Forensic cleaning services guidelines

The provision of forensic cleaning services

These guidelines are in line with the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (WIRC Act) and the Accident Compensation Act 1985.

WorkSafe will have regard to these guidelines when making decisions for the provision of forensic cleaning services for people who have an accepted claim under the Victorian Workers Compensation Scheme.

These guidelines also apply when a person is entitled to provisional payments (immediate support payments) relating to a work-related death.

Throughout these guidelines, any reference to WorkSafe also includes WorkSafe’s agents and self-insurers.

Forensic cleaning services

WorkSafe can fund forensic cleaning services if death results from a worker’s work-related injury and the death occurred at the home of the worker or a family member of the worker.

Forensic cleaning can also be known as trauma cleaning. It is a specialised process to clean and decontaminate a property after a traumatic or unattended death, to make the home safe and hygienic.

Forensic cleaning requires specialised training, equipment and adherence to strict safety protocols.

What we can pay for

WorkSafe can pay the reasonable costs of forensic cleaning services a workers family needs as a result of a work-related death under Victorian workers compensation legislation.

The costs incurred by a worker’s family members for forensic cleaning services can be paid where the following circumstances are met.

• Where a worker’s death results from the workplace injury.
• Where the worker’s death occurred on or after 6 August 2025.
• Where the death has occurred at the ‘home’ of the worker or a family member of the worker.
• ‘Home’ includes:
  • the building in which the worker lives or resides
  • buildings on the residential property, such as a shed or garage
  • structures attached or adjacent to the home such as a balcony, verandah or pergola.
  • the land on which the home is situated, for example, a paddock.
• ‘Family member’ includes:
  • A partner, parent, grandparent, sibling or child of the worker or of the worker’s partner.

Forensic cleaning tasks we can pay for include the following.

• Cleaning and removing blood, bodily fluids, tissue remnants and other biohazardous material including removal of affected building materials.
• Sanitisation and disinfection to eliminate potential pathogens or contaminants.
• Odour removal.
• Cleaning associated with an unattended death, where a worker dies and is undiscovered for an extended period of time.

Services we will not pay for

Under the Victorian workers compensation legislation, WorkSafe cannot pay for the following forensic cleaning services.

• Services that are not required as a result of the death resulting from a worker’s accepted injury or illness.
• Services for a person other than family members of a deceased worker.
• Services that are not a reasonable cost as determined in accordance with Victorian workers compensation legislation.
• Services provided outside of Australia without prior approval from WorkSafe.

Under WorkSafe’s determination of reasonable cost, WorkSafe will not pay for costs relating to the following.

• Cleaning tasks performed by a family member or related person who is not able to be approved by WorkSafe to provide forensic cleaning services.
• Services delivered by a cleaning provider who does not hold relevant certification to provide forensic cleaning services.
• Deceased estate clean-up. This includes the process of sorting and clearing personal belongings in the home of the deceased.
• Clean-up to remove excess clutter and belongings.
• Repairs, restoration, rebuilding or replacement of any structure or item damaged or removed as a result of the incident.
• Other cleaning tasks that are not required as a direct result of the death of the worker.
• Non-cleaning expenses the family member may incur as a result of the cleaning, for example accommodation expenses.

How much we can pay

WorkSafe will pay for the reasonable costs of forensic cleaning services.

Contact the relevant agent for further information on how much WorkSafe can pay.

Who can provide these services

Forensic cleaning services are delivered by providers who are registered with WorkSafe to provide these services.

WorkSafe will fund forensic cleaning services delivered only by providers that meet the following conditions.

• Hold certification relevant to forensic or trauma cleaning, such as:
  • Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) Trauma and Crime Scene Technician Certification (TCST) certification
  • CPPCLO4109 competency according to the National Training Register
  • American Bio Recovery Association (ABRA) certification.
• Hold the requisite insurance coverage to deliver forensic cleaning services.

Accessing services

After the death of a worker, family members can contact forensic cleaners directly. This may be suggested to the family by police or emergency services who attend the home.

The agent does not need to give pre-approval as forensic cleaning needs to begin as soon as possible after death.

Service delivery expectations

WorkSafe expects that all providers delivering forensic cleaning services as part of the Victorian workers compensation scheme follow the below principles.

• Provide culturally safe and respectful services.
• Protect the person’s human rights and report any concerns of abuse, neglect or discrimination to an appropriate regulatory or complaints body.

Providers are required to comply with the requirements set out in these guidelines and in the Application for registration to provide services to workers.

If a provider does not meet these requirements or WorkSafe has concerns about the provider’s conduct or services delivered, WorkSafe may take appropriate action in accordance with the legislation.