Crime scenes are not always dangerous for the CSI techs and investigators, but when safety hazards exist, appropriate precautions must be taken. Fortunately, technology has allowed us to develop new techniques for keeping professionals away from harm, and crime scenes are processed with much more care than they were in the past. Following are some of the ways in which CSI techs deal with safety hazards at crime scenes.
Hands
Although protective gloves are necessary at any crime scene to avoid destruction of evidence or introduction of contaminants, such as fingerprints of authorities, they are also used to avoid safety hazards. CSI techs carry a large supply of gloves wherever they go, and gloves come on as soon as they enter a scene. Nitrile, neoprene, latex and Polyvinyl chloride are just a few of the types of gloves used by CSI techs, each of which can protect against different hazards. For example, nitrile gloves won’t degrade when exposed to gasoline, but latex gloves will.
Eyes
The eyes are arguably the most vulnerable part of the body when dealing with crime scene safety. If chemicals are found in or near the crime scene, safety goggles or face shield must be used at all times. This is also true if any machinery needs to take place, such as when the jaws of life are used to remove a victim from a vehicle. Furthermore, eye safety is important when dealing with any type of drug crime, but especially meth labs where chemicals are used in abundance.
Feet
Foot protection is always important at crime scenes, if only to avoid creating foot prints that might be misconstrued as either the victim’s or the perpetrator’s. However, it is also important at treacherous crime scenes where the hazards of falling or tripping exist. Boots with plenty of ankle support, protective shoe covers, and thick soles are necessary to keep CSI techs and investigators safe.
Respiratory
Just as it is possible to get chemicals on the hands or in the eyes, it is also possible to inhale hazardous chemicals at crime scenes. For this reason, CSI techs have to be extra careful to protect their lungs, often using contamination suits. At a minimum, everyone involved at a crime scene should be trained on the proper use of respirators and should be examined every six months to ensure their lungs are healthy and active.
Head
Lastly, head protection is an integral part of crime scene safety. When hazards exist that put CSI techs’ heads in danger, they must wear helmets that have been approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This might include the possibility of falling objects or the investigation of close, confined spaces.
All of these things are important to crime scene safety, but there are other elements as well. For example, if a CSI tech isn’t using the proper gloves and is stuck by a needle, the possibility of blood contamination exists. It is important for everyone involved in the investigation of a crime scene to understand the potential hazards and take the appropriate precautions.
