The role of operative protocols for the prevention of occupational infectious risk on the crime scene

Abstract

Background: Crime scenes are possible scenario of accidents for operators, despite those risks the are no operative protocols in literature. However, COVID-19 pandemic has affected in a positive manner the management of infectious risk, encouraging use of Personal protective equipment (PPE). The aim of the study is to deepen and examine the occupational risk of all health professionals involved in the analysis of the crime scene and biological material collection to develop an operational protocol that explains in detail all the strategies applicable to reduce it.

Materials and methods: We conducted a review of the literature researching among the main databases, such as: PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE introducing as keywords: crime scene, medico-legal investigations, occupational risk, infections. Subsequently, we developed an operational protocol that is currently applied during the activity of the Institute of Forensic Medicine "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro.

Conclusion: The crime scene can show numerous dangers for operators, due to the presence of syringes, contaminated biological material or sharps or access to areas with poor hygienic and sanitary conditions. This paper shows various strategies that may be implemented to reduce the risk. The aim of this work is to focus on the occupational risk for operators by proposing an operative protocol showing in detail how to manage a crime scene by reducing the infectious risk for operators until the transfer of the body and the collected evidence to the morgue and to the laboratory.

Keywords: crime scene; infection; occupational risk.