Safe management of asbestos in buildings

Asbestos is a pervasive material found in many buildings constructed or refurbished prior to 1990, including schools built before that time. Exposure can occur when asbestos-containing materials are in poor condition or are disturbed through maintenance activity such as renovation or demolition, and its fibres become airborne.

An asbestos management program is essential to ensure the risk of exposure is safely managed where asbestos is present in a particular building. British Columbia’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation requires that every employer manage any asbestos that may be present in their workplace.

“Educational facilities managers have a pivotal role in ensuring their employers have a robust asbestos management program that is up-to-date and regularly re-visited,” says Dan Strand, WorkSafeBC’s director of prevention field services. “There are a range of prevention tools available to employers so they can understand and manage the existence of asbestos in their buildings, so that all workers are aware and protected under any and all work circumstances.”

Asbestos can be found in a range of building materials, including, but not limited to vinyl floor tiles, sheet linoleum, roofing materials, stucco, vermiculite insulation, pipe insulation, and materials applied to gypsum board on walls and ceilings. The effects of exposure to asbestos can cause long-term health issues and can even be life threatening.

WorkSafeBC provides guidelines and online resources to help protect workers from

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exposure of asbestos and other hazardous materials on its website at www.worksafebc. com/en/health-safety/hazards-exposures/ asbestos.

You can also visit hiddenkiller.ca for more information on the risks associated with asbestos exposure. Diseases caused by exposure to asbestos remain the top occupational killer in B.C. and workers can be exposed while renovating or demolishing older buildings if an effective asbestos management plan is not in place.

Additional online resources and examples of asbestos management programs that have been developed and implemented in school districts throughout the province can be found through the B.C. Public School Employers Association’s website at www.bcpsea.bc.ca/bc-support-staff/workplace-safety. aspx.

WorkSafeBC is an independent provincial statutory agency governed by a board of directors that serves about 2.2 million workers and more than 225,000 registered employers. WorkSafeBC was born from the historic compromise between B.C.’s workers and employers in 1917 where workers gave up the right to sue their employers and fellow workers for injuries on the job in return for a no-fault insurance program fully paid for by employers. WorkSafeBC is committed to safe and healthy workplaces and to providing return-to-work rehabilitation and legislated compensation benefits. n