Training Program Requirements

OSHA requires that employers develop and implement a training program for all employees, contractors, and subcontractors who are exposed to safety and health hazards during hazardous waste operations. The training program must cover the necessary precautions workers should take to avoid health and safety hazards. The training program should also inform workers of the degree of hazardous exposure that they are likely to encounter on the job, make them aware of the potential hazards they may face, and equip them with knowledge and skills to perform their jobs with minimal risk to their health and safety.

Supervisors and workers are required to be trained on the following topics:

• Recognizing hazards and preventing them
• Selecting, caring for, and using respirators and personal protective equipment (PPE) according to manufacturers' guidelines and safety standards
• Understanding engineering controls and their uses
• Using proper decontamination procedures
• Understanding emergency response plans, medical surveillance requirements, confined space entry procedures, spill containment programs and any other appropriate work practices
• The names of personnel and their alternates who are responsible for site safety and health

All employees must be certified to confirm that they have been trained by a designated professional to perform their jobs safely and effectively. The level of training required by each employee depends on the nature of the job and his or her job level. For example, as the type of training program may be different for workers who are routinely on site, for workers who receive minimal exposure to hazardous waste, for emergency response personnel, and for first responders and HAZMAT specialists.

In addition to providing employees with ongoing training and certifications, employers are also required to develop and implement procedures that introduce new technologies to improve worker protection in hazardous waste operations. Examples of new technologies include foams, absorbents, adsorbents, and neutralizers that can minimize the health and safety risks of working with hazardous materials.

To learn more about Hazardous Waste visit our Hazardous Waste Safety Online Training web page.