A New Career in Hazardous Waste Cleanup

In today’s economic crisis, thousands of people around the world are looking for work. Some may need new training and skills to open doors, while others may be able to build on existing skills. Why not try a career in Hazardous Waste Cleanup?

Background

Hazardous materials and the resulting hazardous waste have plagued our society for generations. In the United States, laws and other regulations have been passed to protect workers and the general public from various chemicals, yet technicians to clean up and remediate hazardous waste sites are still needed. You too can tap into a multi-billion industry with a minimal of training.

What are you expected to do as a hazardous waste worker? Clean up someone else’s mess of course. In this profession, you will be wearing protective clothing and respiratory protection to protect yourself from dangerous byproducts. Site workers are in high demand after natural disasters, oil spills, or just for normal business ventures. Want to help the environment while supporting your family? This is the job for you.

Training Requirements

In the United States, hazardous waste cleanup and emergency response is regulated by the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Volume 29, Section 1910.120 also known as HAZWOPER for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=standards&p_id=9765. The basic training requirement for a hazardous waste site worker requires a 40 hour training course. This course is offered nationwide, and is even available on the internet, with a quick search of “HAZWOPER” 40 hour training. Once you receive the certificate, on the job training from an employer can help you round off your training. Remember that you will be required to complete eight hours of refresher training each year to maintain this training certification. In California, the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) and other organizations may have Homeland Security Grant funding available for some training. Check with your local Homeland Security office for more information.

Other related training which will help build your resume that is relatively easy to obtain is First Aid/CPR training. This certification will help in your job search and is available locally from American Red Cross, National Safety Council, and other certifying agencies including FMC at http://www.firemanagementconsultant.com/. Want free training to supplement your resume? The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers online training in emergency response that will greatly benefit you. Along with Hazardous Materials training, the Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) are also beneficial, particularly if you are going to be involved in government contracts, go to http://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp .