Hazardous Materials Technician
{Haz Mat Training & Employment}
What exactly is a Hazardous Materials Technician?
A Hazardous materials technician is someone trained to
work with and around hazardous materials or hazardous wastes. A Hazardous
Materials Technician (HMT) is trained in the use of personal protective
equipment, knows how to get in and out of a suit, and knows proper decontamination
procedures. An HMT is also trained in how to read labels and make use
of available resource material and test kits to identify unknown materials.
An HMT is trained in spill containment, overpacking of leaking drums,
"lab-packing" of hazardous materials into drums and other
containers,etc. An HMT must also have some understanding of site management
procedures.
HMTs can be found working at superfund clean-up sites, working for industrial
cleaning companies, lead and asbestos abatement companies, or even the
local fire department responding to emergency releases of hazardous
materials (spills etc.). Quite Often, HMTs will work in more traditional
industry settings, with a different primary job title (such as an Environmental
Safety Manager), but must be certified as an HMT in case of an accident
or for occasional contact with hazardous materials or wastes.
How does someone become a Haz Mat Technician?
A typical Hazardous Materials training
or certification program consists of a combination of basic physical
sciences (Chemistry, Biology etc...), courses in laboratory procedures,
environmental laws and regulations pertaining to Haz Mats., and an OSHA
40 hour HMT training course required under 29 CFR, Part 1910 (an integral
part of all HMT certification programs both academic and private). While
a two year degree may not be necessary for all employment opportunities,
many local community colleges offer certification as an HMT through
a program consisting of usually between 30 and 35 credit hours, primarily
covering the areas listed above. If a two year program does not fit
your agenda , you are able to combine a high school diploma with private
certification as an HMT to fulfill the requirements of most mid level
Hazmat positions.
Once your initial certification is complete, your employer may require
you to take an annual refresher course as needed to legally remain on-site.
The most popular and effective refresher is the Hazardous Waste Operations
and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) course. This may be completed through
a local emergency response or Hazmat facility, or you can purchase an
8 hour set of video tapes for re-certification (tapes are currently
available for around $700.00).
Links to further explore the Hazardous Materials Field
BCC's
Haz Mat Certification Program - This page gives an overview of the
certification process here at BCC.
OSHA Hazardous Waste Technical Links - OSHA's official page containing information on training, HazMat FAQ's, and an enormous amount of links leading to virtually every area of a hazardous waste career.
PA Association of Hazardous Materials Technicians - A well organized site filled with information on industry updates and regulation changes, as well as training, and a peer forum/chat.
FEMA Technological Hazards Division - The main page of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Hazmat branch. Excellent source for relevant news, training/refresher upgrade information, and step-by-step emergency hamzat management procedures.
Environmental Protection Agency - The EPA's homepage that will lead you to job information, federal regulation and policy updates, environmental news, and educational resources.
Training Online.com - A fee based site that allows you to sign up for short term intensive HMT training at various levels. The site includes program outlines, and short term training schedules around the country.
Federal Hazmat Training Guidelines - This link leads to an Adobe Acrobat pdf. file containing the (rather lengthy) HMT training guidelines. A must read for anyone looking into HMT training, as you can use this file to check the validity of the training course you are investigating. *NOTE: you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed to view*
New Jersey Office of Emergency Management - This link is to the NJOEM Hazmat response page. This site gives information on county emergency response procedures as well as the schedule for hazmat/emergency response training.
Camden Hazmat Information and Links - A page off of the official City of Camden website, that provides information on hazmat/emergency response programs, as well as county HMT employment.
USA Jobs - A large federal database that allows state by state searches for government positions. Searches can be done by field or by alphabetical listing.
