Description
Cal/OSHA Title 8 CCR §5192(q)(6)(B), First Responder Operations level (29 CFR 1910.120(q)(6)(ii) federally)
8 hours of instruction, including a final written exam
Employees who respond to releases or potential releases of hazardous substances to protect people, property and the environment, and who do so defensively, from a safe distance, without trying to stop the release. Examples include facility emergency teams, maintenance and operations staff, security staff, and fire, law enforcement and public works personnel.
Course Description
This course trains workers to the First Responder Operations level of HAZWOPER. Participants learn the emergency response levels and where the FRO role fits, how the Incident Command System is organized, and the defensive actions FRO responders may take to contain a release, keep it from spreading and keep people away from it.
The course covers how hazardous materials are moved and how to recognize them in transport: DOT hazard classes, placards, labels, markings, shipping papers and the shapes of transport containers. Participants practice finding information in the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG), on Safety Data Sheets and GHS labels, in NFPA 704 markings and in other reference sources, and they learn the basics of chemical properties and toxicology. The course then covers selecting and using personal protective equipment at the FRO level, and the setup and steps of emergency decontamination. It ends with a course review and a final exam.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Describe the HAZWOPER emergency response levels and the duties and limits of a First Responder Operations responder.
- Explain how the Incident Command System and the emergency response plan organize a response.
- Recognize hazardous materials using DOT hazard classes, placards, labels, shipping papers and container shapes.
- Use the ERG, Safety Data Sheets, GHS labels and NFPA 704 markings to identify hazards and set initial isolation distances.
- Apply basic chemical and toxicology terms to judge the risk of a release.
- Select the right level of PPE for FRO tasks and know its limits.
- Carry out defensive control measures and the basic steps of decontamination.
Course Modules
- Welcome and Introductions
- Hazardous Materials Transportation
- Hazardous Materials Sources of Information
- Protective Equipment
- Decontamination, Course Review and Final Exam
Participants who complete all modules and pass the final exam receive a certificate of completion for First Responder Operations training.


