Online HAZWOPER Training to Meet OSHA Standards

Written by Michael Purser

To meet OSHA regulations for hazardous waste operations and emergency response (HAZWOPER for short), employees require in-depth education. If you respond to the uncontrolled release of dangerous substances, you must satisfy OSHA HAZWOPER training standards before you can work without direct supervision.

This article will help you understand HAZWOPER health and safety protocols. It will also help you find OSHA HAZWOPER training courses that will prepare you for exposure to hazardous materials (HAZMAT).

What Are the Standards?

OSHA works with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set safety standards for all workers who respond to uncontrolled substance incidents. These agencies protect federal, state and local HAZMAT cleanup and emergency response personnel.

You can find OSHA HAZWOPER certification requirements in multiple standards. General industry and construction workers share the same rules under different standards: 29 CFR 1910.120 and 29 CFR 1926.65, respectively.

HAZWOPER emergency response covers a wide range of dangerous substances. The list of materials is as long as the list of situations that cause HAZMAT accidents. You need proper materials handling training for any substance that could cause adverse health or safety effects.

Covered materials include:

• Substances defined under section 101(14) of CERCLA
• Biologic and disease-causing agents
• Hazardous substances listed under 49 CFR 172.101
• Wastes defined in 40 CFR 261.3
• Substances defined as hazardous wastes in 49 CFR 171.8

Who Needs Certification?

Hazardous waste operations and emergency response protocols apply to five specific HAZWOPER spill response situations.

The five types of operations are:

• Cleanup operations required by a governmental body (federal, state, local or other) involving hazardous substances and conducted at an uncontrolled waste site
• Corrective actions involving cleanup operations at sites covered by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
• Hazardous waste operations conducted at treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) facilities regulated under RCRA
• Operations at non-TSD facilities that generate hazardous waste
• Emergency response operations involving the release of or substantial threat of release of classified substances regardless of the location of the hazards

If you are involved in any of the operations listed above, you must train for HAZWOPER hazardous materials handling. The amount you require depends on your role.

If your job requires direct, dangerous or frequent exposure to any substance that may cause adverse health or safety effects, you need a 40-hour course. If you are not exposed to dangerous levels of HAZMAT substances, you should take a 24-hour course instead.

After finishing an OSHA-compliant course, you also need hands-on field training. You must complete field experience under the direct supervision of an experienced, certified individual. You require one day of practice for 24-Hour HAZWOPER certification or three days of practice following 40-Hour HAZWOPER instruction.

Employees, supervisors and managers who complete an initial 24-hour or 40-hour safety program must complete an 8-Hour HAZWOPER Refresher course each year.

HAZWOPER Training Online

You don’t need to complete your required HAZWOPER course in person.

OSHA Education Center offers 100% online hazardous waste operations instruction for all HAZWOPER workers. Study anytime using any internet-connected device.

Our courses are designed for students with different learning styles. Engage with real-life case studies. Complete interactive exercises. Listen to the course text using audio narration. You can even expand your learning with direct links to OSHA regulations.

With our online learning platform, you can start and stop lessons as often as you want. Learn at your pace — whether you prefer marathon weekend sessions or 15-minute study periods.

Prepare to pass the final exam with end-of-module quizzes and mid-lesson knowledge checks. You have unlimited chances to pass the exam. You’re guaranteed to pass our courses.

When you train with us, you get more than just high-quality, OSHA-compliant lessons. We support you every step of the way.

We’re only a phone call or chat message away. Contact us at any time. We offer live chat support.

Instantly show your boss that you’re ready for field training. Download your certificate as soon as you finish. Print as many copies as you need.

40-Hour

Our 40-Hour HAZWOPER course is perfect for new employees on waste disposal or cleanup sites. It covers all the crucial topics you need to stay safe on the job. Learn about HAZWOPER waste disposal requirements and the hazards you might encounter at work. Be prepared to protect yourself from exposure.

Master the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Discover the various levels of protection PPE offers. Prepare to follow decontamination protocols. Identify and minimize fire, electrocution, struck-by and other common dangers.

This course is ideal for:

• Equipment operators
• General laborers
• Other general site workers
• On-site management and supervisors

24-Hour

If you are unlikely to experience high-risk exposure to uncontrolled hazardous materials, our 24-Hour HAZOPER course is the right choice. Lesson modules cover important safety basics for employees who do not work directly with harmful substances.

This course teaches you about major workplace HAZMAT dangers. You will learn site safety planning and emergency response. Prepare to use respirators and other PPE. Master toxicology and decontamination knowledge, even when working in areas that do not exceed permissible exposure limits.

This online course is perfect for:

• Hazardous materials technicians and specialists
• On-scene incident commanders
• Managers and supervisors in limited-exposure areas
• Other workers who may face indirect exposure

Annual 8-Hour Refresher

Compliance instruction isn’t a one-and-done requirement. Your initial certification is valid for 12 months. Qualified workers must complete another course each year. Our 8-Hour HAZWOPER Refresher Training course satisfies annual retraining standards. Stay current by following up with critical safety lessons.

This course is the easiest way to refresh your knowledge and meet annual safety requirements. You can repeat the course every year. Just make sure to finish the course before your annual expiration date. Otherwise, you must repeat the initial certification process.

Start Today

Train at home, at your pace, for hazardous waste operations and emergency response safety. Don’t delay. Start your OSHA HAZWOPER training now!

If you need to satisfy HM-181 training requirements to transport hazardous materials, check out our DOT HAZMAT classes. Explore 8-Hour RCRA training or the 1-Hour RCRA General Awareness course to stay up to date on the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which regulates hazardous waste management.

For more information, try one of our informative articles. If you want to prepare your team to comply with OSHA standards, visit our Workplace Compliance Solutions page.