The 40-Hour HAZWOPER Course: What to Expect?
The 40-Hour HAZWOPER Course: What to Expect?
HAZWOPER: The Basics
HAZWOPER is an unwieldy acronym that stands for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. It’s really just a series of safety guidelines created by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Labor. Backed by the power of the federal government, HAZWOPER regulations are enormously important to anyone whose job responsibilities bring them, or their employees, into contact with dangerous liquids, gases, or other harmful materials.
Who Is It For?
Under HAZWOPER 40 regulations, workers involved in cleaning up and/or removing hazardous substances from sites must undergo an adequate level of training and be able to prove that they have attained a proper degree of mastery relating to this subject. Personnel who must adhere to OSHA HAZWOPER 40 standards include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Those performing or overseeing cleanup duties at hazardous-waste sites.
• Those performing or overseeing hazardous-waste removal operations at a storage, treatment, or disposal site.
• Those performing or overseeing emergency-response waste removal at any location where these services are required.
Supervisors and laborers alike must follow HAZWOPER rules and fulfill educational/training requirements. A supervisor must undergo the same amount of training as the personnel they oversee. The specific amount of training required of personnel depends on the particular tasks for which they are responsible, but a general laborer at a site is expected to have completed 40 hours of HAZWOPER instruction or OSHA HAZWOPER 40 as well as three (3) days of hands-on training. They must also take a refresher course each year.
The 40-hour HAZWOPER course is required training for employees working with or around hazardous materials. So what can you expect from this course?
40-Hour HAZWOPER Training Overview
What the Course Entails
The 40-hour HAZWOPER course covers various topics and safety procedures applicable to workers responsible for the handling and cleanup of dangerous materials including hazardous waste. Some of the topics covered include:
- Toxicology
- Preparation of site safety plans
- Identification of hazardous materials
- Use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Terminology pertaining to hazardous materials
The course consists of no fewer than 81 interactive modules, each accompanied by a brief quiz, and concludes with a final exam. The quizzes are for practice only and a failed quiz does not count against you.
Students will train on the HAZWOPER Hands-on Simulator®, the only training simulator to be accepted by OSHA. The simulator uses high-definition three-dimensional graphics to simulate the experience of working with hazardous materials.
It is important to emphasize that many HAZWOPER programs fail to consider this requirement. As a result, a lot of people do not realize that the training class they attended is not truly compliant with OSHA, which leaves their employer vulnerable to heavy fines. Don't allow yourself to get cheated like this—use our Hands-on Simulator to ensure proper compliance.
So, what's in the Hands-on Simulator? It uses high-definition three-dimensional graphics to walk the user through the process of donning and doffing PPE for protection levels A, B, and C. The simulator uses full-screen images and professionally rendered voiceovers to provide the user with a vivid educational experience.
All course material adheres to OSHA HAZWOPER requirements.
How the Course Is Formatted
The 40-hour HAZWOPER course is formatted to work around your busy schedule. The course is taken online and is compatible with a desktop, laptop, tablet or even a smartphone. You can even switch between devices as you go, and your progress is saved right where you left off, allowing you to stop and start as needed.
Depending on job requirements and responsibilities, site-specific hands-on training may also be required.
What’s Needed in Order to Pass the Course
Once 40 hours of course time have been logged and all modules have been completed, the student will then take a final exam for which a score of 70% is needed in order to pass.
Students have access to the course for up to one year upon registering and U.S.-based support is provided should a student need any help along the way.
Who Can Sign Up for the Course
There is no prior training or experience needed in order to sign up for the 40-hour HAZWOPER course and the course may be taken on a group or individual basis. If taken as a group, the final exam must be completed individually.
What Happens After the Course
Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive an e-certificate along with a wallet card.
Sign Up for 40-Hour HAZWOPER Training Today
Register for the 40-hour HAZWOPER course today. Participants can register as either a group or on an individual basis. If you have questions or would like more details on the course, we offer a free demonstration. You can also contact us directly for more information.
