What is HAZWOPER Training?
HAZWOPER stands for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. OSHA issued the HAZWOPER standard for General Industry (29 CFR 1910.120) and Construction (29 CFR 1926.65) to protect workers and ensure they get trained to handle hazardous substances safely.
The below operations fall within the scope of the HAZWOPER standard. Employers of workers who conduct these operations must train their workers to understand and comply with applicable HAZWOPER policies, practices, and procedures.
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- 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.
Are HAZWOPER and Hazmat Training the same?
The term “Hazmat” stands for Hazardous Materials. Hazmat training informs workers about the dangers of hazardous materials and provides instruction for managing the hazardous materials they may encounter on the job. Workers involved with hazardous materials may be required by the Department of Transportion or OSHA training requirements to get various types of Hazmat training which relate to their job duties.
The term “HAZWOPER” stands for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. OSHA developed a HAZWOPER standard with HAZWOPER training requirements for those involved in the remediation of contaminated sites, emergency response and treatment, and storage and disposal of hazardous wastes. The OSHA HAZWOPER standard references the term “Hazmat” and some of the HAZWOPER training levels even include the words “Hazardous Materials”, which is why it is so easy to confuse what training is really required.
It’s very important to ensure you get the correct type of Hazmat or HAZWOPER training for your job type and duties. When in doubt, determine which OSHA or DOT training requirements you need to meet for your job, and look for training that meets the specific requirements.
What are the HAZWOPER training levels?
Cleanup of Contaminated Hazardous Waste Sites
- 40 hour HAZWOPER site worker
- 24 hour HAZWOPER site worker
- HAZWOPER supervisor
Emergency Responder Levels
- First responder awareness level
- First responder operations level
- Hazardous materials technician
- Hazardous materials specialist
- On-scene incident commander
Treatment, Storage, and Disposal of Hazardous Waste
- 24 hour HAZWOPER site worker
HazMat Student offers both HAZWOPER and Hazmat Training to help you meet your training requirements. If you have additional questions on the purpose of HAZWOPER training, the difference between HAZWOPER and Hazmat training, or the HAZWOPER training levels, please contact us for more information.
