Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
Construction and Extraction
Containment goes up before any abatement or decontamination begins. Asbestos or lead is then taken off surfaces with scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers; waste oil, fuel, radioactive materials, and contaminated soil are identified, packed, and loaded onto trucks with hoists or forklifts. Equipment and work areas are cleaned with detergents, solvents, sandblasters, or steam so they can be reused. Federal disposal rules and prescribed safety procedures apply throughout, and specialized handling training or a confined-entry permit is generally required; some assignments include earth-moving equipment or limiting contamination after an emergency. The work suits people who like careful physical work, strict procedures, and watching conditions as they change.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$49'450
Median Wage Market Position
$49'450
What you might do
- Identify asbestos, lead, and other hazardous materials
- Scrape asbestos or lead from walls and surfaces
- Build sealed containment areas before removal starts
- Pack hazardous waste for storage or transport
- Load sealed containers onto trucks with forklifts
- Clean contaminated tools so they can be reused
Skills that matter
- Building containment before abatement work
- Scraping or vacuuming asbestos and lead
- Reading federal waste-disposal rules
- Identifying hazards with monitoring devices
- Listening for changing site-safety instructions
- Deciding how to limit emergency contamination
AI & the future of this role
Removing asbestos, lead, and other hazards requires certified crews in protective gear on unpredictable job sites. Automation may assist with monitoring or paperwork, but liability and the physical cleanup itself tend to keep trained workers essential.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details