Overview
The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HazWoper) covers emergency response operations where personnel respond to releases of, or substantial threats of releases of, hazardous substances without regard to the location of the hazard. Covered employees generally include first responders, such as HazMat team members, fire and rescue, police and medical personnel who may respond to emergency releases.
Emergency responders must be trained prior to their participation in emergency response operations and their training must be based on the duties and functions they will be expected to perform. For example, if the employee is expected to approach the point of release for the purpose of stopping the release, the employee would minimally need to be trained to the HazMat technician level. The skill and knowledge levels required for all new responders, those hired after the effective date of this standard, must be conveyed to them through training before they are permitted to take part in actual emergency operations on an incident. Employees who participate, or are expected to participate in emergency response, must be given training.
Levels Of Training
First responder awareness level – 
First responders at the awareness level are individuals who are likely to witness or discover a hazardous substance release and who have been trained to initiate an emergency response sequence by notifying the proper authorities of the release. They would take no further action beyond notifying the authorities of the release. First responders at the awareness level must have sufficient training or have had sufficient experience to objectively demonstrate competency in the following areas:
- An understanding of what hazardous substances are, and the risks associated with them in an incident.
- An understanding of the potential outcomes associated with an emergency created when hazardous substances are present.
- The ability to recognize the presence of hazardous substances in an emergency.
- The ability to identify the hazardous substances, if possible.
- An understanding of the role of the first responder awareness individual in the employer’s emergency response plan including site security and control and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Emergency Response Guidebook.
- The ability to realize the need for additional resources, and to make appropriate notifications to the communication center.
First responder operations level
First responders at the operations level are individuals who respond to releases or potential releases of hazardous substances as part of the initial response to the site for the purpose of protecting nearby persons, property, or the environment from the effects of the release. They are trained to respond in a defensive fashion without actually trying to stop the release. Their function is to contain the release from a safe distance, keep it from spreading, and prevent exposures. First responders at the operational level must have received at least eight hours of training or have had sufficient experience to objectively demonstrate competency in the following areas in addition to those listed for the awareness level and:
- Knowledge of the basic hazard and risk assessment techniques.
- Know how to select and use proper personal protective equipment provided to the first responder operational level.
- An understanding of basic hazardous materials terms.
- Know how to perform basic control, containment and/or confinement operations within the capabilities of the resources and personal protective equipment available with their unit.
- Know how to implement basic decontamination procedures.
- An understanding of the relevant standard operating procedures and termination procedures.
Hazardous materials technician
Hazardous materials technicians are individuals who respond to releases or potential releases for the purpose of stopping the release. They assume a more aggressive role than a first responder at the operations level in that they will approach the point of release in order to plug, patch or otherwise stop the release of a hazardous substance. Hazardous materials technicians must have received at least 24 hours of training equal to the first responder operations level and:
- Know how to implement the employer’s emergency response plan.
- Know the classification, identification and verification of known and unknown materials by using field survey instruments and equipment.
- Be able to function within an assigned role in the Incident Command System.
- Know how to select and use proper specialized chemical personal protective equipment provided to the hazardous materials technician.
- Understand hazard and risk assessment techniques.
- Be able to perform advance control, containment, and/or confinement operations within the capabilities of the resources and personal protective equipment available with the unit.
- Understand and implement decontamination procedures.
- Understand termination procedures.
- Understand basic chemical and toxicological terminology and behavior.
Hazardous matrials specialist
Hazardous materials specialists are individuals who respond with and provide support to hazardous materials technicians. Their duties parallel those of the hazardous materials technician, however, those duties require a more directed or specific knowledge of the various substances they may be called upon to contain. The hazardous materials specialist would also act as the site liaison with Federal, state, local and other government authorities in regards to site activities. Hazardous materials specialists must have received at least 24 hours of training equal to the technician level and:
- Know how to implement the local emergency response plan.
- Understand classification, identification and verification of known and unknown materials by using advanced survey instruments and equipment.
- Know the state emergency response plan.
- Be able to select and use proper specialized chemical personal protective equipment provided to the hazardous materials specialist.
- Understand in-depth hazard and risk techniques.
- Be able to perform specialized control, containment, and/or confinement operations within the capabilities of the resources and personal protective equipment available.
- Be able to determine and implement decontamination procedures.
- Have the ability to develop a site safety and control plan.
- Understand chemical, radiological and toxicological terminology and behavior.
Incident commander:
Incident commanders, who will assume control of the incident scene beyond the first responder awareness level, must receive at least 24 hours of training equal to the first responder operations level and:
- Know and be able to implement the employer’s incident command system.
- Know how to implement the employer’s emergency response plan.
- Know and understand the hazards and risks associated with employees working in chemical protective clothing.
- Know how to implement the local emergency response plan.
- Know of the state emergency response plan and of the Federal Regional Response Team.
- Know and understand the importance of decontamination procedures.
Refresher Training
Employees who have completed initial training in accordance with HazWoper must receive annual refresher training of sufficient content and duration to maintain their competencies, or must demonstrate competency in those areas at least annually.