Hazardous materials removal workers
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.
Hazardous materials removal workers identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. The role reports a median annual salary of $48,490 in the US. Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.43 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include contamination exposure regulations, health, safety and hygiene legislation, asbestos removal regulations, remove contaminated materials, disinfect surfaces.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £32,446 a year for Construction operatives n.e.c. (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £26,836 to £37,754 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 8159). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Craft and related trades workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Hazardous materials removal workers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 7. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Public Safety and Security
- Administration and Management
- Transportation
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Mathematics
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Hazardous materials removal workers do?
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.
How much does Hazardous materials removal workers earn?
The median annual salary for Hazardous materials removal workers in the US is $48,490.
How do I become hazardous materials removal workers?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Hazardous materials removal workers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include contamination exposure regulations, health, safety and hygiene legislation, asbestos removal regulations, remove contaminated materials, disinfect surfaces, assess contamination. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Hazardous materials removal workers?
Our AI-durability model gives Hazardous materials removal workers a score of 0.43 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Hazardous materials removal workers has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.