Worker Training Program (WTP)

Worker Training Program (WTP) is sponsored by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIEHS invites applications for cooperative agreements to support the development of model programs for the training and education of workers engaged in activities related to hazardous materials and waste generation, removal, containment, transportation, and emergency response.

About the Worker Training Program (WTP) | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document Your Environment. Your Health.

About the Worker Training Program (WTP) Close the left navigation (Photo courtesy of Alabama Fire College) Improving Worker and Public Health Work is a social determinant of health – this means that the conditions in which people work influence their health and shape their daily lives. The NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP) is committed to improving the health and well-being of workers and ensuring that workplace conditions are safe.

Since 1987, WTP has trained more than 5 million workers in the U.S. and surrounding territories, providing them with proper training and education, and empowering them with knowledge and skills to safely handle or remove hazardous materials.

Workplace hazards often change based on the economy, weather-related events, or public health emergencies, so having a nationally coordinated network of local training providers is essential to ensure the quality, timeliness, and efficiency of training efforts.

For example, WTP coordinated a swift pandemic response (3MB) and delivered in-person and online training courses to essential workers in health care, transportation, and other industries throughout the US. As of 2024, the U.S. workforce includes nearly 168 million people, and this number is projected to grow rapidly by 2030. Compared to past decades, many people are entering the workforce at a younger age.

Regardless of age, language, and occupational sector, WTP helps ensure that workers have access to training and resources to protect themselves, their colleagues, and communities from harmful exposures. High-quality Training Network WTP funds a network of nonprofit organizations , or award recipients, that deliver high-quality, evidence-based safety and health trainings.

These include labor-based health and safety organizations and academic institutions who understand the specific needs of their local communities and are committed to protecting the safety, health, and well-being of workers.

WTP award recipients were originally charged with developing safety and health training for workers engaged in activities related to hazardous materials and waste generation, removal, containment, transportation, and emergency response.

Today, these organizations train workers in all types of workplace settings including those involved in construction, disaster response and cleanup, health care, agriculture, chemical and manufacturing facilities, transportation, and more. Training reaches workers of all ages, ranging from full-time, permanent workers to seasonal and temporary workers.

WTP award recipients give workers and their employers access to reliable tools, content, curricula, resources, web- and classroom-based materials.

Training is delivered under the following program areas : Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program Environmental Career Worker Training Program Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Disaster Preparedness Training Program SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT Program NIEHS/U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Worker Training Program Infectious Disease and Biological Hazards Training WTP uses an all-hazards approach for training.

This means that training covers existing, emerging, and unknown threats, as well as disaster-specific hazards. For example, while the risks of exposure to lead and asbestos are well known, the hazards associated with other products like lithium-ion batteries are emerging and still being explored. Infectious disease variants are also an emerging concern.

Natural disasters like floods, wildfires, and hurricanes pose unique and sometimes unpredictable challenges for worker health and safety. Manmade disasters such as the East Palestine train derailment are a growing concern as the production and transport of hazardous materials continues to expand in several regions. The all-hazards approach is crucial because it aims to cover all conditions and environments that workers may face.

WTP supports the development of training and curricula that help employers meet federal standards mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This includes, but is not limited to, OSHA’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standard and EPA’s standards for hazardous waste operations and emergency response .

Resources for the Health and Safety Community WTP also funds the National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training , a national resource hub for worker curricula, technical reports, and weekly news on hazardous materials, waste operations, emergency response, and ongoing workplace hazards and controls.

The National Clearinghouse supports the efforts of WTP staff and award recipients in providing accurate and consistent health and safety training to workers engaged in activities related to hazardous materials and waste generation, removal, containment, transportation, and emergency response. Last Reviewed: December 04, 2025