Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response - 40-Hour Initial Site Worker

The OSHA Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) 40-Hour Site Worker Course provides training for administrators, managers, supervisors and workers working at hazardous waste operations and emergency response (HAZWOPER) sites.   This class is required for workers that perform activities that expose or potentially expose them to hazardous substances.  In addition, all workers must receive at least three days of supervised field experience in order to meet OSHA requirements.

This course is intended to meet initial training requirements found in OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.120 for general site workers who participate in hazardous waste operations where they may be exposed to hazardous substances and health hazards.

Training topics include hazard recognition, elimination of hazards, exposure limits, toxicology, selection and use of PPE, risk evaluation for chemical hazards, general site safety and OSHA regulation.  Hands-on training will include monitoring and detecting hazardous materials, spill containment, decontamination, use of protective equipment, and a variety of site activities.

The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER) applies to five distinct groups of employers and their employees. This includes any employees who are exposed or potentially exposed to hazardous substances -- including hazardous waste -- and who are engaged in one of the following operations as specified by 1910.120(a)(1)(i-v) and 1926.65(a)(1)(i-v):

• clean-up operations -- required by a governmental body, whether federal, state, local, or other involving hazardous substances -- that are conducted at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites;
• corrective actions involving clean-up operations at sites covered by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) as amended (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.);
• voluntary clean-up operations at sites recognized by federal, state, local, or other governmental body as uncontrolled hazardous waste sites;
• operations involving hazardous wastes that are conducted at treatment, storage, and disposal facilities regulated by Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 264 and 265 pursuant to RCRA, or by agencies under agreement with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement RCRA regulations; and
• emergency response operations for releases of, or substantial threats of releases of, hazardous substances regardless of the location of the hazard.

Additional information regarding the OSHA requirements can be found here:  OSHA HAZWOPER FAQS

HAZWOPER Levels

There are three levels of HAZWOPER training as listed in 29 CFR Part 1910.120. Within these three levels, there are various job functions and training requirements.

Level 1. Emergency Response

• First Responder Awareness - Initial: Competancy / Annual: Competancy
• First Responder Operations - Initial: 8hrs / Annual: Competancy
• HAZMAT Technician - Initial: 24hrs / Annual: Competancy
• HAZMAT Specialist - Initial: 24hrs / Annual: Competancy
• Incident Commander - Initial: 24hrs / Annual: Competancy

Level 2. Cleanup of Contaminated Hazardous Waste Sites

• 40 hour HAZWOPER Site Worker - Initial: 40hrs / Annual: 8hrs
• 24 hour (Occasional) HAZWOPER Site Worker - Initial: 24hrs / Annual: 8hrs
• HAZWOPER Supervisor - Initial: 40hrs + 8hrs Supervisor / Annual: 8hrs

Level 3. Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) of Hazardous Waste

• 24 hour (Occasional) HAZWOPER Site Worker - Initial: 24hrs / Annual: 8hrs

This is a level 2 course

None

While not required, we encourage all attendees to bring the following items:

• Safety Data Sheets for five of the most common and/or most dangerous chemicals present at their jobsite.
• A copy of your facility's Facility Response Plan (FRP)
• A copy of your Hazardous Waste Contingency Plan
• Equipment such as your PPE and monitoring and testing equipment