HAZWOPER CERTIFICATION FAQs
HAZWOPER 40 Hour is required for employees working on a project consisting of Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Operation mandated by the Government.
What is the cost of the course and what methods of payment are accepted?
The cost of each course is located in the course catalog. You may pay using all major credit cards (Visa ®, MasterCard ®, Discover ® or American Express ®) or electronic check payment (Telecheck ®).
Will my computer work with this course?
Most all PC computers will work with this course so long as you have Internet access. You can login from multiple computers, as long as you are connected to the Internet and remember your username and password
Is it secure to send my credit card information over the internet?
Yes. Classroom Online/360Training uses a secure server to process all transactions, since credit card transactions are very sensitive in nature.
Who is covered by OSHA's HAZWOPER standard?
The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER) applies to five distinct groups of employers and their employees. This includes any employees who are exposed or potentially exposed to hazardous substances -- including hazardous waste -- and who are engaged in one of the following operations as specified by 1910.120(a)(1)(i-v) and 1926.65(a)(1)(i-v):
Is computer-based training acceptable for refresher training?
Computer-based training may meet some refresher training requirements, provided that it covers topics relevant to workers' assigned duties. It must be supplemented by the opportunity to ask questions of a qualified trainer and by an assessment of hands-on performance of work tasks.
For emergency response in an unknown or potentially IDLH atmosphere, what is the minimum number of people required?
At a minimum, four (4) people are required: two working as a team inside the unknown or potentially IDLH atmosphere, and two working outside this atmosphere for assistance or rescue.
Can refresher training be given in segments?
Refresher training may be given in segments so long as the required 8 hours have been completed by the employee's anniversary date.
What if refresher training isn't received in 12 months?
If the date for refresher training has lapsed, the need to repeat initial training must be determined based on the employee's familiarity with safety and health procedures used on site. The employee should take the next available refresher training course. "There should be a record in the employee's file indicating why the training has been delayed and when the training will be completed."
What are the training or certification requirements for HAZWOPER trainers?
The "Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response" standard (HAZWOPER), 29 CFR 1910.120, states in paragraph (e)(5) that "Trainers shall be qualified to instruct employees about the subject matter that is being presented in training". In addition, 29 CFR 1910.120(e)(5) explains that the qualifications of the instructors may be shown by academic degrees, completed training courses and/or work experience.
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At this time, OSHA does not have any specific requirements to certify an instructor. The subjects that trainers should be able to convey to employees at hazardous waste operations who need training are summarized in paragraphs (e), (p) and (q) of the HAZWOPER standard.
What are the HAZWOPER training requirements for hospital staff?
OSHA's Hazardous Waste and Emergency Response standard (HAZWOPER) requires that workers be trained to perform their anticipated job duties without endangering themselves or others. To determine the level and type of training your workers need, you must consider the hazards in your community and what capabilities your personnel need to respond to those hazards. You should make your determination based on worst-case scenarios. If your personnel are expected to provide limited decontamination services in order to attend to medical problems, they must be trained to the first responder operations level with emphasis on the use of PPE and decontamination procedures. This level of emergency response training is described in 29 CFR 1910.120(q)(6)(ii); additional guidance about the content of this training is available in HAZWOPER's Appendix E. Hospitals may develop in-house training or they may send personnel to a standard first responder operations level course, then provide additional training in decontamination and PPE as needed. HAZWOPER requires the employer to certify that workers have the training and competencies listed in (q)(6)(ii). The standard also requires annual refresher training or demonstration of competency, as described in (q)(8).
What is the difference between an incidental and an emergency spill?
An incidental release is a release of a hazardous substance which does not pose a significant safety or health hazard to employees in the immediate vicinity or to the employee cleaning it up, nor does it have the potential to become an emergency within a short time frame. Incidental releases are limited in quantity, exposure potential, or toxicity and present minor safety or health hazards to employees in the immediate work area or those assigned to clean them up. An incidental spill may be safely cleaned up by employees who are familiar with the hazards of the chemicals with which they are working.
The properties of hazardous substances, such as toxicity, volatility, flammability, explosiveness, corrosiveness, etc., as well as the particular circumstances of the release itself, such as quantity, confined space considerations, ventilation, etc., will have an impact on what employees can handle safely and what procedures should be followed. Additionally, there are other factors that may mitigate the hazards associated with a release and its remediation, such as the knowledge of the employee in the immediate work area, the response and personal protective equipment (PPE) at hand, and the pre-established standard operating procedures for responding to releases of hazardous substances. There are some engineering control measures that will mitigate the release that employees can activate to assist them in controlling and stopping the release.
These considerations (properties of the hazardous substance, the circumstances of the release, and the mitigating factors in the work area) combine to define the distinction between incidental releases and releases that require an emergency response. The distinction is facility-specific and is a function of the emergency response plan.
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What are the HAZWOPER training requirements for on-site workers who are not directly involved in cleanup activities?
Workers, such as utility workers, who must perform duties at a hazardous waste site that has not yet been characterized but where contamination is expected, do fall under the scope of 29 CFR 1910.120. These workers must work under the direction of an on-site supervisor and a site-specific safety and health plan, and must be fully trained and protected pursuant to the HAZWOPER standard. When additional information becomes available through site characterization which verifies that there is minimal or no risk of employee exposure to hazardous substances, a lesser degree of PPE and worker training may be acceptable.
When site characterization shows that the area to be serviced by workers is free of potential exposure, or the proposed work assignments would not expose any of the work crew to hazardous substances, the activity can be carried out as a normal maintenance or construction operation.
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... The utility contractor is bound to provide at least the minimum number of training hours specified. On a hazardous waste site that has many site specific peculiarities the employer may need to train employees beyond the 40 or 24 hour minimum set by the standard. Employees must be provided training that prepares them for their job functions and responsibilities, as stated in the general requirements in 29 CFR 1910.120(e).
What is the applicability of HAZWOPER to small quantity generators?
Employers who are not required to have a permit or interim status because they are conditionally exempt small quantity generators under 40 CFR 261.5 or are generators who qualify under 40 CFR 262.34 for exemptions from regulation under 40 CFR 262.34 for exemptions from regulation under 40 CFR parts 264, 265, and 270 ("excepted employers") are not covered by paragraphs (p)(1) through (p)(7) of this section [1910.120 or 1926.65]. Excepted employers who are required by the EPA or state agency to have their employees engage in emergency response or who direct their employees to engage in emergency response are covered by paragraph (p)(8) of this section [1910.120 or 1926.65], and cannot be exempted by (p)(8)(i) of this section [1910.120 or 1926.65].
What is the application of HAZWOPER to TSD facilities that store hazardous materials for 90 days or less?
Conditionally-exempt small quantity generators and generators who store hazardous wastes for less than 90 days are exempt from compliance with sections (p)(1) through (p)(7), and are thus covered only by section (p)(8), the emergency response program.
Employers who have hazardous waste storage areas in their facilities have the option of meeting the emergency response requirements of HAZWOPER by complying with either paragraph (p)(8) or paragraph (q) for those areas. The employer must meet the requirements of paragraph (q) for other areas of their facility which have potential for emergency releases of hazardous substances or hazardous raw materials.
... [Regarding the] exemption from employee training requirements under paragraph (p)(8) if the employer intends to evacuate employees in the event of an emergency. Paragraph (p)(8)(i), like paragraph (q)(1), provides an exemption from the emergency response requirements if the employer intends to evacuate all employees and provides an emergency action plan (i.e., an evacuation plan) in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.38(a).
However, the HAZWOPER standard states in paragraph (a)(2)(iii)(B) that "employers who are required by the EPA or state agency to have their employees engage in emergency response... are covered by paragraph (p)(8) of this section, and cannot be exempted by (p)(8)(i) of this section."
How and when was the EPA created?
According to the publication "The Guardian: Origins of the EPA," President Nixon declared his intention to establish the Environmental Protection Agency with Reorganization Plan Number 3, dated July 9, 1970. The EPA's mission would include:
"The establishment and enforcement of environmental protection standards consistent with national environmental goals... The conduct of research on the adverse effects of pollution and on methods and equipment for controlling it; the gathering of information on pollution; and the use of this information in strengthening environmental protection programs and recommending policy changes... assisting others, through grants, technical assistance and other means, in arresting pollution of the environment... assisting the Council on Environmental Quality in developing and recommending to the President new policies for the protection of the environment."
After being cleared through hearings in the Senate and House of Representatives, the EPA came into being on December 2, 1970.
You can obtain a copy of this publication free-of-charge by calling the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP, formerly NCEPI) at 1-800-490-9198. There is also another title called "Guardian: EPA's Formative years, 1970-73" that you can get at NSCEP. To place your order, call NSCEP at the above 1-800 number and give them the title with the report number:
Guardian: Origins of the EPA (report# EPA 202 K92 004)
Guardian: EPA's Formative years, 1970-73 (report# EPA 202 K93 002)
How can I order EPA publications?
Many EPA publications are available free-of-charge from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP, formerly NCEPI), which is located in Cincinnati, OH. To order publications, call NSCEP toll-free at 1-800-490-9198. To search a catalog of EPA publications, and for further information about EPA publications, visit NSCEP's web site.
How can I locate the phone numbers and mailing addresses of EPA staff people?
EPA's automated National People Locator contains the telephone numbers of most EPA employees and associated contractors. You can search the locator by the name of the employee. The main mailing address for EPA is:
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M St, SW
Washington, DC 20460
To send a letter to a certain person, you would need to add their name, and the appropriate mail code (listed in the National People Locator) for the employee's office to the above address.
There is also a list of mailing addresses for EPA's regional offices.
How do I report a violation of environmental regulations?
State and local governments have responsibility for enforcing most environmental laws in the area where you live. You can locate these government offices through your telephone directory. In most communities, the responsible agency is the city or county health department. At the state level, an environmental agency carries out the pollution control laws, whereas an agriculture agency often handles regulation of pesticides. If these sources can't help you, contact your regional EPA office.
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How can I report an environmental emergency?
Environmental emergencies such as oil and chemical spills should be reported immediately to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802. For more information on environmental emergencies, visit EHSO's Concerned Citizens' Environmental Violations page.
How do EPA's rules and policies affect small business?
EPA has many assistance programs for small business and provides information with the small business entrepreneur in mind. The Small Business Gateway offers complete information about regulations and policies that relate to small business.
When did the Agency begin?
EPA was established as an independent agency on December 2, 1970. Its first Agency Administrator, William D. Ruckelshaus, was sworn in on December 4, 1970
What are temporary agency employers required to do to meet HAZCOM requirements?
In meeting the requirements of OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, the temporary agency employer would, for example, be expected to provide generic hazard training and information concerning categories of chemicals employees may potentially encounter. Host employers would then be responsible for providing site-specific hazard training pursuant to sections 1910.1200(h)(1) and 1926.59.
Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:
Information on temporary workers, particularly those in the electronic assembly industry. [04/30/96]
Employers' responsibilities towards temporary employees. [02/03/94]
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Can MSDSs be stored on a computer to meet the accessability requirements of HAZCOM?
If the employee's work area includes the area where the MSDSs can be obtained, then maintaining MSDSs on a computer would be in compliance. If the MSDSs can be accessed only out of the employee's work area(s), then the employer would be out of compliance with paragraphs (g)(8) or (g)(9) [of the Hazard Communication Standard].
Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:
Maintaining MSDSs on a computer data base. [1/13/86]
The acceptability of your "FAX-on-demand" system for providing copies of material safety data sheets (MSDS). [08/31/94]
Interpretation on whether "an equivalent electronic information system" could be used in lieu of MSDSs to satisfy the HCS. [07/06/90]
Using the telephone to back-up electronic access to MSDSs. [10/13/98]
What are the container labeling requirements under HAZCOM?
Under HCS, the manufacturer, importer, or distributor is required to label each container of hazardous chemicals. If the hazardous chemicals are transferred into unmarked containers, these containers must be labeled with the required information, unless the container into which the chemical is transferred is intended for the immediate use of the employee who performed the transfer.
Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:
Container labeling requirements under the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard. [11/09/90]
Clarification of the label requirements of the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). [07/11/89]
Labelling requirements for chemicals transported to another plant of the same company under the HCS. [02/16/89]
How does HAZCOM apply to pharmaceutical drugs?
The HCS only applies to pharmaceuticals that the drug manufacturer has determined to be hazardous and that are known to be present in the workplace in such a manner that employees are exposed under normal conditions of use or in a foreseeable emergency. The pharmaceutical manufacturer and the importer have the primary duty for the evaluation of chemical hazards. The employer may rely upon the hazard determination performed by the pharmaceutical manufacturer or importer.
Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:
FDA regulated drugs that pose a hazard would be covered by the HCS. [09/13/93]
Hazard communication standard and pharmaceuticals. [01/03/94]
Hazard determination for carcinogenic compounds. [02/02/94]
When is the chemical manufacturer required to distribute MSDSs?
Hazard information must be transmitted on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) that must be distributed to the customer at the time of first shipment of the product. The Hazard Communication Standard also requires that MSDSs be updated by the chemical manufacturer or importer within three months of learning of "new or significant information" regarding the chemical's hazard potential.
Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:
MSDSs must be distributed to customer with shipment of chemical. [06/24/94]
Letter to Paul W. Davis from Thomas Shepich concerning requirements of the HCS regarding manufacturer provision of MSDSs with first shipments of hazardous chemicals. [01/19/89]
What is considered proper training under the HAZCOM standard?
Employees are to be trained at the time they are assigned to work with a hazardous chemical. The intent of this provision (1910.1200(h)) is to have information prior to exposure to prevent the occurrence of adverse health effects. This purpose cannot be met if training is delayed until a later date.
The training provisions of the HCS are not satisfied solely by giving employee the data sheets to read. An employer's training program is to be a forum for explaining to employees not only the hazards of the chemicals in their work area, but also how to use the information generated in the hazard communication program. This can be accomplished in many ways (audiovisuals, classroom instruction, interactive video), and should include an opportunity for employees to ask questions to ensure that they understand the information presented to them.
Training need not be conducted on each specific chemical found in the workplace, but may be conducted by categories of hazard (e.g., carcinogens, sensitizers, acutely toxic agents) that are or may be encountered by an employee during the course of his duties.
Furthermore, the training must be comprehensible. If the employees receive job instructions in a language other than English, then the training and information to be conveyed under the HCS will also need to be conducted in a foreign language.
Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:
The employer must provide the 1910.1200 verbal training in a language that is comprehensible. [04/10/88]
Training required for clean-up of hazardous waste and hazardous substances. [06/10/91]
See Also: OSHA Instruction CPL 2-2.38D, Inspection Procedures for the Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200, 1915.99, 1917.28, 1918.90, 1926.59, 1928.21; Appendix A, CLARIFICATIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS OF THE HAZARD COMMUNICATION STANDARD (HCS).
What are the requirements for refresher training or retraining a new hire?
Additional training is to be done whenever a new physical or health hazard is introduced into the work area, not a new chemical. For example, if a new solvent is brought into the workplace, and it has hazards similar to existing chemicals for which training has already been conducted, then no new training is required. As with initial training, and in keeping with the intent of the standard, the employer must make employees specifically aware which hazard category (i.e., corrosive, irritant, etc.) the solvent falls within. The substance-specific data sheet must still be available, and the product must be properly labeled. If the newly introduced solvent is a suspect carcinogen, and there has never been a carcinogenic hazard in the workplace before, then new training for carcinogenic hazards must be conducted for employees in those work areas where employees will be exposed.
It is not necessary that the employer retrain each new hire if that employee has received prior training by a past employer, an employee union, or any other entity. General information, such as the rudiments of the HCS could be expected to remain with an employee from one position to another. The employer, however, maintains the responsibility to ensure that their employees are adequately trained and are equipped with the knowledge and information necessary to conduct their jobs safely. It is likely that additional training will be needed since employees must know the specifics of their new employers' programs such as where the MSDSs are located, details of the employer's in-plant labeling system, and the hazards of new chemicals to which they will be exposed. For example, (h)(3)(iii) requires that employees be trained on the measures they can take to protect themselves from hazards, including specific procedures the employer has implemented such as work practices, emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment to be used. An employer, therefore, has a responsibility to evaluate an employee's level of knowledge with regard to the hazards in the workplace, their familiarity with the requirements of the standard, and the employer's hazard communication program.
Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:
Retraining employees who have been previously trained by another employer. [05/06/88]
Hospital technicians required to attend HCS training and a clarification of coverage of pharmaceuticals under the HCS. [09/01/89]
Employers are responsible for training new employees on the HCS. [05/11/88]
Do you need to keep MSDSs for commercial products such as "Windex" and "White-Out"?
OSHA does not require that MSDSs be provided to purchasers of household consumer products when the products are used in the workplace in the same manner that a consumer would use them, i.e.; where the duration and frequency of use (and therefore exposure) is not greater than what the typical consumer would experience. This exemption in OSHA's regulation is based, however, not upon the chemical manufacturer's intended use of his product, but upon how it actually is used in the workplace. Employees who are required to work with hazardous chemicals in a manner that results in a duration and frequency of exposure greater than what a normal consumer would experience have a right to know about the properties of those hazardous chemicals.
Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:
Provision of MSDSs for consumer products used in the workplace. [1/9/90]
Applicability of the HCS to office workers and copy machine operators. [3/31/89]
Application of the HCS MSDS requirements to distributors selling hazardous chemicals to consumers and employers. [5/16/90]
What are the requirements and limits to using generic MSDSs?
... [Regarding] the suitability of a generic material safety data sheet (MSDS). As you are probably aware, the requirements for MSDSs are found in paragraph (g) of 29 CFR 1910.1200. MSDSs must be developed for hazardous chemicals used in the workplace, and must list the hazardous chemicals that are found in a product in quantities of 1% or greater, or 0.1% or greater if the chemical is a carcinogen. The MSDS does not have to list the amount that the hazardous chemical occurs in the product.
Therefore, a single MSDS can be developed for the various combinations of ... [chemicals], as long as the hazards of the various... mixtures are the same. This "generic" MSDS must meet all of the minimum requirements found in 29 CFR 1910.1200(g), including the name, address and telephone number of the responsible party preparing or distributing the MSDS who can provide additional information.
Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:
MSDS requirements. [5/7/93]
MSDS requirements for scrap materials. [4/4/91]
Generic MSDSs to cover different products that contain the same chemicals in different proportions. [10/4/85]
What is the application of HAZCOM to an office environment?
Office workers who encounter hazardous chemicals only in isolated instances are not covered by the rule. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) considers most office products (such as pens, pencils, adhesive tape) to be exempt under the provisions of the rule, either as articles or as consumer products. For example, Mrs. Schissler specifically mentioned copy toner. OSHA has previously stated that intermittent or occasional use of a copying machine does not result in coverage under the rule. However, if an employee handles the chemicals to service the machine, or operates it for long periods of time, then the program would have to be applied.
Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:
Applicability of the HCS to office workers and copy machine operators. [3/31/89]
Application of the Hazard Communication Standard to art materials industry. [9/17/87]
See Also: OSHA Instruction CPL 2-2.38D, Inspection Procedures for the Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200, 1915.99, 1917.28, 1918.90, 1926.59, 1928.21 [3/20/98]
Is a material safety data sheet (MSDS) required for a non-hazardous chemical?
MSDSs that represent non-hazardous chemicals are not covered by the HCS. Paragraph 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8) of the standard requires that "the employer shall maintain in the workplace copies of the required MSDSs for each hazardous chemical, and shall ensure that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their workarea(s)." OSHA does not require nor encourage employers to maintain MSDSs for non-hazardous chemicals. Consequently, an employer is free to discard MSDSs for non-hazardous chemicals.
Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:
OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requirements for Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). [10/28/96]
The need for Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs). [1/18/95]
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Here at Online SchoolRoom we believe we have all the courses and packages to meet your HAZWOPER training needs. Whether you require our 40 hour course, our 24 hour course or just the 8 hour refresher - you'll find it here. We also have information you can browse concerning OSHA Regulations and Oil Spill Response. In addition we list HAZWOPER requirements and all the courses for hazmat training. If you are interested in the 1st responder courses, we have that too. All of our courses satisfy requirements for OSHA Hazwoper Certification. If you can't find what you want, check out our hazwoper sitemap. You can also read about us and some frequently asked questions about our hazwoper certification training. Free downloads available.
Hazwoper certification FAQs
Hazwoper certification FAQs
