HAZWOPER 24 flashcards
HAZWOPER 24 · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- HAZWOPER training tiers
- General site workers need 40 hours, occasional site workers 24 hours, supervisors 8 hours, and emergency responders 24 hours at the awareness level. Annual 8-hour refreshers are required for all tiers.
- Site safety and health plan
- A written plan required at hazardous waste sites that covers hazard analysis, training, PPE selection, air monitoring, decontamination, medical surveillance, and emergency response procedures.
- Permissible exposure limit
- The legally enforceable occupational exposure limit set by OSHA, representing the maximum airborne concentration of a contaminant averaged over a specified time period.
- Lower explosive limit
- The minimum concentration of a flammable gas or vapor in air that will ignite; combustible gas meters read as percent LEL and readings above 10 percent require action.
- Oxygen deficiency threshold
- An atmosphere with less than 19.5 percent oxygen is oxygen deficient and requires atmosphere-supplying respiratory protection; above 23.5 percent oxygen is enriched and increases fire risk.
- Dermal absorption
- A route of exposure in which chemicals pass through intact skin into the bloodstream; significant for solvents and pesticides and a reason for chemical-resistant clothing and gloves.
- Exclusion zone
- The hot zone where contamination is present and only trained workers in appropriate PPE may enter, with entry and exit controlled by a site safety officer.
- Decontamination sequence
- Personnel decontamination proceeds from outer PPE removal through washing, suit removal, and hand and face washing, with contaminated wash water contained for proper disposal.
- Level C protection
- Chemical-resistant clothing with an air-purifying respirator, used when contaminants are known, concentrations are below IDLH, and oxygen is at least 19.5 percent.
- Assigned protection factor
- The expected level of respiratory protection provided by a respirator class; required protection equals contaminant concentration divided by the APF.
- Respirator fit testing
- A test required before initial respirator use and annually thereafter, performed after facial changes, and supplemented by a user seal check before each use.
- Cartridge change schedule
- A written schedule for replacing air-purifying respirator cartridges based on breakthrough data or manufacturer guidance, with immediate change when odor or irritation is detected.
- Photoionization detector
- A direct-reading instrument that screens for volatile organic compounds using a UV lamp; readings vary by compound and are screening values rather than specific concentrations.
- Combustible gas meter
- A direct-reading instrument that measures flammable gas concentration as a percentage of the lower explosive limit; readings above 10 percent LEL require evacuation or ventilation.
- Medical surveillance trigger
- Required for employees exposed above the PEL for 30 or more days per year, exposed to carcinogens, or required to wear respirators, with baseline and periodic exams.
- Record retention periods
- Medical records must be kept for employment duration plus 30 years; exposure records for 30 years; employees must be informed of monitoring results within 15 days.
- Spill containment diking
- Using absorbent booms, berms, or blocking of drains to prevent a spill from spreading to soil and water, reducing the volume requiring disposal.
- Incident command system
- A standardized response structure with an incident commander and safety, operations, planning, logistics, and finance sections, operating under unified command.
- Shelter-in-place decision
- Chosen when evacuation would move people through the hazard; occupants remain indoors with ventilation shut off until the release is controlled.
- Emergency response levels
- Level 1 releases can be controlled by facility responders; Level 2 requires outside assistance; Level 3 requires full-scale community response.
- CERCLA site
- An uncontrolled hazardous waste site listed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, triggering HAZWOPER site worker requirements.
- Hazard communication
- The requirement to inform workers of chemical hazards through labels, safety data sheets, and training, including access to exposure and medical records.
- Vapor density
- The weight of a gas or vapor relative to air; vapors heavier than air accumulate in low areas such as pits and basements.
- Corrosive hazard
- A substance that damages tissue by pH extremes; corrosives require chemical-resistant PPE and must be kept away from cyanides and sulfides that release toxic gas.
- Contamination reduction zone
- The warm zone where decontamination occurs, located between the exclusion zone and the support zone, with controlled entry and exit.
- Buddy system
- A rule requiring at least two workers in the exclusion zone, with a backup team and site safety officer monitoring entry and exit.
- Level A protection
- A fully encapsulating chemical-resistant suit with SCBA, used when the highest level of skin, eye, and respiratory protection is required.
- Atmosphere-supplying respirator
- SCBA or supplied-air respirators required in IDLH atmospheres, oxygen-deficient atmospheres, and when contaminant concentrations are unknown or exceed APR capacity.
- User seal check
- A positive- and negative-pressure check performed before each respirator use to verify a proper seal between the facepiece and the face.
- Action level
- A monitoring threshold defined in the site plan; when exceeded, work stops, PPE is reassessed, or evacuation occurs.
- Respirator medical clearance
- A physician evaluation required before fit testing and respirator use, determining whether an employee can safely wear a respirator.
- First responder actions
- Recognize the hazard, isolate the area, notify, and evacuate; do not attempt rescue or containment without training and appropriate PPE.