Hazardous Waste Training
Many agencies govern hazardous waste management. Some of them include Hazmat Security, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The primary source of the current regulations for hazardous waste training centers around the Resource Conservation And Recovery Act (RCRA). The RCRA manages hazardous waste by establishing clear-cut industry standards. These standards provide the foundation for the curriculum used in regulation hazardous waste training.
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History
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Congress enacted the RCRA Act in 1976 to help protect mankind's health, as well as the environment. This was only six years after The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. That Act gave birth to OSHA, an organization that described itself as "...a new era in the history of public efforts to protect workers from harm on the job." OSHA sometimes works in conjunction with the RCRA in an effort to decrease hazardous waste generated.
Significance
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To successfully contain and help reduce hazardous waste, proper training in waste management techniques is required. Employees and anyone dealing with hazardous materials are required to receive training, specific to their role in the waste management process. Included in the RCRA definition of hazardous waste are materials that are extremely flammable, explosive, corrosive or toxic. The entities that are regulated by the RCRA range from commercial business to local, state and federal government facilities.
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Facts
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also helps regulate waste management. It has created a list identifying more than 500 hazardous wastes. The EPA is responsible for the Hazardous Waste Manifest System currently used to regulate transporting hazardous waste. According to the EPA, "The Hazardous Waste Manifest System is a set of forms, reports, and procedures designed to seamlessly track hazardous waste." The manifest system is part of basic training for those directly involved with transporting hazardous waste.
Types
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Standard aspects of hazardous waste training involve proper storage procedures, and proper pick-up, transport and disposal procedures. The extent of an individual's involvement in generating, treating, storing and disposing of hazardous waste determines which agency standards apply and the amount of training she will require. Hazmat Security, DOT, OSHA and other government agencies may sometimes stipulate additional regulations and training for certain jobs.
Benefits
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Programs like the Environmental Response Training Program (ERTP) offer hazardous waste courses tuition free to certain individuals. Those who are employed by the EPA, and other state, federal and local government agencies are among those exempt from paying for ERTP courses. Those in the private sector are required to pay a $500 tuition fee. Some companies offer the RCRA training modules online in various file formats. To properly manage household hazardous waste, the average consumer can also take advantage and benefit from the available information and training found at the Trainex website.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit chemical waste image by Antonio Oquias from Fotolia.com
