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Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks.

What you’d do

  • Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.
  • Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
  • Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
  • Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
  • Record numbers of containers stored at disposal sites, specifying amounts or types of equipment or waste disposed.
  • Clean contaminated equipment or areas for reuse, using detergents or solvents, sandblasters, filter pumps, or steam cleaners.
  • Clean mold-contaminated sites by removing damaged porous materials or thoroughly cleaning all contaminated nonporous materials.
  • Operate machines or equipment to remove, package, store, or transport loads of waste materials.

Skills that matter

  • Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Listening
  • Coordination
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Operation and Control

How to get there

Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

Also called

  • Abatement Worker
  • Asbestos Abatement Worker
  • Asbestos Worker
  • Hazmat Technician (Hazardous Materials Technician)
  • Clandestine Laboratory Responder (Clan Lab Responder)
  • D and D Operator (Decontaminate and Decommissioning Operator)

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