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In yesterday’s Advisor, we offered three steps you can take to ensure effective employee training. Today, we focus on training requirements under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) as outlined in our sister publication, Environmental Daily Advisor.
Many federal environmental, safety, and transportation rules contain requirements to train employees to protect themselves, the public, or the environment from work-related hazards. In today’s Advisor, we look at some steps suggested by our sister publication, Environmental Daily Advisor, to ensure effective training.
Decontamination is a vital process for employees who handle hazardous wastes because it removes or neutralizes contaminants that have accumulated on personnel and equipment. The steps in the decontamination process vary depending on the hazards involved, the equipment available, and the terrain and circumstances. However, this list is typical of what would be set up […]
Decontamination is a vital process for employees who handle hazardous wastes because it removes or neutralizes contaminants that have accumulated on personnel and equipment. Decontamination serves the following purposes: It protects workers from hazardous substances that may contaminate and eventually permeate the protective clothing, respiratory equipment, tools, vehicles, and other equipment used on-site. It protects […]
Hazardous wastes need special handling. Failure to do so can result in tragedy. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a hazardous waste treatment facility and levied heavy fines in the wake of a tragic fire and explosion. The incident killed one worker and severely burned another. The agency did not hold back […]
If you’re looking for a new method of training your employees on chemical safety, you may want to tap into their fondness for YouTube videos and reality TV. A 3-DVD set of 31 safety videos produced by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is available free of charge at CSB’s website. CSB is charged with […]
Hazardous materials specialists are workers who respond and provide support to hazardous materials technicians. Their duties parallel those of the hazardous materials technicians, but they require more-specific knowledge of the various substances that must be contained. Hazardous Materials Specialists The hazardous materials specialist also acts as the site liaison with federal, state, and local authorities […]
Here’s a quick review of HAZWOPER emergency responder training requirements. Skilled Support Personnel According to the HAZWOPER mandatory compliance guidelines (Appendix C), employees who are not part of the Emergency Response Program and who may be called to the incident scene to provide emergency support assistance (e.g., public works department staff, operators of bulldozers, sand […]
Employers are continually seeking the simplest means to meet their employee training requirements under OSHA’s hazardous waste operations and emergency response (HAZWOPER) regulations (29 CFR 1910.120). One method that may ease the burden is computer-based training, whether on CD, DVD, or online, which is increasingly available from commercial software vendors. However, OSHA makes it clear […]
First, let’s discuss why this training matters: By definition, sites covered by HAZWOPER contain substances that could endanger the health of employees and, potentially, the general public. OSHA cares a lot about HAZWOPER training—its standard covers training requirements extensively with an appendix on training guidelines. In fiscal year (FY) 2004, there were more than 200 […]