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Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

Also called: Asbestos Abatement Worker, Asbestos Remover, Asbestos Worker, Waste Handling Technician

What they do:

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.

On the job, you would:
  • 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.
On the job, you'll need:

Safety and Government

  • public safety and security

Business

  • management
  • customer service

Transportation

  • movement of people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road

Engineering and Technology

  • building and construction

Basic Skills

  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Verbal

  • listen and understand what people say
  • communicate by speaking

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • group things in different ways

Hand and Finger Use

  • keep your arm or hand steady
  • hold or move items with your hands

Controlled Movement

  • quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat

Realistic

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

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

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Data base user interface and query software

  • Database software
  • Xactware Xactimate

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Below Average.

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

Median Annual Salary: $46,690

Education

No high school diploma/GED or high school diploma/GED is usually needed.

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