Occupation · SOC 47-4041
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.
Median wage
$48,490
$37,330–$82,480
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
50,570
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
39 mapped
Core skills
MonitoringCritical ThinkingOperation and ControlActive ListeningOperations MonitoringReading ComprehensionSpeakingJudgment and Decision Making
Knowledge areas
Public Safety and SecurityAdministration and ManagementTransportationCustomer and Personal ServiceBuilding and Construction
Technology & tools
Facilities management softwareData base user interface and query softwareInternet browser softwareInventory management softwareEnterprise application integration software
Representative tasks
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.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.Identify or separate waste products or materials for recycling or reuse.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.Mix or pour concrete into forms to encase waste material for disposal.Organize or track the locations of hazardous items in landfills.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.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Containment barriers and plastic sheeting — install under direct supervision before abatement begins on a residential or commercial job site.Hand tools and HEPA vacuums — operate under close guidance to remove asbestos or lead from surface materials in a supervised work zone.Monitoring devices and test kits — use with direct instruction to identify suspected hazardous materials such as asbestos or lead paint on assigned surfaces.Hazardous waste containers and labels — prepare and seal under supervisor direction following prescribed handling protocols at a remediation site.Federal and state safety regulations — follow prescribed procedures and checklists under direction to ensure compliant waste disposal on active job sites.Personal protective equipment and respirators — don, doff, and inspect following step-by-step protocols before entering a contaminated work area.Contaminated hand tools and small equipment — clean using approved detergents or solvents under direct oversight in a decontamination staging area.Hazardous materials loads and waste drums — assist in loading and unloading onto trucks using hand trucks or guided forklift operation under supervision.Safety briefings and crew instructions — listen actively and ask clarifying questions to confirm task assignments at daily pre-job meetings.Incident and inspection reports — read and record basic field data into paper logs or facilities management software under guidance at a remediation site.
developing
Containment enclosures and negative-pressure units — construct and verify integrity with reduced oversight prior to asbestos abatement in occupied commercial buildings.Power tools and high-pressure sprayers — operate routinely to remove asbestos, lead, or other hazardous materials from structural surfaces in familiar work environments.Air monitoring equipment and bulk sampling tools — deploy and interpret results independently to confirm hazardous material identification before and during abatement.Packaged hazardous waste and containerized materials — prepare, label, and manifest for storage or off-site disposal in compliance with EPA and OSHA regulations.Regulatory compliance checklists and site safety plans — apply and adapt to site-specific conditions, recognizing deviations and reporting them to the project supervisor.Contaminated surfaces and equipment — clean thoroughly using sandblasters, steam cleaners, or filter pumps, verifying results against clearance standards after remediation tasks.Forklifts and mechanical hoists — operate to load or unload hazardous material containers onto transport vehicles at a waste transfer station or job site.Emergency spill and contamination response procedures — execute established protocols with limited oversight to contain and limit spread of hazardous substances during an incident.Time and task schedules — manage personal workflow to meet project milestones while coordinating with co-workers across multiple active abatement zones.Inventory management software and spreadsheets — enter and track material quantities, disposal records, and equipment inventories accurately for project documentation purposes.
proficient
Full containment systems and decontamination units — design, construct, and troubleshoot without oversight across complex abatement projects in large industrial or institutional facilities.Advanced removal techniques and specialized power equipment — select and apply autonomously to address non-routine asbestos, lead, or mixed-hazard removal challenges on difficult substrates.Multi-method hazard identification protocols — execute and interpret monitoring data independently to characterize unknown or mixed hazardous materials on complex remediation sites.Comprehensive waste manifests and disposal plans — develop and finalize for varied hazardous material streams, ensuring full regulatory compliance across federal, state, and local requirements.Site safety and health plans — author and enforce for active abatement projects, applying critical thinking to anticipate emerging hazards and adjust controls in real time.Post-remediation clearance inspections and quality control analyses — perform and evaluate against established standards to confirm successful decontamination before site re-occupancy.Emergency hazardous substance releases — lead field response to contain and remediate contamination events, applying judgment and decision-making under time-pressured conditions.Cross-functional crew coordination — direct daily activities of workers across multiple task stations, resolving scheduling conflicts and technical problems across the full project scope.Technical remediation reports and regulatory submissions — write clear, accurate documentation for regulatory agencies and clients following completion of abatement projects.Facilities management and enterprise software platforms — use proficiently to track project status, generate compliance reports, and maintain disposal records across concurrent job sites.
advanced
Organizational abatement programs and safety frameworks — develop and implement enterprise-wide standards that align with evolving OSHA, EPA, and state regulations across multiple project sites.Strategic project planning and resource allocation — lead bid preparation, scheduling, and crew deployment for large-scale or multi-site hazardous materials removal contracts.Workforce training curricula and certification programs — design and deliver structured on-the-job and classroom instruction to develop worker competency from entry through journeyman levels.Quality assurance systems and performance metrics — establish and monitor organization-wide quality control programs to ensure consistent clearance outcomes and regulatory compliance.Emergency response command protocols — direct multi-crew, multi-agency hazardous materials incidents at the organizational level, integrating public safety and regulatory requirements.Client and stakeholder relationships — represent the organization in high-stakes technical consultations, regulatory negotiations, and project scoping meetings with government and private clients.Regulatory and policy advocacy — interpret emerging environmental regulations and provide expert guidance to leadership on operational changes, compliance investments, and risk mitigation strategies.Continuous improvement initiatives — lead root-cause analyses of incidents or compliance failures and implement corrective action plans that raise safety and productivity standards organization-wide.Budgeting and financial oversight — manage departmental or project-level budgets for equipment, disposal costs, and labor, balancing cost controls with uncompromised safety obligations.Cross-industry knowledge transfer — represent the organization at industry conferences and working groups to share best practices in hazardous materials removal and influence sector-wide standards.
Also known as
426 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
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