Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

What the job really is

Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks.

At a glance

• Sector: Construction & Extraction
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-4041
• O*NET job zone: 3 — medium preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
• Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.
• Identify asbestos, lead, or other hazardous materials to be removed, using monitoring devices.
• Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
• Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
• Load or unload materials into containers or onto trucks, using hoists or forklifts.
• Clean contaminated equipment or areas for reuse, using detergents or solvents, sandblasters, filter pumps, or steam cleaners.
• Remove or limit contamination following emergencies involving hazardous substances.
• Clean mold-contaminated sites by removing damaged porous materials or thoroughly cleaning all contaminated nonporous materials.
• Operate machines or equipment to remove, package, store, or transport loads of waste materials.
• Record numbers of containers stored at disposal sites, specifying amounts or types of equipment or waste disposed.
• Sort specialized hazardous waste at landfills or disposal centers, following proper disposal procedures.

Tools and technology

Jenkins CI, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, SAP software, Adjustable wrenches, Aerosol meters, Air monitoring equipment, Air pollutant monitors, Air sampling devices

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Recycling and Reclamation Workers
• Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
• Highway Maintenance Workers
• Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
• Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
• Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
• Construction Laborers
• Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 3 (medium preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Hazardous Materials Removal Workers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.