The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standard is a set of guidelines produced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to ensure the safety of workers dealing with hazardous waste and emergency situations.

The Mineral County Environmental Health and Planning Department is organizing a sponsored eight-hour HAZWOPER refresher training class scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 6. 

“The last course we offered was a 40 HAZWOPER. This is an eight-hour refresher for those that have the 40 but it’s a good course even if you don’t have the 40-hour class,” explained Andy Short with Mineral County Health and Planning. “We held the 40-hour in June 2023.” 

Short said that this is part of the Institutional Controls program for the Town of Superior and that they are using grant money form the EPA to provide the class. 

His department is seeking interested emergency services personnel, local contractors, and equipment operators from Mineral County with a Montana contractor’s license. 

“It’s open to anyone but folks who will be digging in the town, first responders, emergency personnel, and so on would be prioritized if it gets full. We have room for about 30. We had 18 attend the 40-hour so we didn’t need to prioritize.” 

Register with the Mineral County Environmental Health and Planning Department by March 1. Notification can be made by phone: 406-822-3525, by email: cacheson@co.mineral.mt.us, or by mail: PO Box 396, Superior, MT. 59872. The class will be held at the Town of Superior Council Chambers at 105 Cedar Street.