HAZWOPER Training FAQs

OSHA has developed a webpage with answers to frequently asked questions on HAZWOPER training.

How can I find an 8-, 24- or 40-hour HAZWOPER course?

OSHA does not approve, certify, or endorse individual trainers or training programs, nor do we keep a list of training providers. In order to find a course, we suggest that you do the following:

• Contact the OSHA Regional Office, or Area Office near you for matters related to training required in OSHA standards, or where training may be found. At the regional office, ask for enforcement programs. At the area office, ask for the HAZWOPER coordinator.
• Contact a Compliance Assistance Specialist - they provide general information about OSHA standards and compliance assistance resources, and are available for seminars, workshops, and speaking events.
• Contact OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers to see if they may offer training - see their course offerings, schedules, and locations on their individual websites.
• Contact an OSHA State Consultation office in your area to see if they may know where training is offered.
• Check with colleges, universities, and community colleges in your area. Many of them offer the HAZWOPER training as part of their adult extensions services program. You may also wish to contact local chapters of professional organizations, such as the National Safety Council, the American Industrial Hygiene Association, or the American Society of Safety Engineers.
• Check the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Response Training Program's HAZWOPER Training Resources website (TRAINEX).

Can you recommend an on-line HAZWOPER (8-, 24-, or 40-hour) course?

OSHA does not recommend, approve, certify, or endorse individual trainers or training programs. It is OSHA's policy that use of computer-based training by itself would not be sufficient to meet the intent of the standard's various training requirements. There are two primary considerations for you to explore before deciding whether to take an on-line HAZWOPER course.

• For HAZWOPER training, it is essential that the trainees have hands-on experience and exercises that provide an opportunity to become familiar with equipment and safe practices in a non-hazardous setting. The purpose of hands-on training (e.g., donning and doffing of protective equipment, using air monitoring equipment) is two-fold: first, to ensure that workers have an opportunity to learn by practical experience and second, to assess whether workers have mastered the necessary skills. Employers need to know how an on-line course provides this hands-on training.
• Also, in an effective training program, it is critical that trainees have the opportunity to ask questions where material is unfamiliar to them. Providing access to a telephone hotline or an e-mail contact at the time of the training so that trainees will have direct access to a qualified trainer at the time their questions are raised is one way a computer-based training program may accomplish this requirement.

How do I show that I have received appropriate HAZWOPER training?

The HAZWOPER standard requires that a written certificate be given to each person certified for either 8-, 24- or 40-hour HAZWOPER training. For 24- or 40-hour training, if the employee has received equivalent training, the employer can demonstrate such equivalency by documentation or certification.. See 29 CFR 1910.120(e)(6) and 29 CFR 1910.120(e)(9).

I have lost my HAZWOPER training certificate. How do I get a replacement?

OSHA does not have records of persons who have completed HAZWOPER training. There are two ways that you may be able to obtain a replacement certificate.

• You may be able to obtain a replacement certificate from the training instructor or training organization that provided your original training.
• You may be able to obtain a copy from any employer to whom you gave a copy.

It has been more than 12 months since I took my initial HAZWOPER (8-, 24-, or 40-hour) training or 8-hour HAZWOPER refresher training? What do I do now?

Employees should stay up-to-date in the refresher training, although OSHA does understand that courses may be missed because of unavoidable circumstances. If you have missed a refresher training course, you must attend the next available course. If a substantial amount of time has passed since your initial or refresher training, then repeating the initial training may be necessary. The time frame within which it would be necessary to provide extensive retraining must be determined on a case-by-case basis. Ultimately, workers must be trained sufficiently to allow them to perform their expected job duties in a safe and healthful manner.

How can I meet the qualifications for being a trainer for HAZWOPER courses?

OSHA does not approve, certify, or endorse individual trainers or training programs. The standard identifies qualified trainers as those who have satisfactorily completed an instructional program (train-the-trainer) or who otherwise have the academic credentials and instructional experience necessary to teach a HAZWOPER training program. In other words, a trainer must demonstrate proficiency and understanding of the material to be transmitted to trainees and have some credentials or experience in training adults. Trainers must also continue to attend training in order to maintain their knowledge and skills. It is ultimately the responsibility of the employer whose workers are to be trained, to determine if the trainer meets the requirements and qualifications under HAZWOPER.