HAZWOPER training is intended for anyone working with high concentrations of hazardous substances and chemicals. It is also necessary for emergency responders who will need to respond to hazardous substance spills or uncontrollable chemical releases. Additionally, HAZWOPER training is intended for those who:
Basically, any chemical that can cause short or long-term physical harm or health issues is considered by OSHA to be hazardous. These are the substances that you will be prepared to handle through HAZWOPER training. This includes any substance that is:
Any situation that contains these kinds of substances is considered by OSHA to be a hazardous situation. However, there is a significant difference between what OSHA considers to be a hazardous situation that requires HAZWOPER training and one that doesn’t.
If an emergency spill occurs, employees and emergency responders trained in HAZWOPER will need to handle it. OSHA standards and regulations concerning the differences between an incidental release and an emergency spill as well as the differences between hazardous and non-hazardous substances are covered in HAZWOPER training.
Although HAZWOPER has been and can be taught through trainer-led programs and courses, it is also possible to receive this training online. At Hard Hat Training, we offer options for HAZWOPER in online training and onsite training.
Online HAZWOPER training is highly accessible and cost-effective in comparison to other methods of receiving training. It is also a great option because you can start and stop at your convenience, and then pick up where you left off. This allows you to take breaks and spread out a potential 24 or 40-hour training over the span of several days if needed.
However, OSHA does require some hands-on evaluation as well. Learning important skills like proper use of PPE and use of on-site machinery can’t be provided online. The training you receive will determine how much additional hands-on and field experience training is required.
HAZWOPER specifically addresses how to handle hazardous waste at treatment and disposal facilities safely and how to safely clean up accidental releases of hazardous waste. There is always a bit of confusion between HAZWOPER and Hazmat training, for an indepth explanation check out our article What is the Difference Between HAZWOPER and Hazmat Training. Moving on, there are also other important operations involved in HAZWOPER training that increases in depth and detail with each version of the training (8, 24, and 40-hour). The five operations that are covered by the HAZWOPER standard, as outlined by OSHA, are:
Hazardous waste operations require specific skills and information. These work activities and information included in HAZWOPER training include but are not limited to:
Important emergency response training involved with HAZWOPER training includes but is not limited to:
OSHA does not endorse or approve any training program or trainers, as per their policy. For this reason, they do not outline how much hands-on training you need to receive. They only require that there is some kind of hands-on training component to HAZWOPER training prior to the required three-day field experience. To learn all the details check out this article Does OSHA Require Hands-On Training for the 40-Hour HAZWOPER Training on our website.