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Hazardous Materials Removal Workers in Colorado

Considering working as a Hazardous Materials Removal Workers in Colorado? Below are the key facts. 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.

What do Hazardous Materials Removal Workers Make in Colorado?

For a hazardous materials removal workers working in Colorado, the typical annual salary is $58,790 per year (or roughly $28.27/hour).Earnings range from $43,140 at the 10th percentile to $75,290 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$43,140	$20.74
25th percentile	$46,800	$22.50
Median (50th)	$58,790	$28.27
75th percentile	$68,390	$32.88
90th percentile	$75,290	$36.20

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Colorado relative to the national average — is 2.06, indicating that hazardous materials removal workers are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, hazardous materials removal workers earn a median of $31,832 per year ($15.30/hour), above the Colorado median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 380,120 hazardous materials removal workers nationwide. In Colorado alone, approximately 1,950 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 610 hazardous materials removal workers.

Top Colorado Metros for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

The metro areas below employ the most hazardous materials removal workers in Colorado.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	1,060	$58,790
Colorado Springs, CO	160	$51,660
Boulder, CO	40	$46,020

Top States for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers Employment

The table below shows the states where the most hazardous materials removal workers work.

State	Number Employed
California	7,950
New York	3,660
Texas	3,260
Washington	2,850
Massachusetts	2,550
Florida	2,300
New Jersey	2,090
Colorado	1,950
Illinois	1,810
Pennsylvania	1,600
Virginia	1,290
Oregon	1,230
North Carolina	1,210
Ohio	1,160
Louisiana	1,020
Michigan	960
New Mexico	940
South Carolina	870
Maryland	830
Indiana	800

Highest-Paying States for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

The highest-paying states for hazardous materials removal workers.

State	Annual Median Salary
Tennessee	$65,080
Minnesota	$63,560
New York	$62,610
Idaho	$61,230
New Hampshire	$60,540
Washington	$59,840
Colorado	$58,790
District of Columbia	$58,490
Hawaii	$56,100
New Jersey	$56,040

Skills

Key hazardous materials removal workers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for hazardous materials removal workers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• 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.
• Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
• Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
• Load or unload materials into containers or onto trucks, using hoists or forklifts.
• Clean contaminated equipment or areas for reuse, using detergents or solvents, sandblasters, filter pumps, or steam cleaners.
• Remove or limit contamination following emergencies involving hazardous substances.
• Clean mold-contaminated sites by removing damaged porous materials or thoroughly cleaning all contaminated nonporous materials.
• Operate machines or equipment to remove, package, store, or transport loads of waste materials.
• Record numbers of containers stored at disposal sites, specifying amounts or types of equipment or waste disposed.
• Sort specialized hazardous waste at landfills or disposal centers, following proper disposal procedures.

Work Activities

• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Getting Information
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Processing Information

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Jenkins CI

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

• Environmental Control Technology

Related Careers

Careers similar to hazardous materials removal workers include:

• Environmental Engineers
• Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
• Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians
• Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
• Nuclear Monitoring Technicians
• Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

Also Known As

Abatement Worker, Asbestos Abatement Worker, Asbestos Coverer, Asbestos Handler, Asbestos Hazard Abatement Worker, Asbestos Remover, Asbestos Technician, Asbestos Worker, Decontamination Worker, Decontamination and Decommissioning Operator (D and D Operator), Disaster Restoration Technician, Hazard Waste Handler, Hazardous Material Specialist, Hazardous Materials Driver (Hazmat Driver), Hazardous Materials Handler.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-4041.00