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Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

Also called: Asbestos Abatement Worker, Decontamination / Decommissioning Operator (D & D Operator), Radiological Control and Safety Technician, Waste Handling Technician

What they do:
Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks.
On the job, you would:
  • Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
  • Record numbers of containers stored at disposal sites, specifying amounts or types of equipment or waste disposed.
  • Drive trucks or other heavy equipment to convey contaminated waste to designated sea or ground locations.

Knowledge

Math and Science
  • chemistry
Engineering and Technology
  • mechanical
Education and Training
  • teaching and course design
Arts and Humanities
  • English language

Skills

Basic Skills
  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say
Controlled Movement
  • quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat
  • use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems
Hand and Finger Use
  • keep your arm or hand steady

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Dependability
  • Cooperation
  • Attention to Detail
  • Self Control
  • Leadership
  • Initiative

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software
  • Database software
  • Operation respond emergency information system OREISTM software
Spreadsheet software
Word processing software

Education

Education: (rated 2 of 5)
high school diploma or
some college
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Average Outlook
New job opportunities are likely in the future.
Salary
$38,120
per year, on average
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Green
This work is part of the green economy.

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See more details at O*NET OnLine about hazardous materials removal workers.