Often times we don’t think about what acronyms might stand for. For the types of industries that cover HAZWOPER, it’s important to understand what it means and what is involved with HAZWOPER Training.
HAZWOPER stands for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. It is an OSHA regulation (29 CFR 1910.120) designed to protect workers handling hazardous substances during clean-up, disposal, storage, and emergency response operations. It mandates safety training for handling toxic, flammable, or dangerous
materials.
Key details regarding HAZWOPER:
- Scope: Covers hazardous waste clean-up, corrective actions, voluntary clean-ups, treatment/storage/disposal facilities (TSDFs), and emergency responses.
- Training Levels: OSHA requires specific training levels based on job duties, commonly known as 40-hour (site workers) or 24-hour (occasional exposure) courses, along with 8-hour annual refresher training.
- Goal: Protect employees from dangerous chemical, biological, or radiological exposures.
- Applicability: Applies to industries with significant, high-risk exposure to hazardous substances, often in IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health) conditions.
The standard aims to ensure workers can safely manage hazardous materials and respond to incidents without harming themselves, the public, or the environment. ETAC has been teaching about hazardous waste clean up and safety since 1989. Check out our in person classes with hands on training on our schedule page and register today!
