| Highly hazardous materials, widely used in modern | | | | threats |
| industry, are an ever present source of potential | | | | The OSHA standard concerning worker exposure to |
| danger during transportation, storage and use. A | | | | hazardous materials deals with hazards that workers |
| number of government departments and agencies | | | | may be exposed to in the workplace, and is not only |
| such as the Department of Transportation (DOT), | | | | oriented differently but is more broad-based than |
| the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the | | | | that of the DOT (which is more concerned with |
| Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and | | | | Hazmat Transportation). It is interesting to note that |
| the Occupational Safety and Health Administration | | | | even though the 1910.120 HAZWOPER is an OSHA |
| (OSHA), each have a role to play in ensuring health | | | | standard, it does not use the OSHA Hazard |
| and safety enforcement in the US. The DOT | | | | Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) for |
| regulates transportation of hazardous materials | | | | hazardous chemicals. In fact the definition derives |
| (hazmat). The CPSC oversees hazardous materials | | | | from the EPA's Comprehensive Environmental |
| that may go into consumer and household goods, | | | | Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA, |
| while the EPA regulates hazardous materials that are | | | | also known as Superfund). |
| likely to negatively impact the environment. | | | | The HAZWOPER definition, in addition to the CERCLA |
| OSHA is charged with the regulation of hazardous | | | | listed hazardous substances, also includes: certain |
| chemicals, to ensure safety in the workplace. | | | | biological and disease-causing agents, the Department |
| Hazardous materials are regulated via the Process | | | | Of Transportation defined hazardous materials, as |
| Safety Management (PSM) 29 CFR 1910.119 standard. | | | | well as hazardous waste. |
| The agency also regulates hazardous waste clean-up | | | | The CERCLA Standard incorporates exhaustive |
| operations as well as emergencies arising from | | | | guidelines on issues relevant to the safe handling of |
| hazmat related incidents through OSHA regulation 29 | | | | hazardous materials. It requires detailed written |
| CFR 1910.120. | | | | safety and health programs for employees involved |
| This Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency | | | | in hazardous waste operations. It provides examples |
| Response Standard, known in short as HAZWOPER, | | | | of risks that would be relevant, such as situations |
| became effective on March 6, 1990. The | | | | that are injury threatening, immediate danger to life |
| HAZWOPER 1910.120 standard encompasses: | | | | and health (IDLH), and danger to life and health |
| * Clean-up operations required by a governmental | | | | (IDLH). It also provides examples of threats to |
| body, conducted at uncontrolled hazardous waste | | | | environments, oxygen deficient situations etc. |
| sites | | | | Another important aspect of the OSHA standard is |
| * Corrective actions involving clean-up operations at | | | | training. The HAZWOPER standard, which deals with |
| sites covered by the Resource Conservation and | | | | hazardous waste operations and emergency |
| Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) | | | | response situations, necessarily requires a certain level |
| * Voluntary clean-up operations at sites recognized | | | | of skill on the part of employees. OSHA mandated |
| by the government as uncontrolled hazardous waste | | | | training courses may range from 4 to 40 hours |
| sites | | | | depending upon the nature of the hazards being dealt |
| * Operations involving hazardous wastes that are | | | | with. After the initial training, OSHA also requires |
| conducted at treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) | | | | follow-up / refresher training. Fortunately, there are a |
| facilities pursuant to RCRA regulations | | | | number of commercial organizations which provide |
| * Emergency response operations involving | | | | OSHA training programs, to ensure compliance to |
| substantial threats involving hazardous substances, | | | | OSHA standards. |
| without regard to the physical location of these | | | | |