Sewage, floodwaters and condensation from air conditioners contain infectious organisms that pose a serious health threat to workers and occupants. In flood situations, dead, decaying animals may also be present and pose a health hazard. Even a clean water source may pose a problem if the water is in a structure for an extended time. Water and excessive moisture provide an excellent environment for the growth of bacteria, fungi and viruses. The IICRC Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration (S5000), Chapter 2, provides an extensive discussion of microbiology associated with water damages.
OSHA requires employers to make available Hepatitis B and Tetanus vaccinations to workers exposed to contaminated water and waste. Workers who decline the vaccinations must sign a release, and the release should be filed in the employee's personnel file.
Sewage and floodwaters should be treated as highly infectious waste material. Contamination from these sources may contain cholera, tetanus, typhoid, polio, hepatitis and a variety of other infectious organisms. In addition to living organisms, sewage also emits methane gas and other "sewer gasses" which are harmful to breathe. Water damage restoration professionals performing emergency services and restoration in environments containing infectious waste must follow all applicable safety precautions, including being immunized against diseases such as tetanus, typhoid, DPT, polio and hepatitis.
Sewer backflows in a medical treatment facility, funeral home, or other facilities where blood, body fluids or tissue are likely to be present are considered to be bloodborne pathogen situations and special safety instructions should be followed.
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