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Waste & RecyclingDecontamination Line Steps
Twenty flashcards on the federal decontamination rules and the order of stations in a decontamination line, from the HAZWOPER rule and the federal guidance manual.
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20 cards
- When must the decontamination procedure be ready?
- It must be developed, explained to employees and in use before anyone or any equipment enters areas with possible exposure.
- Who must be decontaminated when leaving a contaminated area?
- All employees; contaminated clothing and equipment must be disposed of or decontaminated.
- Who checks that decontamination works?
- The site safety and health supervisor, who fixes any problems found.
- Where should decontamination be done?
- In areas that keep clean people and equipment away from contaminated people and equipment.
- Clothing that isn't impermeable gets wet with a hazardous substance. What now?
- Take it off right away and go shower; the clothing is disposed of or decontaminated before it leaves the work zone.
- What happens to decontamination equipment and solvents?
- They are decontaminated or disposed of properly too.
- What must commercial laundries cleaning protective clothing be told?
- The potentially harmful effects of exposure to the hazardous substances.
- What is the first step in decontamination?
- Standard operating procedures that keep contact with waste low, such as not walking through visible contamination.
- How do you dress before entering the Exclusion Zone?
- Close every fastener, tuck gloves and boots under sleeves and pant legs, wear the hood outside the collar, and tape the joints.
- Where are decontamination facilities located?
- In the Contamination Reduction Zone, between the Exclusion Zone and the Support Zone.
- What is a decontamination line?
- The sequence of stations, each one doing a single step, set up to prevent cross contamination.
- In what order are items removed and stations arranged?
- Outer, dirtier items like outer boots and gloves first, then inner ones; stations go from most to least contaminated, ideally in a straight line.
- How many stations does the maximum decontamination procedure have?
- Nineteen stations, for all levels of protection; each stresses one aspect of decontamination.
- Station 1 of the decontamination line?
- Segregated equipment drop: tools, samplers, instruments and radios go on plastic drop cloths or in lined containers.
- A worker only needs a new air tank. Where does decontamination stop?
- At the tank change station: tank swapped, new outer gloves and boot covers, joints taped, back to work.
- How is the facepiece removed?
- It goes into a lined container, without touching the face with the fingers.
- Why not wear inner clothing off site?
- Small amounts of contaminants may have transferred to it while removing the suit; it goes into a lined container.
- When is a shower called for at the end of the line?
- If highly toxic, skin-corrosive or skin-absorbable materials are known or suspected; if there's no shower, wash hands and face.
- How many stations does minimum Level A decontamination have?
- 7, ending with a field wash of hands and face and a shower as soon as possible.
- What replaces the tank change in maximum Level C decontamination?
- A canister or mask change; that line has 18 stations.
Official sources
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), via GovInfo (GPO)
29 CFR 1910.120: Hazardous waste operations and emergency response (CFR 2025 edition)
NIOSH, OSHA, U.S. Coast Guard and EPA, via osha.gov
Occupational Safety and Health Guidance Manual for Hazardous Waste Site Activities (NIOSH 85-115, 1985)
Making Synapses is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by OSHA, NIOSH, EPA or any HAZWOPER training provider. Agency and rule names are named only to describe the content.