Are your generators of hazardous waste trained sufficiently? Have your certified hazmat employees been trained on RCRA regulations?
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) was enacted to protect human health and the environment from the hazards of hazardous waste generation and disposal. The Environmental Protection Agency has delegated authority to enforce hazardous waste generation regulations to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP), making Massachusetts an agreement state. All employees that are generating hazardous waste need to be made aware of MA DEP’s Hazardous Waste regulation, 310 CMR 30. The level of training required for affected employees depends on the generator status of the facility as well as the job responsibilities of those affected employees. Generally speaking, it is prudent to have those individuals signing hazardous waste manifests or offering hazardous waste for transport, attend a RCRA training course regardless of the generator status of the facility. General RCRA awareness training should be included in new employee and annual refresher training for all employees generating hazardous waste. Employees moving waste containers from satellite accumulation areas to the main accumulation area or chemists generating large volumes of hazardous waste would benefit from more in-depth RCRA training. Once a facility reaches Large Quantity Generator status; the training requirements, including the need for a written training program, are specifically dictated in 310 CMR 30.
Safety Partners offers a web-based RCRA training course for Small Quantity Generators and Very Small Quantity Generators, which has been tailored to Life Science companies. The benefits of this training include; reasonable cost, on-line access, and a tailored presentation so valuable time is not spent training on parts of the regulation that are not applicable.