What is HAZWOPER?

The majority of people will probably ask, “what is hazwoper”. To many, this might sound like a magical spell with an unknown meaning. In fact, it is an abbreviation of Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, which is represented by a procedure introduced by OSHA. 

HAZWOPER courses have been created with the intent to teach the construction workers to handle, store, transport, and dispose of dangerous goods in a safe way.

All you need to know about HAZWOPER

For a better understanding of the subject, it is important to know why osha courses include the HAZWOPER training in the education plan. To find it out, let’s answer the following questions:

• What does OSHA consider a hazardous substance?

Hazardous substances can be presented in any form. Whether it is a gas, a liquid, or a solid material, it may have a strong negative impact on the health of the surrounding people or the environment. The source of such dangerous substances is usually the leftovers at the mines, labs, mineral processing sites, farming establishments, etc.

• For whom is HAZWOPER training required?

The HAZWOPER training as part of osha safety training is mandatory for the laborers exposed to dangerous substances during work time. Usually, it is required that all workers who deal with the tidying, treatment, storing, and dispatching the hazardous by-products, as well as those who are engaged in the emergency response to dangerous liquid spills and those who work at construction sites where contact with hazardous substances is highly probable, must complete the training. 

• Which hazwoper course do you need?

Depending on the employee’s position, duties, and experience, one will be assigned to a full 40 hour hazwoper training or to an 8 hour hazwoper refresher. The difference between these lies in the amount of knowledge shared during the course. The workers who just started working on the site have to take the full 40-hour training. However, those who have been taking this training previously are allowed to take a short 8-hour course as a refresher.

• What are the parts of hazwoper regulations?

In order for the course to be compliant with the HAZWOPER regulation it has to cover the following 7 elements:

• Structure of the organization
• Clear work plan
• Site-Specific Safety and Health Plan 
• Safety and health training
• Medical observation
• Standard operating procedures for safety and health
• General site conditions linking to site-specific activities