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HAZWOPER: Decontamination Procedures

Learn how to properly decontaminate personal protective equipment after it’s been used so it can keep protecting you in the future.
Preview the first lesson free — get full access to all 6 lessons.
Course: On-Demand
Essential Provider KnowledgeCity  6 Lessons ·  15m  in English 

Course Description

Personal protective equipment is a must for working with environmental contaminants. But it’s just as important to decontaminate that equipment once it’s been used. Learn about the different decontamination procedures used at the contamination site itself, the area surrounding it, and the corridor workers use to go in and out.

In these lessons, we’ll go over the processes hazmat response teams use to establish strict access controls around contaminated sites to ensure nothing from the “hot zone” makes its way out. We’ll explain the purpose of exclusion zones and what considerations go into establishing procedures for them. We’ll also discuss procedures for contamination reduction zones—the buffer area between a contaminated site and the outside world—and the contamination reduction corridor workers use to safely enter and exit the site. Finally, we’ll describe the standard medical exam that follows when workers reach the end of the corridor.

What You'll Learn

  • Define and characterize a contamination exclusion zone
  • Establish strict access controls around contaminated sites to keep the hot zone contained
  • Apply contamination reduction zone procedures that isolate contaminants from the outside
  • Use contamination reduction corridors to safely enter and exit exclusion zones
  • Carry out decontamination of personal protective equipment after use
  • Complete the standard post-corridor medical exam for workers

Key Takeaways

  • Decontaminating personal protective equipment after use is as important as wearing it when working with environmental contaminants.
  • Hazmat response teams establish strict access controls around contaminated sites to ensure nothing from the hot zone makes its way out.
  • The contamination reduction zone is the buffer area between a contaminated site and the outside world.
  • Workers use the contamination reduction corridor to safely enter and exit the contaminated site.
  • A standard medical exam follows once workers reach the end of the contamination reduction corridor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this course cover?

It covers the decontamination procedures used at a contamination site, including exclusion zones, contamination reduction zones, the contamination reduction corridor workers use to enter and exit, and the standard medical exam that follows.

What is a contamination reduction zone?

It is the buffer area between a contaminated site and the outside world, with procedures designed to isolate contaminants from reaching the outside.

What skills will I gain?

The course builds skills in decontamination, decontamination units, hazardous material handling, the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER), and human decontamination.

How is the course structured?

It is organized into lessons covering an introduction, exclusion zone decontamination procedures, contamination reduction zone procedures, contamination reduction corridor procedures, the post-CRC medical exam, and a conclusion.

What happens at the end of the contamination reduction corridor?

Workers undergo a standard medical exam once they reach the end of the corridor.