New Training and Certification Requirements for Working With Asbestos

The provincial government has introduced new protections to help keep workers safe from the danger of asbestos │ Workers Compensation Amendment,  BILL 5, 2022 

In BC, the Workers Compensation Act has been amended with the above-noted Bill to make it a legal requirement for those working with asbestos to be properly trained, certified and licensed. Under these new requirements asbestos abatement contractors must be licensed to operate in British Columbia, and anyone performing asbestos abatement work must complete mandatory safety training and obtain certificates.

Licensing

Any employer conducting asbestos abatement work in relation to buildings will need a licence to do this work. This includes the following types of work:

• Removing asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) from buildings as part of renovation, restoration, or demolition
• Removing ACMs from buildings as a consequence of a hazardous materials inspection
• Conducting asbestos abatement work during the course of work in another industry (e.g., plumbing, flooring)
• Transporting and/or disposing of asbestos waste
• Performing asbestos surveys

WORKER Certification

Any worker conducting asbestos abatement work must be certified, even in situations where a licence is not needed.

Asbestos abatement employers will need to ensure their workers are certified to the appropriate level. The level of certification required depends on the type of asbestos work being done:

• Level 1: Foundational Awareness — for anyone transporting and disposing of asbestos-containing waste
• Level 2: Asbestos Safety — for anyone conducting asbestos abatement work
• Level 3: Asbestos Safety Leader — for supervisors and others responsible for health and safety at asbestos abatement worksites
• Level S: Surveyor Safety — for asbestos surveyors

Asbestos Training and Certification 

Asbestos abatement requires a thorough understanding of many special abatement techniques with work being carried out by competent persons who have sufficient multi-disciplinary training, experience and knowledge appropriate to the nature of the work to be undertaken. Enviro-Vac’s focus on dual-training spans decades and maximizes individual worker potential creating a work environment that promotes and rewards long-term loyalty where trainees are paid for their time, including a structured, multi-tiered in class training system.

As experts in the field of asbestos removal, decontamination, and remediation, our company has long been a proponent of multi-tiered worker training programs that include mandatory certification and licensing requirements for reputable companies. Companies working in the hazardous materials abatement industry should be pre-qualified with the various networks who offer the most comprehensive contractor database and management tools available in the Canadian market.

 Enviro-Vac is one of the oldest privately owned environmental contractors in Canada. They offer full suite of services in hazardous materials abatement and decontamination including shrink- wrap containments and are available to work both small and large- scale projects across Canada. The head office is based in Surrey, BC. 

If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about hazardous materials abatement, decontamination or shrink-wrap solutions, please call us on our toll-free number, (888) 296-2499.