Haz-Mat Training
HAZWOPER vs. HAZMAT, which course do I need?
What Is HAZWOPER? “HAZWOPER” is an acronym for “Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response.” This represents a set of guidelines used for workers who are exposed to hazardous substances on their work sites. HAZWOPER regulations are in place to keep both employees and the environment safe. HAZWOPER guidelines are produced and maintained by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which regulates hazardous waste operations and emergency services in the U.S. and U.S. territories. The OSHA HAZWOPER Standard applies to five distinct groups of employers and their employees: clean up operations- required by a government body 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) voluntary clean up operations at sites recognized as uncontrolled hazardous waste sites operations involving hazardous wastes that are conducted at treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities regulated by Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 264 and 265 pursuant to RCRA emergency response operations for releases of, or substantial threats of releases of, hazardous substances regardless of the location of the hazard.
What Is HAZMAT? “HAZMAT” is a simple abbreviation for “hazardous materials.” Hazardous materials are those that pose a reasonable risk to health, property, or the environment through exposure. These can include toxic chemicals, nuclear waste products and biological, chemical, or radiological substances that can be released as a liquid, solid, gas, or combination of all three.
HAZWOPER applies to the remediation of contaminated sites, emergency response and treatment, and the storage and disposal of hazardous wastes. Hazardous wastes are defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations. Specifically, Subtitle C of the regulation is where you will find the definition of solid waste and hazardous waste. RCRA regulations are very complex. The scope and breadth of RCRA has impacted almost every part of the public and private sectors. HAZMAT is mentioned and referred to in the HAZWOPER regulations, which may be why there is some confusion. HAZMAT relates to HAZWOPER in the emergency response component of the regulations. The regulations cover the full gamut of HAZMAT operations. First responders to HAZMAT Technicians must be properly trained and possess a high degree of competency prior to engaging in an emergency response scenario. HAZMAT is mentioned in HAZWOPER regulations, but many people assume that HAZMAT refers to DOT training. DOT training is function specific and required by anyone who offers a hazardous substance/material for public transportation. Platinum Safety does not offer DOT training, our classes are intended for site workers and first responders. Caution must be exercised to ensure that employees are receiving the correct training for the particular job they will perform.
With HAZMAT and HAZWOPER being so similar, it’s easy to get confused about what kind of training and certification is needed for you or your employees. Employees who work with or around hazardous materials will typically need to complete HAZWOPER training. This training is designed for anyone tasked with loading, unloading, handling, managing, labeling, marking or transporting hazardous materials and is pertinent to general site workers at contaminated sites, emergency responders, and anyone who works at hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facilities. HAZMAT workers are required to complete either a 40-hour training course or a 24-hour HAZWOPER course depending on their level of expected exposure. There are also annual refresher courses and role-specific training courses.
HAZWOPER/HAZ-MAT TRAINING
Hazard Communication Training: 2-3 hours
Applicability:
All employers are required to train their employees about the hazardous chemicals to which they are exposed by means of a hazard communication program, labels, and other forms of warning, safety data sheets (SDS), etc. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, also known as HazCom, is a federal regulation that specifies that when hazardous materials are present in the workplace, employees have a right to know about the risks involved with handling and storing such substances. The HazCom Standard is now aligned with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) which is a worldwide standard. This course satisfies the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.120.
Time: 2-3 hours
Recommended for:
- required for all employees may have exposure to hazardous chemicals
Topics covered include:
- introduction to hazard communication
- dangers of hazardous materials and labeling
- Global Harmonizing System (GHS)
- Safety Data Sheets
- safe work practices
Upon completion: Students will be able to keep their training manual and receive a training certificate
HAZWOPER: 24 hours
Applicability:
This course is designed for those employees who are likely to initially respond in a defensive fashion to a release or potential release of a hazardous material for the purpose of containing the release from a safe distance, keeping the release from spreading and preventing exposure. Responders working at this level play a hands-on and defensive role in the initial Haz-Mat response. It is expected however that they will do as much as is possible to mitigate the incident without having to set foot inside the Hot Zone. This course satisfies the OSHA requirements under 29 CFR 1910.120 for general industry and 29 CFR 1926.65 for construction.
Time: 24 hours, annual 8 hour refresher is required (1 day of field experience under a competent person also required)
Recommended for:
- workers that come into contact with hazardous materials occasionally
- workers that are work at contaminated sites with exposure below the Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs)
- workers that carry out remediation at sites where they will not need respirators
- supervisors that handle workers who do any of the above
Topics covered include:
- basic labeling and identification technics
- hazard and risk assessment
- selection and use of PPE for the operations level
- review of SDS and the DOT Emergency Response Guidebook
- basic control, containment, and confinement procedures for the operations level
- basic decontamination techniques
Upon completion: Students will be able to keep their training manual and the ERG, will also receive a training certificate and a wallet card
HAZWOPER: 40 hours
Applicability:
This course is designed for workers who are involved in clean-up operations, voluntary clean-up operations, emergency response operations, and storage, disposal, or treatment of hazardous substances or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. This course satisfies the OSHA requirements under 29 CFR 1910.120 for general industry and 29 CFR 1926.65 for construction.
Time: 40 hours, annual 8 hour refresher is required (3 days of field experience under a competent person also required)
Recommended for:
- first responders (firefighters, law enforcement, hazmat team members and environmental/facility personnel responding to emergencies)
- workers that come into contact with hazardous materials regularly
- workers that work at contaminated sites with exposure at or above the Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs)
- workers that carry out remediation at sites where they'll need respirators
- supervisors that handle workers who do any of the above
Topics covered include:
- emergency response plans
- characteristics of hazardous materials & toxicology
- container identifications and labeling
- incident command for hazardous materials
- control contain and confinement of materials
- chemical protective clothing
- monitoring instruments & decontamination
- protection against hazardous chemicals
- elimination of hazardous chemicals
- safety of workers & the environment
- OSHA regulations
Upon completion: Students will be able to keep their training manual and the ERG, will also receive a training certificate and a wallet card
* A medical evaluation in accordance with the Respiratory Protection Standard, 29 CFR 1910.134 is necessary in order to attend this course.
HAZWOPER Supervisor: 8 hours
Applicability:
This course is designed for workers who are involved in clean-up operations, voluntary clean-up operations, emergency response operations, and storage, disposal, or treatment of hazardous substances or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. This course satisfies the OSHA requirements under 29 CFR 1910.120 for general industry and 29 CFR 1926.65 for construction.
Prerequisites: 24 or 40 hour HAZWOPER course
Time: 8 hours, annual 8 hour refresher is required
Recommended for:
- first responders (firefighters, law enforcement, hazmat team members and environmental/facility personnel responding to emergencies)
- workers that come into contact with hazardous materials regularly
- workers that work at contaminated sites with exposure at or above the Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs)
- workers that carry out remediation at sites where they'll need respirators and PPE for more than 30 days per year
- supervisors that handle workers who do any of the above Topics covered include:
- emergency response plans
- characteristics of hazardous materials & toxicology
- container identifications and labeling
- incident command for hazardous materials
- control contain and confinement of materials
- chemical protective clothing
- monitoring instruments & decontamination
- protection against hazardous chemicals
- elimination of hazardous chemicals
- safety of workers & the environment
- OSHA regulations
Upon completion: Students will be able to keep their training manual, will also receive a training certificate and a wallet card
Haz-Mat First Responder Awareness: 4-6 hours
Applicability:
This course satisfies the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.120
Time: 4-6 hours, annual refresher is required
Recommended for:
- those employees who are likely to witness or discover a hazardous materials release and who can initiate an emergency response sequence by notifying proper authorities.
Topics covered include:
- an understanding of what hazardous materials are and the risks associated with them
- an understanding of the potential outcomes with a hazardous materials emergency
- the ability to recognize the presence of hazardous materials
- the ability to identify hazardous materials
- an understanding of the role of the awareness level responder and use of the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG)
- the ability to realize the need for additional resources
Upon completion: Students will be able to keep their training manual, will also receive a training certificate and a wallet card
Haz-Mat First Responder Operations: 16 hours
Applicability:
This course satisfies the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.120
Time: 16 hours, annual refresher is required
Recommended for:
- individuals who respond to releases of hazardous materials for the purpose of protecting nearby persons, property, or the environment from the effects of the release
- individuals responding in a defensive fashion without actually trying to stop the release
Topics covered include, in addition to Awareness Level training:
- basic hazard and risk assessment
- how to select and use proper PPE - basic hazardous material terms
- basic control, containment, and confinement operations
- basic decontamination techniques
- relevant standard operating procedures
Upon completion: Students will be able to keep their training manual and the ERG, will also receive a training certificate and a wallet card
* A medical evaluation in accordance with the Respiratory Protection Standard, 29 CFR 1910.134 is necessary in order to attend this course.
Haz-Mat First Responder Technicians: 24 hours
Applicability:
This course satisfies the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.120
Time: 24 hours, annual refresher is required
Recommended for:
- those employees who are responsible for stopping a release
- employees that assume a more aggressive role than Operations level and will approach the point of a release
Topics covered include, in addition to Operations Level training:
- understanding how to implement employer's emergency response plan
- classification, identification, and verification of materials
- Incident Command System
- selection and use of proper PPE
- hazards and risk assessment techniques
- advanced control, containment, and confinement operations
- proper decontamination
- termination procedures
- chemical and toxicological terminology
Upon completion: Students will be able to keep their training manual and the ERG, will also receive a training certificate and a wallet card
* A medical evaluation in accordance with the Respiratory Protection Standard, 29 CFR 1910.134 is necessary in order to attend this course.
Haz-Mat First Responder Specialist: 40 hours
Applicability:
This course satisfies the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.120.
Time: 40 hours, annual refresher is required
Recommended for:
- those employees who respond with and support hazardous materials technicians
- individuals whose duties would parallel those of a technician, but would require a more directed or specific knowledge of specific substances they mat encounter
Topics covered include, in addition to Technician Level training:
- know how to implement emergency response plans
- deeper understanding of classification, identification, and verification of hazardous materials
- state emergency plan
- selection and use of proper PPE
- deeper understanding of hazard and risk assessment
- specialized control, containment, and confinement operations
- deeper understanding of proper decontamination
- development of a site safety and control plan
- chemical and toxicological terminology
Upon completion: Students will be able to keep their training manual and the ERG, will also receive a training certificate and a wallet card
* A medical evaluation in accordance with the Respiratory Protection Standard, 29 CFR 1910.134 is necessary in order to attend this course.
Haz-Mat Incident Commander: 8 hours
Applicability:
This course satisfies the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.120.
Prerequisites: Students shall be Operations Level trained at a minimum.
Time: 8 hours, annual refresher is required
Recommended for: - incident commanders who will assume control of an incident scene beyond the awareness level
Topics covered include:
- implementing the employer's incident command system
- implementing the employer's emergency response plan
- hazards and risks associated with the employees working in chemical protective clothing
- implementing the local emergency response plan
- review of state emergency response plan and Federal Reginal Response Team - importance of decontamination procedures
Upon completion: Students will be able to keep their training manual, will also receive a training certificate and a wallet card