About HAZWOPER Training RequirementsOSHA issued the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standards, 29 CFR 1910.120 and 29 CFR 1926.65 on March 6, 1989 to protect workers and enable them to handle hazardous substances safely and effectively.
The HAZWOPER standard covers employers performing the following general categories of work operations:Hazardous waste site cleanup operations- Operations involving hazardous waste that are conducted at treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities
- Emergency response operations involving hazardous substance releases
HAZWOPER applies specifically to response activities where there is an uncontrolled release of a hazardous substance, or where an uncontrolled release is likely. There are a multitude of scenarios and incidents that could result in releases of hazardous substances. Some examples include:- Leaking of a hazardous substance from a storage tank or container
 - An overturned truck or railcar carrying hazardous materials
- Chemical fires
- Mechanical breakdown in a chemical process
- Excavating/trenching buried contaminants or toxins
- Site preparation uncovering buried hazardous waste
- Building earthen berms to contain hazardous waste runoff
Operations Covered By HAZWOPER
There are five distinct operations that fall within the scope of the HAZWOPER standard:- Cleanup operations required by a governmental body, whether federal, state, local, or other, involving hazardous substances conducted at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites
- Corrective actions involving cleanup operations at sites covered by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
- Operations involving hazardous waste conducted at treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities regulated under RCRA
- Operations that generate hazardous waste but are not TSD facilities
- Emergency response operations involving releases of, or substantial threats of releases of hazardous substances, without regard to the location of the hazards
Federal OSHA does not cover local and state public sector (e.g., local and state government) employees. However, twenty-eight OSHA-approved State Plans have state occupational safety and health programs that cover local and state public sector employees.
The HazWoper Training Requirements
The "Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response" standard (HAZWOPER), 29 CFR 1910.120, states in paragraph (e)(5) that "Trainers shall be qualified to instruct employees about the subject matter that is being presented in training".
As part of the HAZWOPER Regulations, there are several requirements for employee training that depends on the specific level of involvement with hazardous materials. These include:- Work practices
- Engineering controls
- Personal protective equipment
- The exclusion zone
- Heat stress
- The need for decontamination
- The Contamination Reduction Corridor
- Decontamination equipment and solutions
- Decontamination procedures
Recommended HazWoper Safety TrainingCourses
The Safety Training Center offers a variety of HazWoper training courses, HazWoper videos, and assorted other HazWoper educational products, including:- HazWoper training videos
- 8 hour HazWoper training
- 24 hour HazWoper training
- 40 hour HazWoper training
- Annual refresher HazWoper training
- Materials for your HazWoper training instructor
Find HazWoper TrainingTo find your desired HazWoper training videos and training courses, select "HazWoper" from the "Professional Development" section of the search box below.
|
