<< Back
to Previous
Training Frequently Asked Questions
HAZWOPER
- How can I find an 8-, 24- or 40-hour HAZWOPER course?
OSHA does not approve, certify, or endorse individual trainers or training
programs, nor do we keep a list of training providers. In order to find
a course, we suggest that you do the following:
- Contact the OSHA
Regional Office, or Area Office near you for matters related to
training required in OSHA standards, or where training may be found.
At the regional office ask for enforcement programs. At the area office
ask for the HAZWOPER coordinator.
- Contact a Compliance
Assistance Specialist - they provide general information about
OSHA standards and compliance assistance resources and are available
for seminars, workshops, and speaking events.
- Contact OSHA
Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers to see if they may
offer it - see their course offerings, schedules, and locations on
their individual websites.
- See www.OutreachTrainers.org
to find training offered
- Contact an OSHA
State Consultation office in your area to see if they may know
where it is offered
- Check with colleges, universities, and community colleges in your
area. Many of them offer the HAZWOPER training as part of their adult
extensions services program. You may also wish to contact local chapters
of professional organizations such as the National Safety Council,
the American Industrial Hygiene Association, or the American Society
of Safety Engineers.
- Check the US
Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Response Training Program's
HAZWOPER Training Resources website
- Can you recommend an on-line HAZWOPER (8-, 24-, or 40-hour)
course?
OSHA does not recommend, approve, certify, or endorse individual trainers
or training programs. It is OSHA's policy that use of computer-based
training by itself would not be sufficient to meet the intent of the
standard's various training requirements. There are two primary considerations
for you to explore before deciding whether to take an on-line HAZWOPER
course.
- For HAZWOPER training, it is essential that the trainees have hands-on
experience and exercises to provide an opportunity to become familiar
with equipment and safe practices in a non-hazardous setting. The
purpose of hands-on training (e.g., donning and doffing of protective
equipment, using air monitoring equipment) is two-fold: first, to
ensure that workers have an opportunity to learn by practical experience
and second, to assess whether workers have mastered the necessary
skills. You need to know how this hands-on training will be provided.
- Also, in an effective training program, it is critical that trainees
have the opportunity to ask questions where material is unfamiliar
to them. In a computer-based training program, this requirement may
be accomplished through the provision of access to a telephone hotline
or an e-mail contact at the time the training is being conducted so
that trainees will have direct access to a qualified trainer at the
time their questions are raised.
- I have lost my HAZWOPER training certificate? How do I get
a replacement?
OSHA does not have records of persons who have completed HAZWOPER training.
There are two ways that you may be able to obtain a replacement certificate.
- You may be able to obtain a replacement certificate from the training
instructor or training organization that provided your original training.
- You may be able to obtain a copy from any employer to whom you
gave a copy.
- My former employer refused to give me a copy of my HAZWOPER
training certificate? Can he do that?
No. The HAZWOPER standard requires that a written certificate be given
to each person certified for either 8-, 24- or 40-hour HAZWOPER training.
For 24- or 40-hour training, even if a worker was laid off before he
was able to complete the required 1 day or 3 days of supervised work
experience, the employee is entitled to the certificate for classroom
training if the course work was successfully completed.
- It has been more than 12 months since I took my initial HAZWOPER
(8-, 24-, or 40-hour) training or 8-hour HAZWOPER refresher training?
What do I do now?
Employees should stay up-to-date in the refresher training, although
OSHA does understand that courses may be missed because of unavoidable
circumstances. If you have missed a refresher training course, you should
attend the next available course. If a substantial amount of time has
passed since your initial or refresher training, then repeating the
initial training may be necessary. The time frame within which it would
be necessary to provide extensive retraining must be determined on a
case-by-case basis. Ultimately, employees must be trained sufficiently
to allow them to perform their expected job duties in a safe and healthful
manner.
- How can I meet the qualifications for being a trainer for
HAZWOPER courses?
OSHA does not approve, certify, or endorse individual trainers or training
programs. The standard identifies qualified trainers as those who have
satisfactorily completed an instructional program (train-the-trainer)
or who otherwise have the academic credentials and instructional experience
necessary to teach a HAZWOPER training program. In other words, a trainer
must be able to demonstrate proficiency and understanding of the material
to be transmitted to trainees and have some credentials or experience
in training adults. Trainers must also continue to attend training in
order to maintain their knowledge and skills. It is ultimately the responsibility
of the employer whose workers are to be trained, to determine if the
trainer meets the requirements and qualifications under HAZWOPER.
For additional information, see the Frequently
Asked Questions on HAZWOPER or Hazardous
Waste Safety and Health Topics Page.
|