# Hazardous Materials Worker Health and Safety Training (U45)

> **NIH NIH U45** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $200,000

## Abstract

Overall Program Summary/Abstract
The overall goal of the Western Region Universities Consortium (WRUC) training program is to
protect workers and communities from exposure to hazardous materials and hazardous waste;
to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies/disasters; and to create
pathways to careers in the environmental field and construction industry. WRUC programs are
delivered in EPA Regions IX and X through the UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health
Program (UCLA-LOSH) as the lead institution, UC Berkeley's Labor Occupational Health
Program (UCB-LOHP), Arizona State University's Fulton Schools of Engineering,
Environmental & Resource Management Program (ASU), and University of Washington's
Northwest Center for Occupational Health & Safety (UW). The Consortium has developed model
programs since 1987 and will continue to do so in the coming five years through three NIEHS
components: Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program (HWWTP), Hazard Disaster
Preparedness Training Program (HDPTP) and Environmental Career Worker Training Program
(ECWTP). WRUC will train 15,295 workers and community members in 1,250 courses for a total
of 314,740 contact hours. Courses address hazards to workers in hazardous waste cleanup and
hazmat treatment, storage, transport and disposal operations; strengthen emergency response,
disaster prevention, preparedness, response and recovery activities; and provide job readiness
and life skills. WRUC will expand outreach to underserved populations; respond to new and
emerging hazards; build capacity to sustain training activities, safety and emergency response
programs; and support a national network of HAZWOPER trainers and emergency responders.
A Safe Jobs Safe Communities initiative for California refinery workers and those in
surrounding communities can serve as a model beyond the region. 1) HWWTP activities will
reach 11,115 hazardous materials and waste workers and supervisors throughout the region and
strengthen emergency response capacity on the US-Mexico border, among tribal groups and in
the Pacific Islands. A climate change initiative incorporates technology to reach day laborers and
the large Spanish-speaking outdoor workforce. 2) HDPT activities will reach 3,575 workers
and community members through partnerships with tribal groups in Alaska and the Pacific
Northwest and with labor and community environmental justice groups in California, home to
the nation's largest ports complex and high concentrations of refineries and chemical facilities.
3) ECWTP activities in Los Angeles, Seattle and Portland will train and place 605 workers in
construction and environmental jobs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10218365
- **Project number:** 3U45ES006173-29S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Kevin William Riley
- **Activity code:** U45 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $200,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 1992-09-01 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10218365

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10218365, Hazardous Materials Worker Health and Safety Training (U45) (3U45ES006173-29S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10218365. Licensed CC0.

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