Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304)

DIVISION IIHazardous Substances Other than Hazardous Products

Asbestos Exposure Management Program

Asbestos-containing Material

• 10.26.1 (1) If asbestos-containing material is present in a work place and there is the potential for a release of asbestos fibres or employee exposure to asbestos fibres, an employer shall ensure that the qualified person who is carrying out a hazard investigation under section 10.4 takes into consideration the type of asbestos, the condition of the asbestos-containing material, the friability of the asbestos-containing material, the accessibility to and likelihood of damage to the asbestos-containing material and the potential for the release of asbestos fibres and employee exposure to asbestos fibres.

• (2) At the completion of an investigation carried out under section 10.4, the employer shall ensure that a record of the location, friability and condition of the asbestos-containing material and the type of asbestos contained in that material is kept and made readily available for examination by employees and is in any form as determined in consultation with the policy committee or, if there is no policy committee, the work place committee or the health and safety representative.

Asbestos Exposure Control Plan

10.26.2 Before undertaking any work activity that involves asbestos-containing material, an employer shall, in consultation with the policy committee or, if there is no policy committee, the work place committee or the health and safety representative, develop, implement and administer an asbestos exposure control plan that requires the employer to

• (a) ensure that a hazard investigation under section 10.4 has been carried out by a qualified person and, in the event that there is a change in the work activity, review any report that was prepared as a result of the investigation and, if necessary, have a qualified person carry out another investigation;

• (b) ensure that a qualified person classifies the work activity as a low-risk activity, moderate-risk activity or high-risk activity;

• (c) ensure that all asbestos-containing material present in the work place that is exposed or that will be disturbed is identified by signs and labels or by any other effective manner;

• (d) ensure that all friable asbestos-containing material present in the work place is controlled by removal, enclosure or encapsulation or by any other effective manner to prevent employee exposure to asbestos;

• (e) ensure that procedures and control measures for moderate-risk activities and high-risk activities are developed and implemented; and

• (f) develop and implement an employee education and training program that is specific to asbestos-containing material.

10.26.3 If an employee who is undertaking automotive service procedures may be exposed to asbestos from friction material or dust arising from that material, an employer shall ensure that

• (a) the use of compressed air, brushes or similar means to dry-remove friction material dust from automotive assemblies is prohibited; and

• (b) signs to advise employees of the hazards and required precautions are posted in service work areas where friction material is handled or dust arising from that material is generated.

Asbestos Dust, Waste and Debris Removal

• 10.26.4 (1) During any work activities that involve friable asbestos-containing materials, an employer shall ensure that the following activities are carried out frequently and at regular intervals as determined by a qualified person, at the end of each work shift and immediately after the work activity is completed:

  • (a) all asbestos dust, waste and debris are removed by vacuuming with a vacuum cleaner that is equipped with a HEPA filter, damp-mopping or wet-sweeping the area that is contaminated with the asbestos dust, waste or debris; and

  • (b) any drop sheets that are contaminated with asbestos dust, waste or debris are wetted.

• (2) All asbestos dust, waste or debris and any drop sheets that are contaminated with asbestos dust, waste or debris shall be placed in a container referred to in section 10.26.11.

10.26.5 If a glove bag is used for the removal of asbestos insulation from pipes, ducts and similar structures, an employer shall ensure that

• (a) the glove bag is sealed to prevent the release of asbestos fibres into the work area;

• (b) the glove bag is inspected for damage or defects immediately before it is attached to the pipe, duct or similar structure and at regular intervals during its use;

• (c) all waste from asbestos-containing material that is on surfaces is washed to the bottom of the glove bag and all exposed asbestos-containing material is encapsulated when it is inside the glove bag;

• (d) the glove bag is evacuated using a vacuum cleaner that is equipped with a HEPA filter to remove the air inside the bag prior to the removal of the glove bag; and

• (e) after the glove bag is removed, all exposed surfaces are cleaned with a damp cloth and a vacuum cleaner that is equipped with a HEPA filter.

Decontamination

• 10.26.6 (1) Before leaving a work area that is contaminated with asbestos-containing material, an employee shall

  • (a) if their protective clothing is to be reused, decontaminate the clothing with a damp cloth or a vacuum cleaner that is equipped with a HEPA filter before taking the clothing off; or

  • (b) if their protective clothing is not to be reused, place the clothing in a container referred to in section 10.26.11.

• (2) An employer shall provide employees with a facility reserved for washing their hands and face, and employees shall wash their hands and face using that facility before leaving a work area that is contaminated with asbestos-containing material.

10.26.7 As soon as feasible after any work activity that involves asbestos-containing material is completed, an employee shall clean reusable tools, equipment, rigid barriers and portable enclosures that are contaminated with asbestos with a damp cloth or a vacuum cleaner that is equipped with a HEPA filter.

Air Sampling

• 10.26.8 (1) An employer shall ensure that a qualified person takes air samples to test for airborne asbestos fibres

  • (a) in the vicinity of the containment system during any work activity that involves asbestos-containing material and, in the case of a work activity that lasts longer than 24 hours, at least daily;

  • (b) in the clean room during removal and clean-up operations and, in the case of removal and clean-up operations that last longer than 24 hours, at least daily; and

  • (c) in contaminated areas that are inside the containment system as necessary during removal and clean-up operations.

• (2) The employer shall ensure that the following air samples are taken:

  • (a) two samples for every area in an enclosure that is 10 m² or less;

  • (b) three samples for every area in an enclosure that is more than 10 m² and not more than 500 m²; and

  • (c) five samples for every area in an enclosure that is more than 500 m².

• (3) Within 24 hours after obtaining the air sampling test results, the employer shall

  • (a) post a copy of the results in a conspicuous place in the work place; and

  • (b) make the results available to the policy committee, if any, the work place committee and the health and safety representative.

Clearance Air Sampling

• 10.26.9 (1) Before dismantling a containment system and after all asbestos dust, waste and debris have been cleaned up, removed or encapsulated, an employer shall ensure that clearance air samples are taken inside the enclosure and that the concentration of airborne asbestos fibres is determined in accordance with Method 7400 set out in the document entitled NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods, published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, as amended from time to time, or in accordance with a scientifically proven method used to collect and analyze a representative sample of airborne asbestos fibres.

• (2) When conducting clearance air sampling, the employer shall ensure that forced air is used inside the enclosure to dislodge any asbestos fibres from all surfaces and keep them airborne.

• (3) Clearance air sampling shall be taken until the concentrations of airborne asbestos fibres do not exceed the values referred to in subsection 10.19(1.1).

10.26.10 Within 24 hours after obtaining the clearance air sampling test results, the employer shall

• (a) post a copy of the results in a conspicuous place in the work place; and

• (b) make the results available to the policy committee, if any, the work place committee and the health and safety representative, and provide a copy of the results to the Head of Compliance and Enforcement.

Containers for Asbestos Dust, Waste and Debris

10.26.11 Containers for the containment of asbestos dust, waste and debris and asbestos-containing material shall be

• (a) dust-tight;

• (b) suitable to contain asbestos dust, waste or debris;

• (c) impervious to asbestos;

• (d) identified as containing asbestos dust, waste or debris;

• (e) cleaned with a damp cloth or a vacuum cleaner that is equipped with a HEPA filter immediately before being removed from the work area; and

• (f) removed from the work place frequently and at regular intervals as determined by a qualified person.

Identification

10.27 Every container of a hazardous substance, other than a hazardous product, that is stored, handled, used or disposed of in the work place shall be labelled in a manner that discloses clearly

• (a) the generic name of the substance; and

• (b) the hazard information in respect of the substance.

10.28 If a safety data sheet in respect of a hazardous substance, other than a hazardous product, that is stored, handled or used in the work place may be obtained from the supplier of the hazardous substance, the employer shall

• (a) obtain a copy of the safety data sheet; and

• (b) keep the copy of the safety data sheet readily available for examination by employees in any form, as determined in consultation with the policy committee or, if there is no policy committee, the work place committee or the health and safety representative.

DIVISION IIIHazardous Products

Interpretation

10.29 In this Division,

bulk shipment

bulk shipment has the same meaning as in subsection 5.5(1) of the Hazardous Products Regulations; (expédition en vrac)

container

container means any package or receptacle, including a bag, barrel, bottle, box, can, cylinder, drum and storage tank; (contenant)

fugitive emission

fugitive emission means a hazardous product in gas, liquid, solid, vapour, fume, mist, fog or dust form that escapes from processing equipment, from control emission equipment or from a product into the work place; (émission fugitive)

hazardous waste

hazardous waste means a hazardous product that is acquired or generated for recycling or recovery or is intended for disposal; (résidu dangereux)

laboratory sample

laboratory sample has the same meaning as in subsection 5(1) of the Hazardous Products Regulations; (échantillon pour laboratoire)

manufactured article

manufactured article[Repealed, SOR/2016-141, s. 10]

research and development

research and development, in respect of a hazardous product, means systematic investigation or search carried out in a field of science or technology by means of experiment or analysis, other than investigation or search in respect of market research, sales promotion, quality control or routine testing of hazardous products, and includes

• (a) applied research, namely, work undertaken for the advancement of scientific knowledge with a specific practical application in view, and

• (b) development, namely, use of the results of applied research for the purpose of creating new, or improving existing, processes or hazardous products; (recherche et développement)

risk phrase

risk phrase, in respect of a hazardous product, means a statement identifying a hazard that may arise from the exposure to the hazardous product; (mention de risque)

sale

sale includes offer for sale, expose for sale and distribute; (vente)

significant new data

significant new data has the same meaning as in subsection 5.12(1) of the Hazardous Products Regulations; (nouvelles données importantes)

supplier label

supplier label means a label prepared by a supplier that discloses any information elements required by the Hazardous Products Act; (étiquette du fournisseur)

supplier material safety data sheet

supplier material safety data sheet[Repealed, SOR/2016-141, s. 10]

supplier safety data sheet

supplier safety data sheet means a safety data sheet prepared by a supplier that discloses any information elements required by the Hazardous Products Act; (fiche de données de sécurité du fournisseur)

work place label

work place label means a label prepared by an employer in accordance with this Division; (étiquette du lieu de travail)

work place material safety data sheet

work place material safety data sheet[Repealed, SOR/2016-141, s. 10]

work place safety data sheet

work place safety data sheet means a safety data sheet prepared by an employer in accordance with subsection 10.33(1) or (2). (fiche de données de sécurité du lieu de travail)