The Occupational Safety and Health Administrator, OSHA is a premier federal agency in the United States Department of Labor. Responsible for handling occupational safety issues, OSHA has solely been responsible for creating and introducing the HAZWOPER safety training courses to workers across the nation, in an attempt to ensure that workplaces are safer and healthier by reducing the number of injuries, illnesses, accidents and deaths at the various hazardous work sites.
There are many safety training courses offered by HAZWOPER. These include:
The 40 Hour HAZWOPER Training Course
The 24 Hour HAZWOPER Training Course
The 8 Hour Annual HAZWOPER Refresher Course
The 1st Responder Awareness Level Course
Of all the courses listed above, the 8 Hour annual refresher course gains in importance due to a number of different reasons. Employers and employees who are covered by the OSHA standards are required to take an initial HAZWOPER training course of either the 24 hour course or the 40 hour course in order to be HAZWOPER certified. However, every ear, those who have taken these initial trainings are required to take the HAZWOPER 8 hour refresher courses as well! This course in particular, meets the annual requirements of the HAZWOPER standards.
The 8 Hour HAZWOPER Refresher course has been specifically designed for those workers at general sites, whose work responsibilities include removing hazardous wastes from the site, those who are constantly exposed to hazardous wastes, and those who may be potentially exposed to hazardous wastes. This course meets all the current requirements of the OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 standard. Workers who may be exposed to hazardous substances or wastes should ideally take this course.
Trainees who attend and complete this course within the prescribed 8 hours will have to adhere to certain prerequisites, which are that they will first have to complete the 24 hour or 40 hour courses.
Here is how the HAZWOPER 8 Hour Annual Refresher Courses can help you stay in touch with the latest OSHA requirements:
Firstly, the course can help you identify and reduce workplace hazards.
The course will teach you everything about OSHA and its requirements.
The course will teach you to develop an effective Medical Surveillance Program.
The course will teach you everything about decontamination including the methods, the principles and even the levels of decontamination.
The course will teach you about the principles of toxicology and the various types of chemical exposures.
The course will teach you to identify the various potential hazards that involve oxidizers, reactive chemicals, solvents and corrosives.
The course will help you understand what the various considerations should be taken at the time of emergency and why training is very important.
What with the OSHA standards being changed or modified every now and then, it is important to keep up with the current OSHA requirements and to re-train yourself. With such benefits at your fingertips, you can now comply with all the latest OSHA standards and keep your workplace safer than ever!