Getting To Know SARA (and HAZWOPER Even Better)

HAZWOPER

Have you been introduced to SARA? And how well do you know HAZWOPER?


SARA is the Superfund Amendments Reauthorization Act. Enacted in 1986, SARA required OSHA to establish regulations protecting workers involved in hazardous waste procedures. For hazmat handlers, SARA is the foundation of contemporary safe-handling guidelines. If you’ve never explored the details of the act, you can do so at the EPA’s dedicated web page. ‘Drilling down’ into related pages can reveal a lot about the capacity of the act and help corporate policy planners understand how the Superfund has shaped OSHA and EPA regulations. Other interesting segments include concepts for greener cleanups, and what has been gained from community involvement.

Recently, OSHA has added a collateral webpage to assist all workers and employers who are bound by the agency’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard for construction and general industry (HAZWOPER).

We think the new site is a good choice for bookmarking by EHS managers of all kinds, but especially those who function as compliance officers. The subpage labeled ‘Standards’ presents a list of all the regulatory standard numbers in HAZWOPER, with links to their meanings, from the definition of a qualifying Safety and Health Program through subjects like Decontamination and New Technology.

The HAZWOPER home page also emphasizes the importance of training. As it states, “Employers must adequately prepare for an emergency response and cleanup workers to clearly understand their role(s) in managing unexpected releases of hazardous substances, so they can act quickly and respond in a safe manner during an emergency.”

But even with new online resources, understanding the part HAZWOPER plays in your specific industry and in your own facilities often requires expert navigation. Findlay customized and open-enrollment workshops, like our 40-Hour Hazardous Waste Operations instructional (29 CFR 1910.120 paragraphs (b) through (o)), are a great way to gain confidence, improve confidence, and assure compliance.

Leave a Comment

SIGN IN

Forgot Password

X