Many homes built up until 1990 used products containing asbestos. Before you begin renovations or start demolishing an older home, WorkSafeBC requires following these guidelines to ensure the safe detection & removal of asbestos.
10 Steps to Asbestos Abatement Compliance
1 A pre-1990 house/building is to be demolished or renovated.
2 The building owner (or owner’s representative) or the employer (e.g., builder, demolition contractor) retains a
qualified person (usually a consultant) to perform a risk assessment and asbestos survey before conducting work where asbestos may be disturbed.
3 The qualified person inspects the house/building, collects representative bulk samples, and has the samples analyzed by a qualified laboratory.
4 The qualified person prepares a report that identifies all inspection results (including drawings, plans, or specifications), risk assessment, and scope of work for the abatement of the asbestos.
5 The report containing the inspection results is provided to the owner/employer. The inspection results must be available at the worksite whenever workers are on site.
6 The owner or employer retains trained asbestos abatement workers. A notice of project (NOP) with written work procedures is submitted to WorkSafeBC before commencement of asbestos removal work.
7 Safe removal and disposal of identified asbestos occurs.
8 After the asbestos removal the owner or employer receives written confirmation that the asbestos specified for removal on the NOP has been removed. A copy of the inspection results is on site.
9 The owner authorizes demolition of the house/building to proceed. The demolition employer proceeds to demolish house using safe work procedures. Copies of inspection results and post-abatement reports are on site.
10 If any asbestos is found during demolition, all work is to cease until a risk assessment is done and the asbestos is safely contained or removed. In this case, go back to step 7.
Conduct a Visual Inspection for Asbestos in Your Home?
