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Home›Courses›Hazardous Materials & HAZWOPER›HAZWOPER Safety: Decontamination and Best Practices

HAZWOPER Safety: Decontamination and Best Practices

26 minutesEN / ESHazardous Materials & HAZWOPER29 CFR 1910.120 (HAZWOPER)
Quick Answer

HAZWOPER Safety: Decontamination and Best Practices is a 26-minute online course that trains employees on decontamination methods, PPE donning and doffing procedures, and exposure control practices under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 and EPA RCRA regulations. It is designed for workers involved in hazardous waste operations and emergency response, and includes a downloadable certificate of completion.

Course Overview

When an uncontrolled release of hazardous material occurs, proper decontamination is the critical barrier between worker exposure and serious health consequences. OSHA's HAZWOPER standard (29 CFR 1910.120) and the EPA's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA, 40 CFR Parts 263-279) require employers to train workers on effective decontamination methods and best practices for controlling exposure to hazardous waste. Violations of decontamination requirements can result in OSHA penalties up to $16,550 per serious violation and $165,514 for willful or repeat offenses.

This course prepares your employees to handle unexpected hazardous material releases by covering the standard operating procedures for exposure control, the types of decontamination methods available, and how to determine whether decontamination was successful. Your team will learn about HAZMAT protection levels, proper techniques for donning and doffing PPE, and the contamination reduction corridor process. The course also reviews the distinctions between exclusion zones, contamination reduction zones, and support zones.

What You'll Learn

  • Decontamination methods: physical removal, chemical neutralization, and dilution techniques
  • HAZMAT protection levels (A, B, C, D) and corresponding PPE requirements
  • Proper donning and doffing procedures for chemical protective equipment
  • Establishing exclusion, contamination reduction, and support zones
  • The contamination reduction corridor and step-by-step decontamination sequence
  • Verifying decontamination effectiveness through wipe sampling and visual inspection
  • Standard operating procedures for controlling exposure to hazardous waste under 29 CFR 1910.120

Who Needs This Training

  • Hazardous waste cleanup workers at sites covered by 29 CFR 1910.120(e)
  • Emergency response personnel trained at the operations or technician level
  • TSD facility workers handling hazardous waste under 29 CFR 1910.120(p)
  • Environmental remediation contractors and field technicians
  • Safety officers developing decontamination procedures for HAZWOPER operations
  • Transportation workers involved in hazardous material spill cleanup

Regulatory Background

OSHA's HAZWOPER standard (29 CFR 1910.120) requires decontamination procedures at hazardous waste sites (paragraphs (b)-(o)), TSD facilities (paragraph (p)), and emergency response operations (paragraph (q)). The standard mandates that employers establish and implement decontamination procedures before any workers or equipment enter a contaminated area. The EPA's RCRA regulations (40 CFR Parts 263-279) add requirements for hazardous waste generators and transporters. Both agencies require that employees receive training on decontamination methods appropriate to the hazards at their worksite. OSHA penalties for decontamination-related violations can reach $16,550 per serious violation, with willful or repeat penalties up to $165,514.

Frequently Asked Questions

HAZWOPER operations use three zones: the Exclusion Zone (hot zone), where contamination exists and full PPE is required; the Contamination Reduction Zone (warm zone), where decontamination procedures occur in a controlled corridor; and the Support Zone (cold zone), which is the clean area used for equipment staging, medical support, and command operations. Workers move through these zones in a controlled sequence to prevent cross-contamination.
Level A provides the highest respiratory and skin protection, using a fully encapsulating suit with SCBA. Level B provides the highest respiratory protection with reduced skin protection, using a chemical splash suit with SCBA. Level C uses air-purifying respirators with chemical splash protection when airborne concentrations are known. Level D is standard work clothing with no respiratory protection, used only in the support zone or when no inhalation or skin hazard exists.
Verification methods include wipe sampling of decontaminated surfaces and PPE, visual inspection for discoloration or residue, instrument readings for residual contamination, and comparison with background contamination levels. If decontamination cannot be verified as complete, the PPE or equipment should be disposed of as hazardous waste rather than reused.
Doffing follows a specific sequence to prevent self-contamination: outer protective garments and gloves are removed first in the contamination reduction zone, followed by respiratory protection, then inner gloves and clothing. Each item is placed in designated containers for decontamination or disposal. A trained buddy should monitor the doffing process to identify any breaches or contamination transfer.
This course covers the core knowledge areas for decontamination under 29 CFR 1910.120, including methods, zone establishment, PPE procedures, and verification. However, OSHA requires that decontamination training be site-specific, meaning employers must supplement this course with training on the specific hazards, PPE types, and decontamination procedures used at their particular worksite.

Related Courses

Employers who train workers on decontamination procedures typically combine this course with HAZWOPER Safety: Administrative, Engineering Controls and Work Practices for exposure prevention fundamentals and HAZWOPER Safety: Responding to Emergencies for the complete emergency response framework.

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$29.95
per person
Volume Pricing
Team Size Price per Person
1 - 9$29.95
10 - 24$23.95
25 - 49$21.55
50 - 99$17.50
Subtotal $29.95
Language

This course is available in English and Spanish at no additional charge.

Certificate of completion included. Downloadable upon passing the final assessment.

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$29.95
per person