HAZWOPER Covers The Handling Of Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste is classified as anything that could cause significant damage to people or the environment. That can run from the small batteries that are thrown out from many residences to more significant items, like byproducts from refining oil, chemicals, or even nuclear waste. Handling all hazardous waste needs to be done very carefully. There are a number of regulations that are designed to make sure that everything is handled correctly and that everyone is safe.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
The RCRA is the federal law that governs how hazardous waste is classified and handled. It also provides technical and financial assistance to companies in order to come up with a plan that will let them safely handle disposal of hazardous waste and set up an emergency plan to handle any spills.
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response
HAZWOPER are the regulations that OSHA developed in response to the RCRA. The regulations cover companies and employees who do things like routinely handle the waste, transport it, and are part of the emergency team that would clean up any spills. Part of the HAZWOPER regulations include that the people who will be dealing with the waste on a regular basis will receive education in handling it, get certified in handling it, and continue receiving refresher training in order to stay current on any changes.
HAZWOPER Training
HAZWOPER training is offered by various companies. No particular company or instructor will ever be endorsed by OSHA, however, the local OSHA office may be able to give a list of companies and trainers in the area who can teach the required courses.
The courses tend to come in different lengths, depending on what kind of training is necessary. For example, someone who might be taking the class for the first time and learning the HAZWOPER regulations is going to need to take a longer class. That's because the class will have to include portions that are hands-on. People can only do so much learning from books. If they don't do the work themselves, it will be harder for them to actually do it when they have to do it in real life. At the end of the courses, the students will be offered certification if they have passed.
Handling hazardous waste isn't easy. There are very strict regulations that must be followed so that no one and nothing is damaged or hurt. Contact a company, such as the National Environmental Trainers, for more information.
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