HAZWOPER stands for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. Guidelines have been produced and are maintained by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which regulates hazardous waste operations and emergency services in the United States and its territories. Read on to discover three things you need to know about HAZWOPER. For training in Canada, you can trust Acute Safety & Safety Services. Our company offers more than theoretical or abstract ideas; ACUTE offers solutions for all your safety training needs. Contact us today.

HAZWOPER: 3 Things You Need To Know

1. What is HAZWOPER?

As mentioned above, HAZWOPER is an acronym for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response.

HAZWOPER originated from the United States Department of Defense’s Hazardous Waste Operations (HAZWOP) and was implemented on military bases affected by the disposal of hazardous waste left on-site after World War II.

In 1990, OSHA published Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response 1910.120, which remains the standard for the health-and-safety requirements companies must meet to perform hazardous waste clean up or respond to emergencies. An updated HAZWOPER website was launched in 2017.

In Canada, HAZWOPER falls under the legislation of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, CEPA 1999

OSHA’s definition of hazardous materials includes “any biologic agent and other disease-causing agent which after release into the environment and upon exposure, ingestion, inhalation, or assimilation into any person, either directly from the environment or indirectly by ingestion through food chains, will or may reasonably be anticipated to cause death, disease, behavioural abnormalities, cancer, genetic mutation, physiological malfunctions (including malfunctions in reproduction) or physical deformations in such persons or their offspring.”

Operation and removal are therefore of the utmost importance and require comprehensive training. Make sure your company has all the up-to-date WHMIS symbols posted around.

HAZWOPER is an acronym for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response

2. Who needs HAZWOPER training?

The HAZWOPER standard applies to both employers and their employees and specifically includes any employees who are exposed to hazardous substances and who are engaged in operations including clean-up, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste.

Workers involved in an emergency response operation dealing with hazardous waste and workers who have to perform duties at a waste site where hazardous materials or contamination are equally expected to be fully trained and protected.

A refresher course will need to be taken 12 months after the initial certification.

Environmental engineers, environmental remediation workers, and contractors commonly attend HAZWOPER training programs

3. What does HAZWOPER training involve?

This training program covers the requirements of the OSHA HAZWOPER standard (29CFR 1910.120) and sets out the minimum training requirements for site workers on hazardous waste sites, environmental remediation, and emergency projects in the United States of America.

The quality and comprehensive nature of this standard make it applicable and attractive to those employers and workers who work at Canadian workplaces that contain environmental contamination or hazardous materials.

Training program topics include:

• Legislation and standards
• Hazard recognition and communication
• WHMIS 1988-2015
• Toxicology
• Confined Spaces
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Hazardous materials spill control and HAZMAT
• Decontamination
• Staging
• Disposal of contaminated materials
• Excavation and trenching
• Lock-out/Tag-out
• Air quality monitoring
• Health and Safety Plans (HASP) and Emergency Response Plans
• Practical culmination exercises
• Final exam

You will learn through a mix of teaching and practical exercises:

• Classroom interaction with experienced instructors
• Scenarios and field exercises
• Demonstration and hands-on training in the care and use of equipment
• Detailed handouts, videos, and quizzes
• Hands-on mock spill exercises including full chemical protective gear

The full course (40 hours) is typically taken over four days. Participants must wear appropriate CSA-certified footwear. This program has a very significant practical component that can be physically demanding for some.

For more, read our article on how to find the best HAZWOPER training.

HAZWOPER includes intensive educational and hands-on training

Need HAZWOPER? Trust ACUTE!

ACUTE offers a range of health and safety training programs, and with over 100 years of combined experience, our staff have much more than just theoretical teaching to offer. We have first-hand experience in a variety of workplace situations which allows us to offer the same high-quality training classes across a broad range of subjects.

ACUTE offers the solution to all of your health and safety training needs by emphasizing client participation and establishing rapport in all of our classes. We want to build a relationship with our clients which is foundational to the provision of safety services moving forward.