Workplace Health and Safety

The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) Standard applies to employers whose employees respond, investigate, or clean up hazardous materials. Occupations for which the HAZWOPER Standard most commonly applies include Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Response Teams, Fire Departments, Police Departments, employees who conduct environmental investigations at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites, employees who work at facilities that utilize bulk quantities of hazardous materials, and employees who are likely to discover an uncontrolled release.

Employers whose employees have a role in the emergency response to uncontrolled releases of hazardous substances are required to develop and maintain an Emergency Response Plan (ERP). The purpose of the ERP is to protect emergency response personnel. An ERP is not required if the employer does not permit their employees to participate in an emergency response as stated in their emergency action plan (EAP) (29 CFR 1910.38).

Note: The ERP is different from the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) HAZMAT Annex required by the New Jersey State Police, Office of Emergency Management, Response and Recovery Unit. The purpose of the EOP is to protect the community and the environment.

The Standard outlines procedures for managing a coordinated emergency response using the Incident Command System (ICS). p>The HAZWOPER Standard requires that emergency responders (HAZMAT Teams, Fire Departments, and Police Departments) in New Jersey are provided with appropriate training based on their anticipated role in the response. The five levels of training are:

• First Responder Awareness Level
• First Responder Operations Level (8 hours)
• Hazardous Materials Technician (24 hours)
• Hazardous Materials Specialist (24 hr Tech +)
• On-Scene Incident Commander (8 hr. Ops +)

The Standard also requires that employers ensure that responders are medically fit to meet the physical demands of the job and must provide annual surveillance medical examinations.

PEOSH adopted the U.S. Department of Labor HAZWOPER Standard (29 CFR 1910.120).

Emergency Response Plan (ERP) guidance documents:

• Model Fixed Facility Worker Protection Emergency Response Plan (ERP) [pdf 147k]
  This model plan is designed for facilities (i.e., sewage treatment plants) where hazardous substances are used, stored, disposed, or otherwise located which could result in an uncontrolled release and have employees engaged in emergency response activities.
  
  
• Coordinated Worker Protection Emergency Response Plan (ERP) - Health and Safety Plan for Hazardous Materials Emergency Response (HAZMAT) [pdf 59k]
  This model Health and Safety Plan was designed for municipalities whose employees have a role in an emergency response. This document addresses health and safety measures applicable to responders from all responding departments within a municipality.
  
  
• Coordinated Worker Protection Emergency Response Plan (ERP) - Responding Department Appendix [doc 66k]
  This appendix should be completed by each department involved in the coordinated emergency response and addresses health and safety measures for individual departments which are too specific to be addressed in the Coordinated ERP.
  
  
• Hazardous Materials Regulations for NJ Emergency Responders [pdf 70k]
  This fact sheet provides an overview of the HAZWOPER Standard as it applies to emergency responders in New Jersey.
  
  
• Health and Safety Information for Emergency Response [pdf 145k]
  Internet Links This document provides links to Internet resources that may be helpful in assessing occupational hazards and in developing site specific health and safety plans.