OSHA 8-Hour HAZWOPER Annual Refresher

Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER) program was created to protect workers at hazardous sites and during hazardous conditions. HAZWOPER generally refers to the act of handling, packaging, storing and transportation of hazardous materials. OSHA designed these extensive regulations to ensure safety and health when followed correctly. Every one of our courses complies with OSHA regulations.

HAZWOPER applies to five groups of employers and their employees. This includes any employees who are exposed or potentially exposed to hazardous substances -- including hazardous waste -- and who are engaged in one of the following operations as specified by 1910.120(a)(1)(i-v) and 1926.65(a)(1)(i-v):

• clean-up operations -- required by a governmental body, whether federal, state, local, or other involving hazardous substances -- that are conducted at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites;
• corrective actions involving clean-up operations at sites covered by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) as amended (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.);
• voluntary clean-up operations at sites recognized by federal, state, local, or other governmental body as uncontrolled hazardous waste sites;
• operations involving hazardous wastes that are conducted at treatment, storage, and disposal facilities regulated by Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 264 and 265 pursuant to RCRA, or by agencies under agreement with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement RCRA regulations; and
• emergency response operations for releases of, or substantial threats of releases of, hazardous substances regardless of the location of the hazard.

According to OSHA's HAZWOPER standard, hazardous substances include hazardous waste and other substances that can cause adverse effects to your safety and health. More specifically, they include:

• Substances defined under section 101(14) of CERCLA
• Biologic and disease-causing agents
• Hazardous substances the U.S. Department of Transportation lists under 49 CFR 172.101
• Wastes or combinations of wastes defined in 40 CFR 261.3
• Substances defined as hazardous wastes in 49 CFR 171.8

Additional information about HAZWOPER training requirements are outlined in OSHA Standard 29 CFR Part 1910.120.

You should take a 40-Hour HAZWOPER course if you are at a high risk of prolonged exposure of hazardous waste. High risk jobs may include but are not limited to, equipment operators, general laborers, supervisors and other on-site management,  and general site workers.
The OSHA HAZWOPER 40-Hour online course is specifically designed for workers who are involved in clean-up operations, voluntary clean-up operations, emergency response operations, and storage, disposal, or treatment of hazardous substances or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.

Take a 24-Hour HAZWOPER if you are only on a hazardous waste site occasionally to do limited tasks and level of hazardous substances does not exceed permissible exposure limits. For example, this can include material technicians and specialists and on-scene incident commanders.

Supervisors who oversee workers with 40-Hour HAZWOPER certification must have taken initial OSHA 40-Hour HAZWOPER training. Supervisors who oversee workers with 24-Hour HAZWOPER certification only need to have taken the initial OSHA 24-Hour HAZWOPER course.

The OSHA 8-Hour HAZWOPER Supervisor (Initial) training is a one-time requirement for workers who supervise HAZWOPER employees. This supervisor course should be taken after completing either the initial OSHA 40-Hour HAZWOPER training or the OSHA 24-Hour HAZWOPER training.

8-Hour Refresher training is required annually to maintain knowledge of HAZWOPER safety standards. Workers who have taken 40- or 24-Hour HAZWOPER training must complete their annual training prior to the anniversary of completing their initial 24 or 40 hours of training. 

The 8-Hour HAZWOPER Refresher course satisfies OSHA's requirement for eight hours of annual HAZWOPER refresher training. This training is designed for workers and managers at uncontrolled hazardous waste operations who previously completed 40-Hour or 24-Hour HAZWOPER training.

8-Hour HAZWOPER Refresher training must be completed annually prior to the anniversary of completing the 40-Hour or 24-Hour HAZWOPER training. 

If the scheduled refresher training date has passed, the decision to reinitiate initial training should be made based on the employee’s familiarity with on-site safety and health procedures. The employee should take the next available refresher training course as soon as possible. According to OSHA’s guidelines, the employee’s file should contain documentation explaining the reason for the training delay and the anticipated completion date.