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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

A brief summary of the OSHA interim final rule on ''hazardous waste operations and emergency response'' and implications for federal facilities

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5898702

This report is a short briefing document to help OEGC in understanding the scope and provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) interim final rule for protection of workers engaged in operations involving hazardous waste, assessing the rule's impact on hazardous waste operations conducted by the DOE and its contractors, and preparing guidance to DOE field offices for compliance with the rule. The rule, ''Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response; Interim Final Rule,'' is effective immediately and remains in effect until a final rule is promulgated by October 17, 1988. The new rule adds a new section containing employee protection requirements for workers engaged in hazardous waste operations, including emergency response to hazardous substance incidents. The rule includes provisions for site characterization, analysis, and control; employee training and medical surveillance; and engineering controls, work practices, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Workers engaged in hazardous waste activities are to receive 40 hours of classroom training and 3 days of field training before working at hazardous waste sites. Additional training is required for workers exposed to unique or special hazards and managers and supervisors directly responsible for hazardous waste site operations. It is not clear whether a federal facility, itself, or its contractor must train contract workers, although the rule indicates that such training must occur before hazardous substance and waste handling operations commence. For purposes of confidentiality, any training or medical records retained by a facility for purposes of compliance with the rule should be maintained separate from other employee personal records. States may enact more stringent standards. 4 refs., 1 tab.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
5898702
Report Number(s):
ORNL/TM-10443; ON: DE88000023
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English