Company w/ tremendous potential hobbled by bloated bureaucracy, finger-pointing middle management unable to execute. - Anonymous employee Clean Harbors Employee Review

2.0
Feb 13, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Ability for an entry-level person to learn a tremendous amount technically and have exposure to a wide variety of industries and practices. Very challenging work environments posed by outside influences (customers, weather, regulatory agencies) can lead to tremendously close friendships with your coworkers. Opportunity to network in other organizations if you desire.

Cons

Frightening safety vs. profits doublethink. Everyone from the top down will, (sincerely, very often) talk about how safety is priority #1 but will silently encourage squeezing every last drop of blood from the stone. Various parts of management play games to finesse EBITDA figures, leading to junkyard, noncompliant facilities and the financial left hand not knowing what the right is doing. Glengarry Glen Ross sales climate results. The fecal material rolling down hill has no rolling resistance whatsoever in this company, there is a basic failure to lead in middle management, especially. Promotions can be hard to come by and seem arbitrary, compensation and employee development are well behind the curve/industry standard and are low-priority. Example: during the post-Deepwater Horizon period, an event which profited Clean Harbors ~70million dollars per quarter (publicly available estimate, see http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2010/06/18/174703/bp-contractor-army/ )immediately after the disaster, CHES was able to emplace employees numbering in the thousands to help clean up-in months. CHES was still working on reviewing its pay scales after a years-long study/delay.

Explore other reviews about Clean Harbors

5.0
Apr 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Pay, pto, alot training work schedule have off 6 days in a row every month

Cons

Work with all kinds of chemicals

2.0
Jun 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Plenty of hours between 75 to 80 hours a week minimum. Good place to get experience as a stepping stone.

Cons

You're always on call it is mandatory that you work three weekends a month both Saturday and Sunday including the 5-day work weeks Monday through Friday Technician. As a coordinator you work 6 day work weeks Sunday through Friday you only get Saturdays off it's a salary based position so you get no compensation if you work over 8 hours a day as a coordinator and you will work more than 8 hours a day your minimum will be 12 to 14 hours a day up to a maximum of 18 hours a day regularly.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All