Overview
Responsibilities
T-A-S-K
Education
Income & Employability
Video Resources
Related Careers

Description

Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks.

Interests

  • Realistic
  • Conventional

Learn More about Interests

Work Values

  • Support
  • Relationships
  • Independence

Learn More about Work Values

Work Styles

  • Cooperation
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Self-Control
  • Adaptability/Flexibility

Learn More about Work Styles

Tasks

  • Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
  • Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.
  • Identify asbestos, lead, or other hazardous materials to be removed, using monitoring devices.
  • Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
  • Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.

Work Activities

  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Getting Information
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
  • Performing General Physical Activities
  • Handling and Moving Objects

Detailed Work Activities

  • Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
  • Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Technology Skills

  • Spreadsheet software
  • Presentation software
  • Data base user interface and query software
  • Electronic mail software
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Abilities

  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Oral Comprehension
  • Control Precision
  • Near Vision
  • Oral Expression

Skills

  • Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking
  • Operation and Control
  • Active Listening
  • Operations Monitoring

Knowledge

  • Public Safety and Security
  • Administration and Management
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Transportation
  • Building and Construction

Most Common Education Level

The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.

Certificates

Certifying Organization

Environmental Protection Agency

Type

Core

Certifying Organization

Institute of Hazardous Materials Management

Type

Advanced

Certifying Organization

World Safety Organization

Type

Specialty

Certifying Organization

National Environmental Health Association

Type

Specialty

Certifying Organization

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Type

Advanced

Income Percentile

The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.

Income PercentileAnnual Income
Low (10%)$38,322
Median (50%)$46,266
High (90%)$60,567

Income by Experience

This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).

ExperienceIncome
Entry Level $45,989
Mid Level $57,245
Senior Level $68,312
Expert Level N/A

Employability

There are currently 50,300 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 50,900 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 1%.

The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.

Projected Job Growth of 1%

Related Careers

The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.

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