HAZWOPER: 24-Hour Initial Training: Routine or Non-Routine Waste Site Workers Curriculum Online Training Course

According to OSHA, a "cleanup operation" is an operation where hazardous substances are removed, contained, incinerated, neutralized, stabilized, cleared-up, or in any other manner processed or handled with the goal of making the site safer for people or the environment.

All employees working on sites with cleanup operations covered by the HAZWOPER standard must receive training if they are exposed to hazardous substances, health hazards, or safety hazards.

The following worker types must receive 24-hour initial training and at least one day of actual field experience under the direct supervision of a trained, experienced supervisor, per 29 CFR 1910.120(e):

• Routine site workers: Workers regularly onsite who work in areas that have been monitored and fully characterized indicating that exposures are under permissible exposure limits (PELs) and published exposure limits where respirators are not necessary, and the characterization indicates that there are no health hazards or the possibility of an emergency developing.
• Non-routine site workers: Workers onsite only occasionally for a specific limited task (such as, but not limited to, groundwater monitoring, land surveying, or geo-physical surveying) and who are unlikely to be exposed over PELs and published exposure limits.

There are 12 online courses included within the HAZWOPER: 24-Hour Initial Training: Routine or Non-Routine Waste Site Workers Curriculum:

• Emergency Response Planning is designed to focus on what an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) is, the basic steps involved in an emergency response, employee roles in a response to a hazardous substance emergency release, and internal and external communications during an emergency.
• Chemical Fundamentals is designed to inform learners of how chemical-related terms are defined; the health and physical hazards, properties, stability, reactivity, and toxicity of chemicals; and the routes, symptoms, types, and effects of chemical exposure.
• Emergency & Post-Emergency Response Procedures is designed to expose learners to the steps used for notification, preparation, and response during emergency and post-emergency response operations.
• Personal Protective Equipment & Clothing is designed to inform learners of the different types of PPE and chemical protective clothing (CPC) including their uses and limitations, levels of protection, how to don and doff the equipment, and the importance of proper storage, inspection, and maintenance.
• HazCom, Hazmat, & Hazardous Waste is designed to cover the basics of OSHA Hazard Communication, DOT Hazardous Materials, and EPA Hazardous Waste regulations with the perspective of the hazardous waste cleanup site worker and emergency responder in mind. The HAZWOPER Standard, at its core, is about operations that involve the handling of hazardous substances, including hazardous chemicals, materials, and waste.
• Exposure Monitoring & Sampling is designed to inform the learner of the purpose and advantages and disadvantages of exposure monitoring and sampling, types and frequency of monitoring and sampling, the instruments used along with calibration and maintenance requirements, methods available for obtaining samples, and the importance of recognizing result data and keeping accurate records of samples collected.
• Medical Program is designed to acquaint learners with the Medical Program including the types of exams required, emergency and non-emergency treatment, medical records available, and symptoms to watch for that may indicate injury or illness while working with hazardous substances during hazardous waste cleanup or emergency response operations.
• Decontamination is designed to focus on ways to avoid contamination, the decontamination process including methods and equipment used in decontamination, the limitations associated with decontamination, the decontamination line itself, and emergency decontamination procedures.
• Site Control Measures is designed to inform learners about the importance of maintaining site control and the tools available to help accomplish that including site characterization, all the elements in the site control program, and other control measures.
• Handling & Shipping Drums & Containers is designed to focus on the precautions and procedures to use when handling, opening, staging, and shipping drums and other containers of hazardous substances. The course goes over the importance of inspection, planning, sampling, and characterizing drums and containers before movement. Special precautions and spill containment are also addressed.
• Confined Spaces is designed to provide necessary information to help prevent injuries, illnesses, and fatalities that may result from working in or around permit-required confined spaces at hazardous waste cleanup sites.
• Overview for Waste Site Workers is designed to introduce hazardous waste cleanup site hazards, tells the history behind the HAZWOPER Standard, gives on overview of the paragraphs of the standard that impact cleanup workers, covers the different cleanup worker roles and training requirements, and summarizes important worker rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Intended Audience: Any employees who may be involved or expected to engage in hazardous waste cleanup operations where the employee may be exposed to hazardous substances, health hazards or safety hazards. These cleanup workers include:

• General site workers, such as equipment operators, general laborers and supervisory personnel
• Workers on the site only occasionally for a specific limited task (ie: groundwater monitoring, land surveying or geo-physical surveying) and who are unlikely to be exposed over permissible exposure limits
• Workers regularly on the site who work in areas which have been monitored and fully characterized indicating that exposures are under permissible exposure limits where respirators are not necessary, and the site characterization indicates that there are no health hazards or the possibility of an emergency developing

Length: 14.5 hours

Copyright Date: 2018

Looking for different levels of HAZWOPER training? Visit the HAZWOPER Training Page for a full list of programs.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In OSHA’s view, HAZWOPER online training, by itself, is not sufficient to meet the intent of the agency’s training requirements for HAZWOPER, 29 CFR 1910.120 for general industry or 29 CFR 1926.65 for construction. Therefore, online training must be supplemented by site-specific elements, hands-on training and exercises, and an opportunity for trainees to ask questions of a qualified trainer. When using this course curriculum as a tool to help with training under §1910.120(e)/§1926.65(e), we suggest you:

• Ensure your trainer is qualified, in accordance with §1910.120(e)(5)/§1926.65(e)(5);
• Augment the online training with site-specific elements;
• Tailor your training to the employees’ assigned duties;
• Include hands-on training to familiarize trainees with equipment, PPE, and safe practices;
• Provide trainees with immediate and direct access to a qualified trainer as they are taking the course;
• Offer an opportunity for trainees to ask questions of the qualified trainer;
• Ensure all training elements listed in the regulation are covered;
• Meet the training duration requirement under §1910.120(e)/§1926.65(e) (NOTE: This online training course curriculum is not intended to fill the training duration requirement of 24 hours, and it is anticipated the remaining duration will be filled with the items in the suggested bullet items above);
• Ensure a trained, experienced supervisor provides the specified one day of actual field experience for trainees under his or her direct supervision; and
• Ensure the trainer (or head instructor), trained supervisor, and, according to OSHA sources, the employer, certifies the trainee has, in fact, met the applicable training and field experience requirements in accordance with §1910.120(e)/§1926.65(e). (NOTE: The online training course curriculum does not provide HAZWOPER certification per §1910.120(e)(6)/§1926.65(e)(6); the online course curriculum certificate only acknowledges the completion of the online training itself).

Alternatively, the employer may certify the trainee has equivalent training in §1910.120(e)(9)/§1926.65(e)(9), after meeting the specifications of §1910.120(e)(9)/§1926.65(e)(9).