Hazwoper safety training is required for all those workers who are employed in environments that expose them to hazardous substances. Also, it is important when an employer expects the employees to recognize and manage environmental hazards. Many different levels of Hazwoper training are available. These levels depend upon the magnitude of hazards faced by the employees. The training courses range from 24 to 40 hours. The right kind of training is required based upon the responsibilities your job requires you to perform.
As per OSHA, the
Hazwoper training was put into place for those employees who are exposed to or potentially exposed to hazardous waste materials, substances or situations. With this training, employees will be able to identify the various hazards present at the work place and know how to respond to environmental incidents that can be potentially hazardous.
As mentioned earlier, there are different levels of Hazwoper training. There are 40 hour courses and 24 hour courses. The 40 hour courses are supposed to be taken up by those employees who work at sites where hazardous substances are present on a routine basis. These courses consist of 40 hours of classroom and practical training as well as 3 days of on field training. Similarly, the 24 hour courses are supposed to be taken up by those employees who do not work at hazardous work sites but visit sites that contain hazardous substances and materials. These courses consist of 24 hours of classroom and practical training and 1 day of field training. It is mandatory for every employee to undergo these courses before commencing work on the site. Employers who allow untrained personnel on their site may have to face penalties. Besides these initial courses, the employers are also supposed to provide 8 hour refresher training programs to employees.
The primary difference between the 24 hour courses and the 40 hour courses is that for the 24 hour course a worker should not be involved in activities that are considered as toxic enough to warrant the use of respiratory protection. The 8 hour refresher training course is required for keeping the employee's Hazwoper certificate valid. If, at all, an employee fails to take up the 8 hour annual training program, they will have to retake the whole 24 hour or 40 hour program.
There are many different colleges and certified facilities that offer
Hazwoper training courses and certifications. Also, there are many universities that offer this training through their public health and safety departments. The 24 hour and 40 hour Hazwoper trainings preferably need to be taken in traditional classroom settings. This is because these courses require a host of hands on activities. However, the 8 hour annual training courses can be taken and completed online. There are many providers approved by OSHA who dish out online distribution of these courses. Taking up these training courses online saves you a lot of time. You can complete them at your own pace instead of sitting through an entire day of training and instruction.
