criteria and methodology used by technicians for inspecting and investigating blood and other potentially infectious material (OPIM) contamination and for establishing work plans and procedures. The S540, which assumes that all scenes have been released by law enforcement or regulatory agencies, describes the procedures to be followed and the precautions to be taken when performing trauma and crime scene cleanup regardless of surface, item, or location.

Trauma and crime scene cleanup consists of the following components for which procedures are described:

• Principles of Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup
• Safety and Health
• Biocide and Antimicrobial Technology
• Administrative Procedures, Documentation, and Risk Management
• Inspection and Preliminary Determination
• Equipment and Tools
• Limitations, Complexities, Complications, and Conflicts
• Structural Remediation
• Vehicle and Machinery Construction
• Contents Remediation
• Containment and Disposal of Waste or Sharps
• Confirmation of Cleanliness

“This Standard has been a labor of love for all of us who have wanted this niche industry to reach the level of professionalism enjoyed by other markets who have had standards established by the IICRC,” said Kent Bert, S540 Standard committee chairman. “We have worked tirelessly to ensure the information conveyed is concise, easy to understand, and most importantly, truly represents a consensus across our industry.”

For more information, visit www.iicrc.org or www.ansi.org.