HAZWOPER Training

per 29 CFR 1910.120 and 1926.65

HAZWOPER stands for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. This is an OSHA course which trains workers how to protect themselves, plan, prepare for and manage hazardous materials spills and incidents.

24 Hour HAZWOPER

For facility hazmat team members, that is, those who will approach the point of release in order to plug, patch, or otherwise stop the hazardous substance release. iSi’s scheduled classes are focused toward the Hazmat Technician and First Responder Operations levels of the standard (section (q) of the standard). The focus of our scheduled classes are for those responding to incidental releases. iSi’s classes would also be suitable for workers at TSD facilities (section (p) of the standard).

What about 40 Hr. training?

Our custom and onsite classes can be geared more for HAZWOPER Operations level training for those who are occasional site workers at hazardous waste sites or cleanup sites. See below.

What about training for supervisors or incident commanders?

iSi is planning to develop an 8-Hr. Incident Command add-on class to go with the 24 Hr. class but that’s not available yet. Stay tuned for more information and if this is something you’d like to see, let us know so that we can let you know when it’s available.

Annual Refreshers

This covers required annual refresher training for those workers responding to hazardous materials emergencies (sections p and q of the HAZWOPER standard).

First Responder

There are two other kinds of HAZWOPER First Responder training iSi can provide onsite or online: First Responder Awareness Level and First Responder Operations Level.

First Responder Awareness Level teaches employees what to do (and what not to do) in an incidental release if your company is going to have someone else come in and respond. In this situation, your employees will get nowhere near the release but need to know who to contact.

First Responder Operations Level takes it a step further. This is if you require your employees to respond in a defensive fashion to prevent it from spreading without trying to stop it. This would include putting out booms or spill materials, but employees would not get into the chemical, try to clean it up or not contact it. It also covers who they need to notify and what their limitations are.

If you require your employees to get in to stop the leak or clean it up, where they’ll be in contact with the chemical, then that’s the boundary to now needing 24 Hr. HAZWOPER.

40 Hour HAZWOPER

40 Hr. HAZWOPER is for workers at clean up operation sites (forced or voluntary cleanup), RCRA corrective action sites or uncontrolled waste sites where the hazards are already known. It’s required for the supervisors and workers at those sites.

Where did iSi’s Scheduled 40 Hr. Classes go?

In reevaluation of our program, we have found students attending our classes more often were geared toward the accidental spill side of HAZWOPER, and not conducting work at long-term cleanup sites or RCRA corrective action sites. The emergency spill section of HAZWOPER is a smaller part of the standard, found in section (q) where the content is focused in a little different direction. These workers are required to just have 24 hours of training. Those who work at TSDF facilities will also just need 24 Hrs. of training (section (p)).

40 Hr. classes are more for those at RCRA corrective action sites, cleanup sites and uncontrolled waste sites where the hazards are already known. Because the hazards are already known at these sites, the focus of those classes should be more on how to respond to those and what your company’s individual plan is to take care of that per the contents of the required HAZWOPER plan you are to have in place per that part of the standard. If you do need the training for the types of sites covered by the remainder the HAZWOPER standard (sections (a) through (o), or also known as HAZWOPER Operations Level, we can provide these classes onsite for you through our custom training program. This will allow us to focus on the exact chemical contaminants you deal with on a daily basis (which is the point of this part of the standard – how to protect workers from your known contaminants) and your specific written Site-Specific Safety and Health Plan per the standard. Contact us for pricing.

HAZWOPER Hands-On Activities

iSi’s 24 Hour HAZWOPER classes have hands-on suit up exercises to give you the opportunity to get familiar with the personal protective equipment needed for response. Above the students are practicing getting a leaking drum into an overpack drum. In our classes at your site, we can base our activities on your own scenarios and practice using your own equipment.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Which HAZWOPER do I need?

Cleaning Up/Stopping Incidental Spills: 24 Hr. HAZWOPER

If your employees will be in contact with the chemical by stopping the leak/source of the spill or cleaning it up, they will need 24 Hr. HAZWOPER. If you are a supervisor, specialist or incident commander of an internal hazmat spill response team, you need a minimum of 24 hrs. iSi is developing a course to give additional information to these persons.

Not Stopping Spills, Just Controlling the Spread Until Someone Else Gets There: First Responder Operations Level

If your company is not going to use your own people clean up the spill or get in it, but just put out materials to stop the spread, 8 Hr. First Responder Operations Level training is needed. iSi can do first responder training for you onsite or online and discuss your site-specific situations in the class.

Not Stopping Spills, Just Need to Know What To Do, What Not to Do and Who to Call: First Responder Awareness Level

If your company is just going to call someone and your employees just need to know what to do/what not to do if it happens and who to call, First Responder Awareness training is needed. iSi can do first responder training for you onsite or online and discuss your site-specific situations in the class.

Your Site is an Uncontrolled Waste Sites, Corrective Action Site, Hazardous Waste Cleanup Site: HAZWOPER Operations Level Training

iSi’s scheduled training will fall more towards responding to accidental releases rather than cleanups at these types of sites. Classes for these sites will have different focuses because of the work that is going on, the hazards are already known, and the exposure of your employees will be known as well. We can certainly customize an Operations Level class for your uncontrolled RCRA hazardous waste site operations through our onsite training program. At these sites, supervisors and workers need the 40 Hr. class, while those who are occasional site workers, those who will not wear respirators because of the known hazards assessment will need 24 Hrs. of training. Supervisors are also required to have additional EPA RCRA hazardous waste training as well.

TSD Facilities (TSDF)

New workers are required to have a minimum of 24 Hrs. of training with 8 Hr. refreshers annually. iSi’s 24 Hr. training program would satisfy the requirements for TSD facilities (1910.120(p)(7) and (p)(8)(iii)). Additional HAZWOPER requirements for TSDFs, such as the requirements for certain programs and an emergency response program can be found in (p) of the standard.

What's the difference between HAZWOPER and RCRA Hazardous Waste Management?

HAZWOPER is an OSHA requirement that covers protection of workers responding to hazardous materials spills. RCRA Hazardous Waste Management is an EPA-based requirement that covers proper management of hazardous waste (generation, transportation, treatment, storage or disposal) and its effects on the environment. So depending on your operations and your job duties, you may need training in one, the other or both. HAZWOPER training can often satisfy the requirements of EPA’s RCRA hazardous waste regulations to have spill training, but typical RCRA Hazardous Waste Management training will NOT satisfy OSHA HAZWOPER.

What happens if I miss my annual refresher? Will I have to take the full class over again?

Although it’s the best policy to maintain your certification within 12 months, OSHA has been somewhat understanding, especially if you use your HAZWOPER skills on a regular basis. Once you realize you are past due, register for the next available class. If it’s been more than 2 to 3 years, it is up to your employer to decide if you are still qualified. OSHA has guidance on this subject. Go to OSHA’s interpretation letter.

Ask a Question

Upcoming Classes

Wichita, Kansas [2024]

24 Hr (IN-PERSON):
Nov. 18-20
$700
Register

Refresher (IN-PERSON):
Nov. 8 | Dec. 13
$275
Register

Refresher (VIRTUAL, INSTRUCTOR-LED):
Dec. 3
$275
Register
___

Tulsa, Oklahoma [2024]

Refresher (VIRTUAL, INSTRUCTOR-LED):
Dec. 3
$275
Register
Need it sooner? Check out our Wichita schedule.

24 Hr:
Check out our Wichita classes, or Contact Us for Onsite Training Options

___

Atlanta, Georgia [2024]

Refresher (VIRTUAL, INSTRUCTOR-LED):
Dec. 3
$275
Register

24 and 40 Hr:
Contact Us for Onsite Training Options

___

Kansas City, Kansas/Missouri [2024]

Refresher (VIRTUAL, INSTRUCTOR-LED):
Dec. 3
$275
Register
Need it sooner? Check out our Wichita class schedule.

24 Hr:
Check out our Wichita classes, or Contact Us for Onsite Training Options
___

Omaha, Nebraska [2024]