The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) required the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish standards for protection of employees involved in hazardous waste operations and in emergency responses to hazardous substance incidents. OSHA established these standards at 29 CFR 1910.120 (Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response; commonly known as HAZWOPER). The HAZWOPER Standard establishes separate requirements for different set of activities. Requirements for hazardous substance cleanup operations are divided into 3 categories:

• cleanup operations at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites including cleanup required by a federal,  state, or local government agency; RCRA corrective actions; and voluntary cleanup operations;
• hazardous waste operations at permitted TSD facilities; and
• emergency responses to hazardous substances releases, regardless of their location.

Cleanup operations at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites are subject to the most extensive HAZWOPER requirements (29 CFR 1910.120(b)–(o)). These requirements cover the following topics:

• the development of a written site safety and health program;
• procedures for site characterization;
• site control and monitoring;
• employee training;
• medical surveillance;
• use of protective measures including engineering controls, work practices, and personal protective
• equipment (PPE);
• materials-handling procedures;
• decontamination;
• the development of an emergency response plan;
• site sanitation; and
• evaluation and use of new technologies.

This course provides recertification refresher for participants that have completed the twenty-four hour and forty hour HAZWOPER requirements.