Occupation Details
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
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.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$42,790.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$65,640.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$76,730.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
4,270
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
5,370
+110 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
683
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.3%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
College Helps - Some college classes or training
Experience Requirements
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education Requirements
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
New York State requires workers in this occupation to hold a license or certification.
Asbestos Handler
Learn MoreHazardous materials Transporter
Learn MoreSkills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Public Safety and Security
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Transportation
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Building and Construction
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Adjustable wrenches
- Air monitoring equipment
- Air pollutant monitors
- Air sampling devices
- Air sampling pumps
- Air scrubbers
- Alpha radiation meters
- Asbestos sample containers
- Beta radiation meters
- Blowers
- Borescopes
- Bulldozers
- Chemical agent detectors
- Chemical protective aprons
- Chemical protective boots
- Chemical protective clothing
- Chemical protective coveralls
- Chemical protective face shields
- Chemical protective gloves
- Chemical protective head covers
- Chemical solution sprayers
- Claw hammers
- Color changing gas detection devices
- Colorimetric detector tubes/badges
- Combustible gas indicators
- Concrete mixers
- Crowbars
- Curtain booms
- Dataloggers
- Decontamination units
Technology
- Computerized maintenance management system software CMMS
- Database software
- Internet browser software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Presentation software
- SAP business and customer relations management software
- Spreadsheet software
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- maintain records, reports, or files
- prepare reports
- clean equipment or machinery
- drive automobile, van, or light truck
- operate forklift
- operate crane in construction, manufacturing or repair setting
- operate cleaning equipment
- operate material moving, loading, or unloading equipment
- operate sandblasting equipment
- operate hoist, winch, or hydraulic boom
- maintain production or work records
- use government regulations
- follow safe waste disposal procedures
- adhere to safety procedures
- perform safety inspections in transportation setting
- ensure prescribed safe radiation levels are maintained
- mix paint, ingredients, or chemicals, according to specifications
- package goods for shipment or storage
- place radioactive waste in disposal containers
- load, unload, or stack containers, materials, or products
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- 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.
- 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.
- Operate cranes to move or load baskets, casks, or canisters.
- Drive trucks or other heavy equipment to convey contaminated waste to designated sea or ground locations.
- Load or unload materials into containers or onto trucks, using hoists or forklifts.
- Identify or separate waste products or materials for recycling or reuse.
- 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.
- Upload baskets of irradiated elements onto machines that insert fuel elements into canisters and secure lids.
- Process e-waste, such as computer components containing lead or mercury.
- Organize or track the locations of hazardous items in landfills.
- Mix or pour concrete into forms to encase waste material for disposal.
- Apply bioremediation techniques to hazardous wastes to allow naturally occurring bacteria to break down toxic substances.
- Package, store, or move irradiated fuel elements in the underwater storage basins of nuclear reactor plants, using machines or equipment.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Environmental Health and Safety Specialists
Visit this link for information on this career in the military.
Learn MoreHazardous materials removal workers
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
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