Its relevance dates to World War II, when waste accumulated during construction of the atomic bomb at the Hanford Site.
Years later, high-profile environmental mishaps (such as Love Canal in 1978 and the attempted 1979 Valley of the Drums cleanup) spurred federal legislative action,[4] awakening the U.S. to the need to control and contain hazardous waste.
[5] OSHA created HAZWOPER, with input from the Coast Guard, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
[11] A site safety supervisor (or officer) and a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified, HAZWOPER-trained person should be consulted.
[12][better source needed] There are 4 levels of PPE that range from A-D that HAZWOPER training will cover that vary in skin, respiratory and eye protection.