HAZWOPER stands for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. It’s a set of comprehensive safety and health regulations established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under 29 CFR 1910.120 for general industry and 29 CFR 1926.65 for construction.
The primary purpose of HAZWOPER training is to protect workers who are exposed to hazardous substances and health hazards, ensuring they can perform their duties safely without endangering themselves or others.
Who is HAZWOPER training for?
HAZWOPER training is specifically designed for workers and supervisors involved in:
- Cleanup Operations at Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Sites: This includes workers engaged in hazardous substance removal or other activities at sites identified by governmental bodies (federal, state, local) as having an accumulation of hazardous substances that threaten health, safety, or the environment. Examples include Superfund sites, brownfield sites, or abandoned industrial sites.
- Corrective Actions Involving Cleanup Operations at RCRA Sites: This applies to cleanup efforts at sites regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
- Voluntary Cleanup Operations: Even if not mandated, voluntary cleanup at recognized uncontrolled hazardous waste sites requires HAZWOPER training.
- Operations Involving Hazardous Wastes at Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) Facilities: Workers at facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste (regulated by 40 CFR parts 264 and 265 pursuant to RCRA) need this training.
- Emergency Response Operations: This is for individuals who respond to releases or substantial threats of releases of hazardous substances, regardless of the location. This can include:
- Local fire departments responding to chemical fires or overturned hazmat trucks.
- Facility workers responding to a leaking storage or uncontrolled spill.
- Hazardous materials technicians, specialists, and on-scene incident commanders.
Common Job Roles that Require HAZWOPER Training:
- General site laborers
- Equipment operators
- Hazardous materials technicians
- Emergency responders (firefighters, paramedics, HAZMAT teams)
- Environmental consultants
- Waste management personnel
- Supervisors and managers overseeing hazardous waste operations
- Certain construction workers involved in demolition, excavation, or other activities that could expose them to hazardous materials.
- Workers in manufacturing, industrial operations, oil and gas, and laboratories that handle hazardous chemicals.
Types of HAZWOPER Training:
HAZWOPER training comes in different levels, depending on the worker’s role and potential exposure:
- 40-Hour HAZWOPER: This is the most comprehensive initial training, typically required for general site workers and supervisors who are directly involved in hazardous waste operations and have the potential for exposure to high concentrations of dangerous substances. It usually includes three days of supervised field experience.
- 24-Hour HAZWOPER: This is for workers on site occasionally for specific, limited tasks (e.g., groundwater monitoring, land surveying) who are unlikely to be exposed over permissible exposure limits (PELs). It includes one day of supervised field experience.
- 8-Hour HAZWOPER Refresher: This is an annual requirement for all workers who have completed either the 24-hour or 40-hour initial HAZWOPER training. It keeps their knowledge and skills up-to-date with current regulations and best practices.
- HAZMAT First Responder Awareness Level: For individuals who are likely to witness or discover a hazardous substance release and initiate an emergency response by notifying authorities. There is no specific hourly requirement, but it’s competency-based.
- HAZMAT First Responder Operations Level: For individuals who respond to hazardous materials emergencies in a defensive manner, containing the release from a safe distance and preventing its spread. This typically requires an 8-hour initial training.
- HAZMAT Technician, Specialist, and Incident Commander Levels: These require increasing levels of training and competency, ranging from 24-hour initial training for technicians to more advanced competencies for specialists and incident commanders.
In essence, if your job involves working with or near hazardous substances, especially in cleanup, emergency response, or waste management, HAZWOPER training is critical for your safety and compliance with OSHA regulations. Sign up today!
Manages Hazmat School’s E-Learning courses and blog. Kirstie has extensive experience in the online training and education industry. Kirstie has worked with courses that offer a variety of safety and environmental certifications that satisfy OSHA, EPA and DOT requirements.
