Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (Hazwoper)—29 CFR 1910.120.

• The Hazmat Management System
• Health and Safety
• Hazwoper Response Levels
• Toxicology
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Respiratory Protection
• Chemical Protection
• Site Management and Control
• Identifying the Problem
• Hazard and Risk Assessment
• Monitoring
• Information Management/Resource Coordination
• Implementing Response Objectives
• DOT Hazard Classes
• Decontamination
• Incident Command System and NIMS
• Terminating the Incident

• Site Characterization
• Hazard Recognition
• Chemical Awareness
• Radiation Hazards
• Site Control
• Medical Surveillance
• Personal and Material Sampling
• Safe Work Practices
• Confined Space
• Evacuation
• Emergency Procedures

Hazwoper Annual Refreshers (8 hours). Hazwoper Technicians are required to have an annual refresher. We schedule at least one open annual refresher class each month, plus a refresher for your organization can be made at your request.

DOT defines a hazardous material as “a substance or a material, including a hazardous substance, which has been determined by the Secretary of Transportation to be capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, or property when transported in commerce.”

Where a shipper or carrier, employers and employers must know the safety rules and regulations regarding the transport of hazardous materials, to include proper packaging, labeling and identification standards. Also, carriers much understand how to safely transport these materials and their responsibilities to protect the public and environment.

Technical Rescue Training

Level I (24 hours):  For industrial, public safety and emergency responders.  Course topics will include Site Operations, Victim Management, Maintenance and Ropes & Rigging, among others.  NFPA’s “Standard for Rescue Technician Professional Qualifications” (NFPA 1006) will be used for specific job performance requirements.  In addition, students will demonstrate expertise in at least one specialty area, such as confined space rescue.

Level II (24 hours): Designed to provide additional rescue skills for students who have completed Technical Rescue—Level I, with an emphasis in confined space or high angle rescue.

Confined Space Entry (8 hours): Designed to provide employees who must enter into, work in or exit from confined spaced the awareness of the increased risks of exposure to physical injury from hazards such as entrapment, engulfment and hazardous atmospheric conditions. Students will master the skills necessary to minimize these risks.

Note: All rescue training requires students to participate in rigorous physical activities requiring respiratory and cardiac fitness.  All students are required to complete a medical evaluation form and appropriate medical release forms.

Industrial Safety and Health

OSHA Outreach training is available for both general industry and construction.  Upon completion of either the 10- or 30-hour course, students will receive OSHA cards. This type of training, while not mandatory, is essential training to protect workers’ safety and health, and is particularly valuable for contractors. Future program plans include being able to offer the OSHA 10 & 30 hour courses for the maritime industry.

Program Oversight

The University of South Alabama insures that all its training meets the highest standards.  All training at USA complies with the training standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation.  Our curriculum also draws upon relevant consensus standards, such as the National Fire Protection Association’s standard for Technical Rescue (NFPA 1670), a standard we helped develop. 

USA’s Emergency Response Training Director follows the guidelines set forth by OSHA to maintain the integrity and credibility of all our training. These guidelines are found in Appendix E to the OSHA Hazwoper standard--Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, 29 CFR 1910.120. In addition, all instructors are experienced subject matter experts, drawn from the emergency response and fire service communities.

Continuing Education Units

Emergency Response Training at USA is eligible for CEU’s.

Contact Information

Current schedule, click here.

Questions or assistance:  Please call (251) 431-6527 or e-mail Rob Maxwell at rmaxwell@usouthal.edu.

FAX: (251) 431-6408.

Mailing address:
University of South Alabama
ATTN: Emergency Response Training
Center for Continuing Education & Conference Services
2001 Old Bay Front Drive
Mobile, AL 36615-2247