Finding a job in a difficult field

Looking for a job after being laid off was extremely hard for me. Trying to find something in my field full-time or even part-time was exhausting. Sending out resumes, filling out applications, going on interviews and never hearing back from 95% of the people I interviewed with was extremely discouraging. I remember one-day sitting on my couch, watching TV when my dad e-mailed me, telling me to call his friend Ron because he might have a job for me. I had no clue what it was, but I figured what did I have to lose. What I did not know was that this would bring me into an industry that I had no knowledge of. After speaking with Ron Vogel and his son Scott I realized I would have quite a learning curve ahead of me, but I was ready to jump right in.

When I started working part-time at Emergi-Clean Inc., which is a second generation family owned and operated business that specializes in bio remediation and bio recovery; there were terms I never heard of, and I had an adjustment period of getting used to the subject matter since many of the jobs revolve around crime scenes, suicides, and accidents. I also did not know the extent of preparation and knowledge needed for what a bio remediation company does. I didn’t realize how much it entailed in the business both emotionally and physically.

I have had to observe the hectic schedules that the staff has, including my boss. He walks in and out of the office without sitting down and lunch is on the run a lot. When my boss finally goes to sit down and take a break, the phone sometimes rings and there is a client on the other end, emotional because of a trauma that had just happened. He drops what he is doing, and calls upon the staff.

When the staff sits down and tailboards about the next job they are about to go on; the expressions on their faces says it all. Quite often they are overworked, tired, and emotions are running high, but they have to put all of that to the side and get themselves ready to leave for the job.

Receiving phone calls about something traumatic is hard on everyone including the staff that has to answer the calls. The people calling are emotional, for good reason, but everyone is trained to listen and have a sympathetic ear to whom they are speaking. They truly care about the person on the other end of that phone call.

The staff that works with the client is there to help them from point A to point B. They handle all calls with compassion. The way the staff deals with people is as if they really are family, which is exactly what Emergi-Clean stands for.

Emergi-Clean prides itself on being a family owned company, and making it feel that your family is their family. Since I have worked here it has been proven time and time again. I have been here for three months, and working here is extremely fulfilling. I have never had the experience with working for a company where the main goal is helping others. Emergi-Clean is such a compassionate group of people, and I am so happy to have found a company that helps others in more ways than one.



Biohazards in the Workplace










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Emergi-Clean and ehsInc announce an affinity partnership

Emergi-Clean Inc. is proud to announce an affinity partnership with ehs International, Inc. (ehsInc) http://ehsinc.org, a workplace safety compliance, education, and curriculum design firm. Emergi-Clean Inc. (ECI) is a family owned and operated business for over 20 years http://emergiclean.com ECI specializes in bio remediation and bio recovery, including specialty services such as crime scene cleanup and industrial accidents. ehsInc has provided high quality safety education since 1997 providing  onsite training, consulting, and curriculum design.

Workplace safety has become vital for companies, to ensure the health of their employees and remain in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules. ECI and ehsInc have come together in order to provide their clients with the expertise and support they truly need.

Emergi-Clean Inc.’s staff includes ABRA Certified Technicians, NJ State Certified Medical Technicians, Firefighters, Certified Instructors, and OSHA Trained employees. ehsInc is comprised of industry experts who are driven to provide onsite compliance, education and program development across the nation with one common goal; protecting our workforce for future generations.

“We came together to form this partnership because we both wanted to provide added value to our clients. What Ron Vogel and Scott Vogel understands is that the bio hazards industry needs support when it comes to safety management,” stated Marjorie Del Toro, President and CEO of ehsInc., “Together with Emergi-Clean we have expanded our reach to the East Coast. Our companies complement each other. It is an affinity partnership where we have agreed to exclusively offer our services to our clients. Our clients will now have one place to go, allowing our respective services to be much more comprehensive.”

Emergi-Clean chose ehsInc as their ongoing partner because the company does not believe in a blanket approach to safety issues. ehsInc provides high quality services by tailoring their educational programs and compliance services to the specific needs of each company, which reflects the focus of Emergi-Clean Inc. Scott Vogel explained.

“ehsInc’s CEO Marjorie has a passion when she talks about the company,” Scott Vogel, Director of Operations stated. “When she speaks about the avenue of training she has an intelligence that makes her stand out more than the rest of the companies.”

The partnership provides a wider service reach and a state of the art East Coast Training Center in New Jersey.  Additionally, it will ensure the continued success of both firms all the while bringing better training options to the tri-state area which includes New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

For additional information, visit:  http://emergiclean.com and http://ehsinc.org.




Why it’s essential to have a biohazard remediation company on hand

On December 10 2004, around 1:30 PM, Custodian Debbie Rothwell received a call in what would turn into her worst day on the job. Upon her arrival she was shocked to see the bloody scene of a student that shot himself in the head inside the schools main entrance, according to  http://caselaw.findlaw.com/. Rothwell had to remove medical supplies, brain matter, pieces of bone, and blood in the hallway.

Within a few years, Rothwell filed suit against the District and Superintendent Green in 2007. Her claim was that she was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The case was dismissed claiming pursuant CR 12 (b)(6) asserting her claims were precluded by the exclusivity provision of the IIA because her claimed injury occurred during the course of her employment. The trial court granted the District’s motion and dismissed the action with prejudice, and her lawsuit was reinstated in 2009.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated in 2013, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death for all ages in the United States. 8% of students have attempted suicide one or more times within 12 months. With these statistics there could be more cases like Rothwells. Especially because there are many custodians that aren’t fully trained or equipped to handle such a clean-up, emotionally.

There are companies trained and prepared in the field of biohazard remediation to handle a scenario like Rothwells. There is a lot more involved with biohazard remediation, and only a trained professional should provide the service, and many custodians and workers aren’t. If the blood isn’t cleaned up properly, it becomes a health hazard for anyone that comes into contact with it. Only a trained professional with proper tools, equipment, and properly used disinfectants can truly make the area or item safe. There has to be a proper clearance test in order to verify if the contaminated surface was disinfected. The clearance test proves that disinfection has been done properly and that the surface is safe to touch without the need to worry about it, according to American Bio Recovery Association (ABRA).

If you choose to hire a contractor or other professional service provider to do the clean up, make sure the contract has experience cleaning the issues. Check their references and ask the contractor to follow the recommendations in the EPA guide on the epa.gov website.

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CEO of Emergi-Clean Inc gets International Certification (CBRM)



League of Municipalities Convention

Have you ever thought: Are there really companies out there that clean up disgusting things like blood and bodily fluids?  Today television has brought to our attention that there are some pretty dirty jobs out there.  But to us it is just another day.

Every November the League of Municipalities in the state of NJ holds a convention down in Atlantic City.  We have set up our booth every year for the past nine years and hear the same comments: “I would never need you”, “Gross!”, and of course the “Seriously, you do that?”.   Yes we are a family owned and operated company that cleans up the things that no one else ever thinks of from homicides, suicides and unfound deaths.

So why are we so important?  Many people walk past our booth with the deer in the headlights look.  Some intrigued, some grossed out and others just in awe.  Our biggest mission is to give information so that people are aware of our services.  So thank you to those that stopped by, took a pen or even had the chance to talk to one of us.


Mold Growth and Spring

Spring is only a month away, and spring hopefully means warmer weather. On one hand most of us cannot wait to open the windows, air out the house and soak up as much sun as possible.  The problem is many people forget that this is also a time to worry about mold growth as mold loves warm and wet environments.  As you all prepare to do your spring cleaning there are a few things you should remember as the snow melts and may leave some damp areas in your home.

– Check areas that may have some damage from the snow storms to ensure proper drainage away from your house.

– Check the basement for any areas that may be damp as the snow is melting and find out where the water is coming from.

– If you had any pipes burst or leak repair them immediately and ensure the area is completely dry.

– If you have a humid area of your home, invest in a dehumidifier to remove the extra moisture from the air.

– If you see condensation continuously on your windows, pipes or other areas, dry it immediately and attempt to find the cause.

– Condensation occurs when warm humid air is cooled.

– Ensure proper drainage for the air conditioning units.

–  If you see a small amount of mold that has started clean the area with a mold remover and make sure it completely dries.  If the area is large you may want to contact a professional like Emergi-Clean, Inc. to ensure there is not mold behind the area where you can visibly see the mold.

Mold is an allergen and can impact the health of the young, old and immunocompromised.  Smart-Touch Sanitizing is a great investment for your family to reduce mold and other allergens in your household.