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Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

General Information

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.

Business Breakdown

People in this career work in these sectors.

  1. Private, for profit76.55%
  2. State and local government8.42%
  3. Private, not for profit6.41%
  4. Federal government5.80%
  5. Self-employed2.82%

Workplace at a Glance

What you can expect to experience while on the job

  • Responsibility
  • Exposure to job hazards
  • Physical activity
  • Decision making
  • Repetitiveness
  • Level of competition
  • Time pressure

Industry areas

  • Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources

Job Outlook

Employment of hazardous materials removal workers is projected to show little or no change from 2021 to 2031. Despitelimitedemployment growth, about 5,700 openings for hazardous materials removal workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

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Job Outlook

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Employment of hazardous materials removal workers is projected to show little or no change from 2021 to 2031. Despitelimitedemployment growth, about 5,700 openings for hazardous materials removal workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

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No Information for this section

Salary

Average Salary

Salary

$46,300

State-by-state Salary

Gray states indicate no data available

$64,440
$28,360
No Information for this section

Education

Most Common Education Levels

People in this career achieve this level of education.

  • Less than high school 26%
  • High school 24%
  • Post-secondary certificate 19%
  • Some college 13%
  • Bachelor's degree 13%
  • Associate's degree 1%
  • Master's degree 0%
  • Doctoral degree 0%
  • Post baccalaureate 0%
  • Post-doctoral training 0%
  • Post-master's certificate 0%
  • First professional degree 0%

Related College Majors

Select major to see colleges that offer it

Knowledge

  • Public Safety and Security
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Mechanical
  • Administration and Management
  • Transportation

Skills at a Glance

Skills helpful in this career

  • Verbal skills
  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Equipment operation & maintenance
  • Math & science skills
  • Technology design & control
  • Leadership
No Information for this section

* Military pay may be higher based on specialty pays or bonuses. Learn more about Military benefits.

Data supplied by Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center of Education Statistics, Defense Manpower Data Center (View our update schedule). Contact any business, college or military service branch to answer additional questions.