HAZWOPER
HAZWOPER (Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response) covers workers who clean up hazardous waste sites, work at hazardous waste treatment facilities, or respond to releases of hazardous substances.
- Construction
- General Industry
- Environmental
Photo: workers in chemical protective suits at a site cleanup decontamination line
Who it covers
- Cleanup at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites (including Superfund and brownfield sites)
- Corrective actions at RCRA facilities
- Treatment, storage and disposal facilities
- Emergency response to hazardous substance releases
Training levels (site cleanup)
| Worker type | Initial training |
|---|---|
| General site workers exposed to hazards | 40 hours off-site plus 3 days of supervised field experience |
| Occasional workers, or workers in fully characterized low-exposure areas | 24 hours plus 1 day supervised field experience |
| Supervisors and managers | Same as above plus 8 hours of supervisor training |
| All | 8-hour refresher every year |
Emergency responders have separate levels, from First Responder Awareness up to Hazardous Materials Technician and Specialist.
Site safety basics
- A written site safety and health plan
- Work zones: exclusion zone, contamination reduction zone, support zone
- Air monitoring and the right PPE levels (A through D)
- Decontamination procedures
- Medical surveillance for many workers
Standards & references
- 29 CFR 1910.120: HAZWOPER (also 1926.65 for construction)
- OSHA: Hazardous waste operations
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