Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

• Summary

• Details

Work Activities

• Clean mold-contaminated sites by removing damaged porous materials or thoroughly cleaning all contaminated nonporous materials.
• Operate cranes to move or load baskets, casks, or canisters.
• Load or unload materials into containers or onto trucks, using hoists or forklifts.
• Process e-waste, such as computer components containing lead or mercury.
• Organize or track the locations of hazardous items in landfills.
• Clean contaminated equipment or areas for reuse, using detergents or solvents, sandblasters, filter pumps, or steam cleaners.
• Sort specialized hazardous waste at landfills or disposal centers, following proper disposal procedures.
• Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
• Identify or separate waste products or materials for recycling or reuse.
• Remove or limit contamination following emergencies involving hazardous substances.
• Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
• Package, store, or move irradiated fuel elements in the underwater storage basins of nuclear reactor plants, using machines or equipment.
• Mix or pour concrete into forms to encase waste material for disposal.
• Identify asbestos, lead, or other hazardous materials to be removed, using monitoring devices.
• Record numbers of containers stored at disposal sites, specifying amounts or types of equipment or waste disposed.
• Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
• Apply bioremediation techniques to hazardous wastes to allow naturally occurring bacteria to break down toxic substances.
• Drive trucks or other heavy equipment to convey contaminated waste to designated sea or ground locations.
• Operate machines or equipment to remove, package, store, or transport loads of waste materials.
• Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.
• Mix or pour concrete into forms to encase waste material for disposal.
• Upload baskets of irradiated elements onto machines that insert fuel elements into canisters and secure lids.
• Load or unload materials into containers or onto trucks, using hoists or forklifts.

Skills

• Operation and Control
  • Using equipment or systems.
• Mathematics
  • Using math to solve problems.
• Quality Control Analysis
  • Testing how well a product or service works.
• Active Learning
  • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
• Judgment and Decision Making
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
• Instructing
  • Teaching people how to do something.
• Systems Analysis
  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
• Management of Personnel Resources
  • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
• Monitoring
  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
• Complex Problem Solving
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
• Coordination
  • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
• Operations Analysis
  • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
• Persuasion
  • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
• Troubleshooting
  • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
• Learning Strategies
  • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
• Installation
  • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
• Science
  • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
• Social Perceptiveness
  • Understanding people's reactions.
• Technology Design
  • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
• Repairing
  • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
• Active Listening
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
• Management of Financial Resources
  • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
• Negotiation
  • Bringing people together to solve differences.
• Equipment Selection
  • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
• Systems Evaluation
  • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
• Operations Monitoring
  • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
• Equipment Maintenance
  • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
• Reading Comprehension
  • Reading work-related information.
• Writing
  • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
• Speaking
  • Talking to others.
• Time Management
  • Managing your time and the time of other people.
• Service Orientation
  • Looking for ways to help people.
• Programming
  • Writing computer programs.
• Critical Thinking
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
• Management of Material Resources
  • Managing equipment and materials.

Abilities

• Flexibility of Closure
  • Seeing hidden patterns.
• Oral Comprehension
  • Listening and understanding what people say.
• Finger Dexterity
  • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
• Number Facility
  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
• Visualization
  • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
• Rate Control
  • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
• Sound Localization
  • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
• Hearing Sensitivity
  • Telling the difference between sounds.
• Night Vision
  • Seeing at night or under low light.
• Speech Recognition
  • Recognizing spoken words.
• Speech Clarity
  • Speaking clearly.
• Speed of Closure
  • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
• Manual Dexterity
  • Holding or moving items with your hands.
• Gross Body Equilibrium
  • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
• Glare Sensitivity
  • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
• Time Sharing
  • Doing two or more things at the same time.
• Reaction Time
  • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
• Static Strength
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
• Explosive Strength
  • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
• Auditory Attention
  • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
• Multilimb Coordination
  • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Dynamic Flexibility
  • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Written Expression
  • Communicating by writing.
• Mathematical Reasoning
  • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
• Memorization
  • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
• Control Precision
  • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
• Trunk Strength
  • Using your lower back and stomach.
• Depth Perception
  • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
• Fluency of Ideas
  • Coming up with lots of ideas.
• Dynamic Strength
  • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
• Stamina
  • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
• Visual Color Discrimination
  • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
• Information Ordering
  • Ordering or arranging things.
• Extent Flexibility
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Oral Expression
  • Communicating by speaking.
• Perceptual Speed
  • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
• Written Comprehension
  • Reading and understanding what is written.
• Gross Body Coordination
  • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
• Category Flexibility
  • Grouping things in different ways.
• Spatial Orientation
  • Knowing where things are around you.
• Selective Attention
  • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Speed of Limb Movement
  • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
• Inductive Reasoning
  • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
• Originality
  • Creating new and original ideas.
• Response Orientation
  • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
• Near Vision
  • Seeing details up close.
• Far Vision
  • Seeing details that are far away.
• Problem Sensitivity
  • Noticing when problems happen.
• Peripheral Vision
  • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
• Deductive Reasoning
  • Using rules to solve problems.

Knowledge

• English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
• Philosophy and Theology
  • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• Law and Government
  • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Communications and Media
  • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Foreign Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• Fine Arts
  • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• History and Archeology
  • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
• Telecommunications
  • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Chemistry
  • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Psychology
  • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Computers and Electronics
  • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Administrative
  • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Transportation
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Biology
  • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Sociology and Anthropology
  • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
• 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.
• Engineering and Technology
  • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Therapy and Counseling
  • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
• Economics and Accounting
  • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Design
  • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• 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.
• Mechanical
  • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Personnel and Human Resources
  • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• 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.
• Physics
  • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• Food Production
  • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
• Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Geography
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
• Medicine and Dentistry
  • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• 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.
• Education and Training
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Education

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

1 to 12 months on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

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Education and Training Opportunities

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Pay

Washington Annual Salary

59840/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

28.77/hr

Washington Employment Trends

Currently Employed

1,780

Yearly Projected Openings

210

Personality

Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They do well at jobs that need:

• Stress Tolerance
• Cautiousness
• Integrity
• Attention to Detail
• Dependability
• Perseverance

Tools

• Absorbent booms
• Adjustable wrenches
• Air exhausters
• Air pollutant samplers
• Air samplers or collectors
• Air sampling pumps
• Air scrubbers
• Blowers
• Borescope inspection equipment
• Cargo trucks
• Chemistry test kits or supplies
• Claw hammer
• Concrete mixers or plants
• Conventional truck cranes
• Decontamination shower
• Dehumidifiers
• Desktop computers
• Dosimeters
• Dredgers
• Dust collectors
• Explosimeters
• Eyewashers or eye wash stations
• Facial shields
• Fans
• Filtering machinery
• Fire retardant apparel
• Flame ionization analyzers
• Forklifts
• Gas chromatographs
• Gas detector tubes
• Gas detectors
• Hand sprayers
• Hazardous material protective apparel
• Hazardous material protective footwear
• Hoists
• Hydraulic truck cranes
• Hygrometers
• Infrared spectrometers
• Ion analyzers
• Ladders
• Light trucks or sport utility vehicles
• Liquid chromatographs
• Liquid leak detectors
• Minivans or vans
• Moisture meters
• Multi gas monitors
• Notebook computers
• Nut drivers
• Personal computers
• Pick or place robots
• Pneumatic sanding machines
• Portable data input terminals
• Positive displacement pumps
• Power grinders
• Power sanders
• Pressure or steam cleaners
• Protective aprons
• Protective coveralls
• Protective gloves
• Protective hood
• Pry bars
• Putty knives
• Radiation detectors
• Radon detectors
• Reagent kits for use with air samplers
• Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories
• Respirators
• Safety glasses
• Sample holders
• Scaffolding
• Scrapers
• Screwdrivers
• Shovels
• Single gas monitors
• Soil core sampling apparatus
• Soil testing kits
• Spectrofluorimeters or fluorimeters
• Spectrophotometers
• Tablet computers
• Track excavators
• Two way radios
• Utility knives
• Vacuum cleaners
• Vacuum pumps
• Water samplers
• Wheel bulldozers
• Winches
• Wire cutters
• pH meters

Technology

• Data base user interface and query software
• Electronic mail software
• Enterprise application integration software
• Enterprise resource planning ERP software
• Facilities management software
• Internet browser software
• Inventory management software
• Office suite software
• Presentation software
• Spreadsheet software
• Word processing software