First responders at the awareness level are individuals who are likely to witness or discover a hazardous substance release and who have been trained to initiate an emergency response sequence by notifying the proper authorities of the release.
They would take no further action beyond notifying the authorities of the release. Awareness-level responders need to know exactly what their roles are, including the tasks they are expected to perform and the limitations they need to adhere to. Awareness-level responders should be familiar with their organization's Emergency Response Plan and how to activate it.
Awareness-level responders need to understand chemical hazards and properties and know that uncontrolled releases pose real dangers including illness, injury, and fatality. They should be able to immediately recognize the need for additional resources and notify the HAZMAT team as soon as possible so the team can bring the event under control.
If awareness-level responders know how to recognize the presence of a hazardous substance in a release situation and how to quickly identify that substance, they will jump-start the subsequent efforts of the HAZMAT team. This helps to avoid panic and to prevent casualties and minimize damage.
There are three online courses included within the HAZWOPER: Emergency Response Initial Training: Awareness-Level Responders Curriculum:
- HAZWOPER: Emergency Response Planning is designed to focus on what an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) is, the basic steps involved in an emergency response, employee roles in a response to a hazardous substance emergency release, and internal and external communications during an emergency.
- HAZWOPER: Chemical Fundamentals is designed to inform learners of how chemical-related terms are defined; the health and physical hazards, properties, stability, reactivity, and toxicity of chemicals; and the routes, symptoms, types, and effects of chemical exposure.
- HAZWOPER: Hazardous Substance Recognition & Identification is designed to teach learners the methods and resources available to help recognize and identify hazardous substances in an emergency, how to assess risk in an emergency, and make initial decisions in an emergency.
Intended Audience: Any employees who may be involved or expected to engage in:
- Hazardous waste cleanup operations where the employee may be exposed to hazardous substances; or
- A response to an occurrence which results, or is likely to result, in an uncontrolled release of a hazardous substance
Copyright Date: 2018
Online Curriculum Length: 3 hours
Product Code: 55204
