Think of ‘HAZWOPER,’ and large hazardous waste sites with workers in chemical suits spring to mind. Although much of the standard for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (or HAZWOPER) applies to those types of waste cleanup operations, some portions of the standard apply to hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal, while still other portions apply to relatively small spills or releases of hazardous substances at industrial or construction sites.

Hazardous substances, including hazardous waste, hazardous materials, biological agents, and certain substances regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pose employee safety and health hazards if not approached and dealt with properly. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) HAZWOPER Standard is intended to provide a framework for employers to implement in order to protect their employees from these hazards during any of the work operations listed in the scope section of the standard.