Hazardous material training must meet OSHA standards set forth to protect employees who work with hazardous materials or are part of a HazMat response team. Many training programs are specifically designed to help employers fulfill the OSHA requirements for training employees in hazardous materials operations and response. Employers are responsible for ensuring that all employees who work on a site and may be exposed to hazardous materials receive training for minimizing risks and using protective equipment. Additionally, employees who are responsible for the removal or clean-up of hazardous materials must receive more in-depth training as HazMat technicians.
Hazardous materials technicians are trained to serve on a HazMat emergency response team that deals with spills and releases of potentially dangerous materials. Some hazardous materials training courses may have a specific training focus, such as recognizing and dealing with the threats of chemical, biological and radiological weapons.
Training for HazMat response technicians includes the methods of properly identifying hazardous materials spills, evaluating the danger and controlling the spread. Hazardous materials technicians must also learn how to keep the response team safe from danger during a spill and clean-up, how to regulate and monitor hazardous materials and how to prevent spills from occurring.
Initial hazardous materials training typically includes 24 to 40 contact hours per course, which trainees complete over several days. OSHA stipulates that employees who work directly or indirectly with hazardous materials must receive between 24 and 40 hours of training, in addition to one to three days of field experience, depending on their level of contact with the hazardous materials. Refresher training, which is eight hours long, is required for employees who have already completed the initial training.
Employers can find HAZWOPER response team training courses from a number of private companies that have their own training facilities. Hazardous materials training courses are usually held at controlled facilities for training technicians to deal with toxic materials. HazMat technicians in training may expect to perform part of their training while wearing special clothing that protects against chemical substances. Some hazardous material training, particularly refresher courses, may be conducted online through distance learning.