Median hourly earnings of hazardous materials removal workers were $15.61 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $12.37 and $22.18 per hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.29 per hour, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $26.60 per hour. The median hourly earnings in remediation and other waste management services, the largest industry employing hazardous materials removal workers in 2002, were $14.92 in 2002.
According to the limited data available, treatment, storage, and disposal workers usually earn slightly more than asbestos abatement and lead abatement workers. Decontamination and decommissioning workers and radiation protection technicians, though constituting the smallest group, tend to earn the highest wages.
Increased public awareness and Federal and State regulations are resulting in the removal of hazardous materials from buildings, facilities, and the environment to prevent further contamination of natural resources and to promote public health and safety. Hazardous materials removal workers identify, remove, package, transport, and dispose of various hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead, and radioactive and nuclear materials. The removal of hazardous materials, or “hazmats,” 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 or goggles, chemical-resistant clothing, face shields, and devices to protect one’s hearing. Most workers also are required to wear respirators while working, to protect them from airborne particles. The respirators range from simple versions that cover only the mouth and nose to self-contained suits with their own air supply.
In the past, asbestos was used to fireproof roofing and flooring, for heat insulation, and for a variety of other purposes. Today, asbestos is rarely used in buildings, but there still are structures that contain the material. Embedded in materials, asbestos is fairly harmless; airborne, however, it can cause several lung diseases, including lung cancer and asbestosis. Similarly, lead was a common building component found in paint and plumbing fixtures and pipes until the late 1970s. Because lead is easily absorbed into the bloodstream, often from breathing lead dust or from eating chips of paint containing lead, it can cause serious health risks, especially in children. Due to these risks, it has become necessary to remove lead-based products and asbestos from buildings and structures.
Asbestos abatement workers and lead abatement workers remove asbestos, lead, and other materials from buildings scheduled to be renovated or demolished. Using a variety of hand and power tools, such as vacuums and scrapers, these workers remove the asbestos and lead from surfaces. A typical residential lead abatement project involves the use of a chemical to strip the lead-based paint from the walls of the home. Then they scrape the hazardous material into an impregnable container for transport and storage. They also use sandblasters and high-pressure water sprayers to remove lead from large structures. The vacuums utilized by asbestos abatement workers have special, highly efficient filters designed to trap the asbestos, which later is disposed of or stored. During the abatement, special monitors measure the amount of asbestos and lead in the air, to protect the workers; in addition, lead abatement workers wear a personal air monitor that indicates the amount of lead to which a worker has been exposed. Workers also use monitoring devices to identify the asbestos, lead, and other materials that need to be removed from the surfaces of walls and structures.
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.
Radioactive materials are classified as either high- or low-level wastes. Low-level wastes include any radioactively contaminated protective clothing, tools, filters, medical equipment, and other items. Decontamination technicians perform duties similar to those of janitors and cleaners. They use brooms, mops, and other tools to clean exposed areas and remove exposed items for decontamination or disposal. With experience, these workers can advance to radiation-protection technician jobs and use radiation survey meters to locate and evaluate materials, operate high-pressure cleaning equipment for decontamination, and package radioactive materials for transportation or disposal.
Decommissioning and decontamination workers remove and treat radioactive materials generated by nuclear facilities and power plants. At decommissioning sites, the workers clean and decontaminate the facility, as well as remove any radioactive or contaminated materials.
Treatment, storage, and disposal workers transport and prepare materials for treatment or disposal. At incinerator facilities, treatment, storage, and disposal workers transport materials from the customer or service center to the incinerator. These workers typically operate heavy machinery, such as forklifts, earthmoving machinery, and large trucks and rigs.
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 mold is present in almost all structures, some mold — especially the types that cause allergic reactions — can infest a building to such a degree that extensive efforts must be taken to remove it safely. Although some mold remediation work is undertaken by other 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 also may be required to construct scaffolding or erect containment areas prior to abatement or decontamination.
Job opportunities are expected to be good for hazardous materials removal workers. The occupation is characterized by a relatively high rate of turnover, resulting in a number of job openings each year stemming from experienced workers leaving the occupation. In addition, many potential workers are not attracted to this occupation, because they may prefer work that is less strenuous and has safer working conditions. Experienced workers will have especially favorable opportunities, particularly in the private sector, as more State and local governments contract out hazardous materials removal work to private companies.
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. Special-trade contractors will have strong demand for the largest segment of these workers, namely, asbestos abatement and lead abatement workers; lead abatement should offer particularly good opportunities. Mold remediation is an especially rapidly growing part of the occupation at the present time, but it is unclear whether its rapid growth will continue: until a few years ago, mold remediation was not considered a significant problem, and perhaps a few years from now, less attention will be paid to it again.
Employment of decontamination technicians, radiation safety technicians, and decommissioning and decontamination workers is expected to grow in response to increased pressure for safer and cleaner nuclear and electric generator facilities. In addition, the number of closed facilities that need decommissioning may continue to grow, due to Federal legislation. These workers also are less affected by economic fluctuations, because the facilities in which they work must operate, regardless of the state of the economy.
.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 32- to 40-hour training program must be completed if one is to be licensed to 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 with it. 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 decommissioning and decontamination workers employed at nuclear facilities, training is more extensive. In addition to the standard 40-hour training course in asbestos, lead, and hazardous waste, workers must take courses dealing with regulations governing nuclear materials and radiation safety. These courses add up to approximately 3 months of training, although most are not taken consecutively. Many agencies, organizations, and companies throughout the country provide training programs that are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, and other regulatory bodies. Workers in all fields are required to take refresher courses every year in order to maintain their license.
Workers must be able to perform basic mathematical conversions and calculations, and should have good physical strength and manual dexterity. Because of the nature of the work and the time constraints sometimes involved, employers prefer people who are dependable, prompt, and detail-oriented. Because much of the work is done in buildings, a background in construction is helpful.
.Asbestos abatement workers and lead abatement workers share skills with other construction trades workers, including painters and paperhangers; insulation workers; and sheet metal workers. Treatment, storage, and disposal workers, decommissioning and decontamination workers, and decontamination and radiation safety technicians work closely with plant and system operators, such as power-plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers and water and liquid waste treatment plant operators.
For more information on hazardous materials removal workers, including information on training, contact
There are more than 500 occupations registered by the U.S. Department of Labor's National Apprenticeship system. For more information on the Labor Department's registered apprenticeship system, and links to State apprenticeship programs, check their website: http:// www.doleta.gov.
These programs provide procedures for hazardous material removal, worker protection, environmental protection as well as handling and disposal of waste materials. All of our programs include necessary licensing and record keeping. Management, supervisory personnel and workers have received approved training required to ensure that our abatement programs are implemented, stringently enforced, and updated to current standards. Owner confidence is underscored by our attention to detail and further enhanced by our SSPC certification as a QP-2 hazardous materials abatement contractor.
Summary of: http://www.conomos.com/hazard.htm
In addition to the standard forty-hour training course, workers must take courses dealing with regulations governing nuclear materials and radiation safety. Hazmat workers remove asbestos from buildings. These include asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, mold, radioactive materials, and contaminated soil. As a hazmat removal worker, your responsibilities will depend on your specific job. Learn communication skills in English.
Summary of: http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/careers/101614.html
In order for lead to be a hazard by inhalation, lead particles that are small enough to be inhaled must get into the air. Lead fumes are produced when lead or lead-contaminated materials are heated to temperatures above 500 °C, such as welding, high temperature cutting, and burning operations. To prevent the ingestion of lead, workers should exercise good work and hygiene practices. Lead-containing material can accumulate on the hands, clothing and hair. Respirators should be provided to prevent the inhalation of lead where engineering controls and work practices do not control the concentration of lead to below the OEL.
Summary of: http://www.gov.on.ca/LAB/english/hs/guidelines/lead/gl_lead_4.html
Significant Points All hazardous material removal workers must be licensed. Lead abatement workers will have the best job opportunities. Nature of the Work Hazardous materials removal workers identify, remove, package, transport and dispose of various hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead, radioactive and nuclear materials. Employment Hazardous materials removal workers held about 38,000 jobs in 1998 in the United States and approximately 1,900 jobs in Pennsylvania. Training, Other Qualifications and Advancement Formal education beyond a high school diploma is not required to become a hazardous materials removal worker.
Summary of: http://www.dli.state.pa.us/landi/cwp/view.asp?a=140&q=192846
Results may not be used in advertising. These kits are intended mainly for consumer use to determine if hazardous amounts of lead are present, and use a colorimetric reaction with lead which can be observed immediately. When written in 1994 Federal OSHA Compliance Health and Safety Officers (CSHOs) do not have field procedures conveniently available for on-site identification of lead. Our evaluation focused on an inexpensive simple test that could provide rapid, accurate results to OSHA CSHOs. A positive response is evidence of the presence of lead or a positive interference.
Summary of: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/leadtest/intro.html
Formal education beyond high school is not required, but a training program leading to a Federal license is mandatory. Hazardous-materials removal workers identify, remove, package, transport, and dispose of various hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead, and radioactive and nuclear materials. The removal of hazardous materials, or “hazmats,” from public places and the environment also is called abatement, remediation, and decontamination. These respirators range from simple versions that cover only the mouth and nose to self-contained suits with their own air supply. At incinerator facilities, these workers transport materials from the customer or service center to the incinerator.
Summary of: http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/ooh20022003/ocos256.htm
What is available. General Information General Industry Construction Industry For Health Professionals Technical Reports Regulatory Information How can I order it. List of OSHA-Approved Laboratories for Blood Lead Analysis. "Blood Lead Levels--United States, 1988-1991". Description of the California Occupational Blood Lead Registry and case management protocols.
Summary of: http://www.childlead.com/GENocl.html
Many of these workers are unaware that they, their colleagues and their families could be at risk. Lead can have many subtle, but serious, long term health effects. Employers have a duty of care to provide a lead-safe work environment for employees. From a single exposure, lead is quickly distributed and stored through the body where it remains a long term source of internal exposure. Lead workers are traditionally thought to be those working in mining, smelting and refining industries, or in the manufacture of lead products such as lead-acid batteries.
Summary of: http://unionsafe.labor.net.au/hazards/104813848313579.html
Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks. This title represents an occupation for which data collection is currently underway. For additional information, select one of the specific occupations below.
Summary of: http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/47-4041.00
Formal education beyond high school is not required, but a training program leading to a Federal license is mandatory. Hazardous materials removal workers identify, remove, package, transport, and dispose of various hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead, and radioactive and nuclear materials. The removal of hazardous materials, or “hazmats,” from public places and the environment also is called abatement, remediation, and decontamination. Due to these risks, it has become necessary to remove lead-based products and asbestos from buildings and structures. Decommissioning and decontamination workers remove and treat radioactive materials generated by nuclear facilities and power plants.
Summary of: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos256.htm