Shop Talk: Asbestos

Shop Talk: Asbestos

​​​​What will we do today to prev​ent an incident?


Asbestos is a strong, fire-resistant mineral fibre. In the past, asbestos was used as insulation against heat or noise, and for fireA worker removes asbestos-containing materials from a wall. protection. It was also added to materials such as cement and plaster to give them more structural strength. 

What’s the haza​​​​rd? 


Asbestos fibres are extremely hazardous to people’s health. The fibres are extremely fine and once disturbed, can stay in the air for hours. Breathing asbestos fibres may cause serious health problems, including lung disease and cancer. 

​Asbestosis is the name given to scarring and stiffening of the lungs caused by inhaling asbestos dust/fibres. Asbestosis makes breathing difficult and may lead to fatal diseases such as pneumonia and heart disease. Exposure to asbestos can also cause lung cancer and mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs and abdomen. 

​​Asbestos-related diseases usually develop many years after a person has been exposed to asbestos. The risk of developing these diseases increases with the amount of asbestos in the air you inhale and the length of time you are exposed. Smokers are at an increased risk. 

What can ha​​ppen? 

​Mike works for a construction company that performs building demolition and renovation of both residential and commercial properties. There is a high exposure to dust and scraps, and particles tend to fly around the air during active work. Mike is unaware if an asbestos inventory has been performed at his worksite, but others have told him that asbestos doesn’t look like the material he’s working with. He feels that the area is safe enough to continue working in. Once the job is finished, a fellow worker indicates to Mike that samples were collected and tested by a certified laboratory, and asbestos was found to be present in the building. Mike was possibly exposed to asbestos fibres. 

Based on the scenario above, here are four questions that could be used to spark discussion with your team: 

  1. ​Prior to starting the renovation or demolition work, has an asbestos inventory been performed on the building by a competent consultant/contractor using a certified laboratory to confirm or deny the presence of asbestos in suspect materials? 

  2. If asbestos was identified, has an asbestos control plan been developed? 

  3. Will the asbestos be removed or disposed of by competent professionals before renovation or demolition work begins? 

  4. What asbestos training has been provided to workers that will be working with or near asbestos containing material?​

What precautions can be t​aken to prevent asbestos exposures? 

​Before any work begins, here are some of the things that must be performed by a competent consultant/​contractor: 

  • Conduct an asbestos inventory - it’s up to the employer or building owner to hire a qualified company to conduct the inventory. The asbestos inventory is a living document that contains the location, condition and type of asbestos present. 

  • Laboratory analysis is the only way to confirm the presence of asbestos. Visual identification of asbestos is not an acceptable practice. 

  • Materials suspected to contain asbestos are considered asbestos containing until its presence can be determined by laboratory analysis. 

  • If asbestos is present, an asbestos control plan must be developed and include elements such as safe work procedures and emergency contact information. 

  • Notify Workplace Safety and Health about the asbestos abatement project at www.gov.mb.ca/labour/safety/permits.html​

  • Any workers working with asbestos must be trained to handle it and always wear the appropriate personal protective equipment for the job. 

  • Prior to putting on a respirator, a worker must be fit tested and trained to use it. 

Other re​​​sources: 

Check out our Asbestos Safety Topic for a variety of resources, including 10 Simple Steps to Complying with Asbestos Abatement​ and Asbestos - What You Need To Know

​Share your ideas! If you have an idea for Shop Talk that you think others would benefit from, we’d like to hear about it. Email us: information@safeworkmanitoba.ca. 

For more information: Call 204-957-SAFE (7233) or toll-free 1-855-957-SAFE (7233).​

Adapted from the 52 Tool Box Talks series developed by CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training based on NIOSH research. Adapted from resources from WorkSafeBC.​

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