Asbestos removal worker vs decontamination/decommissioning operator

The differences between asbestos removal workers and decontamination/decommissioning operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an asbestos removal worker and a decontamination/decommissioning operator. Additionally, an asbestos removal worker has an average salary of $47,933, which is higher than the $38,834 average annual salary of a decontamination/decommissioning operator.

The top three skills for an asbestos removal worker include asbestos, snow removal and sidewalks. The most important skills for a decontamination/decommissioning operator are demolition, radioactive waste, and .

Asbestos removal worker vs decontamination/decommissioning operator overview

	Asbestos Removal Worker	Decontamination/Decommissioning Operator
Yearly salary	$47,933	$38,834
Hourly rate	$23.04	$18.67
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	19,476	30,316
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 59%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

Asbestos removal worker vs decontamination/decommissioning operator salary

Asbestos removal workers and decontamination/decommissioning operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Asbestos Removal Worker	Decontamination/Decommissioning Operator
Average salary	$47,933	$38,834
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $89,000	Between $26,000 And $56,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between asbestos removal worker and decontamination/decommissioning operator education

There are a few differences between an asbestos removal worker and a decontamination/decommissioning operator in terms of educational background:

	Asbestos Removal Worker	Decontamination/Decommissioning Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 59%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Asbestos removal worker vs decontamination/decommissioning operator demographics

Here are the differences between asbestos removal workers' and decontamination/decommissioning operators' demographics:

	Asbestos Removal Worker	Decontamination/Decommissioning Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3%	Male, 78.9% Female, 21.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 24.3% Asian, 2.1% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.0%	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 29.4% Asian, 1.9% White, 51.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between asbestos removal worker and decontamination/decommissioning operator duties and responsibilities

Asbestos removal worker example responsibilities.

Perform demolition and deconstruction work.
Perform deconstruction and demolition of buildings as desired.
Construct scaffolding or build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
Apply shingles, gravel and asphalt.

Decontamination/decommissioning operator example responsibilities.

Manage day-to-day transportation and logistics services for multinational account base.
Follow all company safety rules; utilize all require safety equipment.
Work in all levels of personal protective equipment; follow all standard operating procedures to maintain clean and safe work environment.
Perform various radiological control demolition inside and out side facility utilizing a broad range of tooling and containments.
Monitor combat missions through satellite and computer global positioning systems in order to prepare accurate reports for unit commanders.
Operate monitoring systems for various demil and recycle equipment via remote cameras and computer data output.

Asbestos removal worker vs decontamination/decommissioning operator skills

Common asbestos removal worker skills

Asbestos, 24%
Snow Removal, 18%
Sidewalks, 17%
Scaffolding, 11%
Demolition, 9%
Shovels, 5%

Common decontamination/decommissioning operator skills

Demolition, 57%
Radioactive Waste, 43%

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Asbestos Removal Worker
Asbestos Removal Worker vs Decontamination/Decommissioning Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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