Asbestos Remediation

Asbestos remediation begins with a clear understanding of where asbestos-containing material may be present, what work could disturb it and how the work area will be controlled. Total Group HSE provides asbestos identification, containment and removal/remediation support for clients planning maintenance, renovation, demolition or other work where asbestos may be involved.

Asbestos can remain in older building and equipment materials. Drilling, sawing, sanding, scraping, breaking or removing those materials can release fibres into the air. Health Canada advises avoiding disturbance of suspected asbestos and engaging qualified professionals for testing and removal where asbestos is found. Health Canada: Asbestos and your health

Plan the work before materials are disturbed

A practical project review should establish the site and employment jurisdictions, the party controlling the work, the locations and condition of suspected or confirmed asbestos-containing material, and the tasks that could disturb it. It should also identify who will assess the hazard, define the work method, control access, coordinate other contractors and manage waste. The required roles and records can differ between provincial, territorial and federally regulated workplaces.

For federally regulated workplaces, the federal technical guideline describes a hazard investigation before work on suspected asbestos-containing material, a risk classification by a qualified person, identification and labelling of material that is exposed or will be disturbed, and controls for friable material such as removal, enclosure or encapsulation. It also describes an employer asbestos exposure control plan covering roles, training, work initiation, emergencies, air sampling, labelling and the workplace asbestos inventory. Employment and Social Development Canada: Technical guideline to asbestos exposure management programs

Containment and removal considerations

The work plan should match the controls to the material, its condition and the task. Depending on the assessment and the applicable rules, this may involve a defined and barricaded work area, restricted access, sealed openings, dust and fibre controls, protective equipment, decontamination arrangements, air monitoring and a documented waste route. These are planning considerations, not a substitute for the governing legislation, a qualified assessment or the site’s approved procedures.

Where asbestos is encountered unexpectedly, stop the activity that could disturb it, keep people out of the affected area and obtain the assessment and direction required for the site. Do not assume that a material is safe because it looks intact or because a similar material was previously cleared. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety identifies containment, task-specific instructions, exposure monitoring, decontamination and asbestos-waste procedures as elements of an asbestos control programme. CCOHS: Asbestos - Control Strategies for Workplaces

Alberta requirements and other jurisdictions

For an Alberta workplace, the Occupational Health and Safety Code, Alberta Regulation 191/2021, contains specific asbestos provisions in Part 4, including restricted areas, release controls, encapsulation, enclosure or removal, project notification, worker training and asbestos-waste containment. Alberta employers planning work where asbestos may be disturbed must notify Occupational Health and Safety at least 72 hours before activities that may release fibres; the notification is not an approval of the work procedures. Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code Alberta asbestos project notification

Alberta’s Asbestos Abatement Manual is government guidance that explains abatement procedures, sampling and analysis, air monitoring, waste handling and work-site roles. It should be read with the current Alberta OHS legislation and the project’s own requirements. Other provinces, territories, federal undertakings, owners and clients may apply different classifications, notices, training rules, exposure limits, disposal requirements or clearance processes. Confirm the controlling framework before work begins. Alberta Asbestos Abatement Manual

Documentation that supports a controlled project

Depending on the job and jurisdiction, the project file may need an asbestos survey or hazard investigation, sampling or laboratory records, a risk assessment, work procedures, exposure control plan, worker training records, notifications, containment and air-monitoring records, waste manifests and completion or clearance documentation. The project owner, employer, prime contractor, assessor, remediation contractor and laboratory should each be identified with clear responsibilities. The final record should state what was assessed, what was removed or left in place, where controls applied and what remains for future work.

Total Group can review the work area, planned activity, known asbestos information and jurisdiction with you before the next step is set. Contact the team to discuss the site conditions, the material that may be affected, the work schedule and the documentation your project requires. A project-specific scope, qualified assessment and applicable authority requirements should be confirmed before asbestos is disturbed.