Hazardous Materials Removal Workers - Careers, Jobs, Education, Training

Hazardous materials removal workers remove hazardous materials from buildings, facilities, and the environment to prevent further contamination of natural resources and to promote public health and safety. This is a job that has elements of risk and adventure. These folks are concerned about getting their hands dirty and for good reasons!

Hazardous materials removal workers identify, remove, package, transport, and dispose of various hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead, and radioactive materials. The removal of hazardous materials from public places and the environment also is called abatement, remediation, and decontamination.

Hazardous materials removal workers use a variety of tools and equipment, depending on the work at hand. Equipment ranges from brooms to personal protective suits that completely isolate workers from the hazardous material. The equipment required varies with the threat of contamination and can include disposable or reusable coveralls, gloves, hardhats, shoe covers, safety glasses, chemical-resistant clothing, face shields, and devices to protect one’s hearing. Most workers are required to wear respirators while working, to protect them from airborne particles.

Transportation of hazardous materials is safer today than it was in the past, but accidents still occur. Emergency and disaster response workers clean up hazardous materials after train derailments and trucking accidents. These workers also are needed when an immediate cleanup is required, as would be the case after an attack by biological or chemical weapons.

Mold remediation is a new and growing part of the work of some hazardous materials removal workers. Some types of mold can cause allergic reactions, especially in people who are susceptible to them. Although some mold remediation work is undertaken by construction workers, mold often must be removed by hazardous materials removal workers, who take special precautions to protect themselves and surrounding areas from being contaminated.

Hazardous materials removal workers held about 38,000 jobs in 2002. About seven in ten workers were employed in waste management and remediation services. About six percent were employed by specialty trade contractors, primarily in asbestos abatement and lead abatement. A small number worked at nuclear and electric plants.

Employment of hazardous materials removal workers is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2012, reflecting increasing concern for a safe and clean environment. Another reason for the number of job opportunities that will be available in this field is the relatively high rate of turnover because many workers may prefer work that is less strenuous and has safer working conditions. When they leave, this creates a strong demand. Someone will always be needed to deal with the job of cleaning up our environment and making it safe for human and animal life.

No formal education beyond a high school diploma is required for a person to become a hazardous materials removal worker. Federal regulations require an individual to have a license to work in the occupation, although, at present, there are few laws regulating mold removal. Most employers provide technical training on the job, but a formal training program must be completed if one is to be licensed as an asbestos abatement and lead abatement worker or a treatment, storage, and disposal worker. The program covers health hazards, personal protective equipment and clothing, site safety, recognition and identification of hazards, and decontamination.

In some cases, workers discover one hazardous material while abating another. If they are not licensed to work with the newly discovered material, they cannot continue to work in the area. Many experienced workers opt to take courses in additional disciplines to avoid this situation. Some employers prefer to hire workers licensed in multiple disciplines.

For workers employed at nuclear facilities, training is more extensive. In addition to the standard training course in asbestos, lead, and hazardous waste, workers must take courses in the regulations governing nuclear materials and radiation safety.

Typical earnings of hazardous materials removal workers were $15.61 per hour in 2002. Decontamination and decommissioning workers and radiation protection technicians, though constituting the smallest group, tend to earn the highest wages.

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