Drug problem

[Des Rynne]

Ive had a customer phone me ref cleaning a room in a hostle used by a drug user (hypodermic needle) in all the draws and on the floor.Does any one know where i can get advice as i do not want to do this job just in case i walk on one or _____ my self from one,s on the carpet .They give me lots of work so i would like to help them Des

 

[Steve Carpenter]

Hi Des,

I cleaned for a customer with a similar problem a couple of years ago. I had been asked to clean a room that squatters had taken over, but first had to clear the room of furniture and rubbish. Needles had been found, so the local council sent in a specialist team to recover the needles first.

Because of the rubbish and furniture in the room I was advised to wear special protective clothing, as the council couldn’t guarantee to find and remove all the needles. I informed the customer that I would have to buy this kit prior to doing the job, and that it would obviously increase the price quite substantially. I bought steel toecap boots, special trousers and gloves that were all resistant to puncturing from hypodermic needles. Also, wore safety glasses and a thick boiler suit over it all, that offered further protection.

In all it added about £400.00 to the cost of the clean and I had to inform my business insurers what I was going to do. I was also provided with a sharps bin to place any recovered needles in, for disposal by the council. On the day I filled 2 commercial skips before I was able to start cleaning!

Regards

Steve

 

[John Bolton]

Des,

Are your inoculations up to date (hepatitis etc.) - your doctor can advise on that.

Your PPE should include stout boots, worn with disposable overshoes to simplify decontamination. A litter-picker and tongs will make the placing of the syringes and needles into a regulation 'sharps' container a little safer.

You must also consider disposal of all waste collected and build this and equipment decontamination into your costings. The insurance aspect must not be ignored - this may involve you in additional cost.

Further reading should include:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/waste/endoflife.htm
http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/pdf/nightclub.pdf
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/web22.pdf
http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr187.pdf

​

This is a specialised area of cleaning and no matter how valuable to you these clients are, is it worth all the research you would need to do just to make the task both legal and less hazardous to yourself? and the risk of getting thing wrong.

Would it not be better to pass the work on to a specialised firm either with or without a commission? To do so would not put you in a bad light with your clients but should rather reaffirm you professionalism by showing that you recognise the hazards involved and the need for proper training.

 

[Jim Neal]

Your local council may use a firm to clear and clean their properties when they are vacated by tenants. Such a firm should have an employee trained to do needle sweeps. Give your council a ring to see if they can help out.

Other than that, try yell.com or googling for needle sweep, syringe removal or something?

Worried about treading on one? Do you clean in your bare feet?!

 

[Tre Allen]

I am impressed with the comments in this topic. Keep up the good work

Personally I would stay away from a job like that. You never know how they might act some day....