Safety & Health Risks of Crime Scene Investigation

Many individuals fail to realize that there are countless health and safety risks that may be present at the scene. These risks can be divided into three different categories: (1) bio-hazards, (2) chemical hazards, and (3) physical hazards, depending on what is involved with the risk. The following are just a handful of the countless hazards to an investigator when he or she is investigating the scene of a crime (Byrd, n.d; CTU Online, 2006; Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2003):

Blood carrying diseases

Hazardous by-products from illegal drug lab

Poisonous vapors/gas

Harmful chemicals used in field tests

Explosives

Lasers/UV lights

Confined areas

Burning chemicals & intense heat

Dangerous dust particles

Falling objects

And the more one becomes familiar with these risks, the more it becomes obvious that every law enforcement agency should have definite procedures and policies to protect the crime scene investigator and that these policies and procedures should be regularly updated to ensure they continue to protect the investigator from these numerous risks to his or her health and safety (Environmental Health & Safety, 2007).

However, the individual investigator should remember that he or she has primary control over his or her safety. Ultimately, the best way for an investigator to protect himself or herself is to learn to detect the hazard before it has the chance to affect him or her. Therefore, the investigator should always assess the scene first and determine what might be harmful.

Chemicals

In the case of chemicals, every effort should be made to determine the chemical or chemicals involved before rushing onto the scene. Certain chemicals are very dangerous if they come into contact with the skin, are ingested, or are inhaled. Also, some chemicals can prove to be deadly if they are mixed together. Therefore, there are some basic procedures any investigator should follow to minimize the chance of being exposed to potentially harmful or even deadly chemicals (Byrd, n.d.; Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2003).

First, detectives should always stay upwind from the chemical source and wear a respirator if it is possible for the chemical to be airborne. Moreover, the investigator should always pick the level of protective clothing (A, B, C, or D: A being completely shut off from the outside world and D being the minimum protection) that will best suit their exposure level and type. In addition, no one at a crime scene should be eating or drinking, especially if he or she is collecting hazardous evidence. And finally, appropriate gloves and footwear should always be worn to minimize contamination or harm from chemicals. Some of the types of gloves used to protect investigators include nitrile, neoprene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and latex. Ultimately, the specific type used should always be tailored to the situation and the substances involved, since each type protects the wearer from a different set of substances. Finally, disposable footwear covers are a must for detectives since it is impossible to avoid walking on the crime scene, making it very likely that he/she will come into contact with the chemical(s) (Baldwin, n.d.; Byrd, n.d.; CTU Online, 2006; Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2003; Smith, 2007).

Fires

Before a fire is approached, it should be assessed carefully to pinpoint dangers to investigators. If a fire is a chemical fire, detectives may have to wear Level A protective clothing so they do not inhale toxic fumes or come into contact with the chemicals that are burning. Furthermore, it is important to note that the suits used to collect hazardous materials are not designed to withstand the intense heat of a fire, so they should not be used when fighting fires. Respirators may be necessary for first responders to simply handle thick smoke. It is also advisable that extra caution be taken when explosive materials could be involved in the fire since no amount of protective clothing can stop harmful explosions. And lastly, detectives should always wear protective gloves and disposable foot covers, and possibly even Level C protective clothing (or higher) when they are collecting evidence after the fire is put out since these harmful substances can still remain in the ashes (Hanson, 2005; National Institute of Justice, 2000; Smith, 2007).

Contaminates

Contaminates should be treated just as seriously as chemical incidents. After assessing the scene, investigators should try to determine what this contamination entails. This will give a much more specific idea of how to proceed. Next, they should ascertain how the contaminate can be spread (i.e., air or physical contact), stopping further contamination. Moreover, a respirator should always be used if there is suspicion that it could be in the air. Again, just as with chemical incidents, the investigator should always pick the level of protective clothing that will best suit their exposure level and type. Once more, all crime scene personnel should avoid eating and drinking to prevent themselves from ingesting contaminates, and at last, disposable, protective footwear and gloves are a must since contaminates can easily be carried on clothing and skin (CTU Online, 2006; Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2003; Hanson, 2005).

Blood & Other Biological Substances

Lastly, when it comes to blood and other biological substances, every investigator should always be cautious and aware of any individual that may be a carrier of highly infectious diseases. Contact with biological fluids can happen in the strangest ways (e.g., drunk driver vomiting when pulled over), so all officers should have some way to immediate cleanse themselves if contact occurs. Additionally, wearing gloves and regularly washing hands is the best defense against biological contaminates. Face guards or respirators are recommended if such substances could enter the air. Disposable clothing and footwear covers are also useful in protecting personnel at crime scenes, since they can easily be removed but still leave the blood and fluids behind, not on the investigator. And most important of all, officials should seek immediate treatment and testing if serious contact with blood occurs or if it is possible that the individual has HIV or HAV (CTU Online, 2006; Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2003).

Conclusion

Of course, it is the goal of law enforcement officials to want to protect as much evidence as possible at the scene of a crime. However, if something poses a danger to the community, it is their duty to protect the public first and then worry about evidence being destroyed or damaged after they are sure that the danger has subsided. Therefore, it is important for every first responder to be able to think quickly, detecting potential dangers to those around the scene and determining the best course of action to end the threat. Once all victims have received medical attention and every person is out of harm's way, then officers can determine the perimeter of the area to be investigated, station personnel all along this perimeter to keep unauthorized individuals out, and begin the initial stages of detecting items that might be useful to the investigation. (CTU Online, 2006).

References:

Baldwin, H. B. (n.d.). Basic equipment for crime scene investigators. Retrieved November 10, 2007, from Forensic Enterprises, Inc. Web site: http://www.feinc.net/equipmt.htm

Byrd, M. (n.d). Basic concepts: Hazards and a crime scene-Another routine day at the office. Retrieved October 11, 2007, from http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/hazards.html

CTU Online (Ed.). (2006). CRJ445 phase 1 course materials. Retrieved November 10, 2007, from Colorado Technical University Online, Virtual Campus, CRJ445-0704A-01: Crime Scene Analysis web site: https://campus.ctuonline.edu

Environmental Health & Safety. (2007). Chemical safety & waste program. Retrieved November 10, 2007, from University of Virginia Web site: http://ehs.virginia.edu/chem/home.html

Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2003). Crime-scene safety. In Handbook of forensic services. Retrieved November 10, 2007, from http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/handbook/intro17.htm

Hanson, D. (2005, May). Right in your backyard: Identifying illegal drug labs lurking in the shadows. On the Street. Retrieved November 10, 2007, from http://www.officer.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=21&id=25161

National Institute of Justice. (2000, June). Fire and arson scene evidence: A guide for public safety personnel. Retrieved November 10, 2007, from National Criminal Justice Reference Service Web site: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181584.pdf

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). (n.d.). PPE tip001: Hazardous materials protective clothing levels. NAVSEA Damage Control News. Retrieved November 10, 2007, from http://www.dcfp.navy.mil/library/dcnews/PPETip001.htm

Smith, F. (2007). Welcome to Crime Scene Analysis: Phase 1 chat 2 PowerPoint presentation. Retrieved November 10, 2007, from Colorado Technical University Online, Virtual Campus, CRJ445-0704A-01: Crime Scene Analysis, Instructor Files: https://ctuonline.edu