Anyone working on maintenance and updates of plumbing and HVAC systems is likely to encounter asbestos. It wraps around pipes and elbows, it lines boiler rooms, and shows up in a host of ordinary construction materials including wallboard and ceiling tiles. In many cases, the hazardous material is safely covered and the threat to the average worker is minimal. However, plumbing and HVAC work often involves making changes to systems that may mean releasing asbestos fibres into the air. This can include sawing pipes wrapped in asbestos, cutting holes in walls, floors and ceilings that were built with asbestos-containing materials, or working on renovation projects where asbestos fibres may be present in the air. The right approach to the asbestos issue involves balance between unreasonable fear that may cause delays of projects where any risk is actually both manageable and minimal, and a careless attitude towards the very real risks of asbestos. One of the keys to finding this balance is training that provides employees with an understanding of the risks, where they may be found, and the precautions they can take to protect their health. To begin with, what is asbestos and how prevalent is it in todays buildings? Asbestos is not a single material, but rather a group of fibrous silicates. During much of the 20th century, it was considered a wonder material. Fire-resistant, it was flexible both physically and in its applications. As a result, asbestos wound up in a wide range of building materials, from floor tiles to roof drainage pipe. With a growing understanding of the health risks of asbestos, however, usage plummeted in the 1970s and 1980s to almost zero use in Canada today. However, almost any building constructed in Canada before about 1985 contains some of this hazardous material. Asbestos is now associated with a wide range of diseases, which are usually fatal and typically incurable. Many of them have long latency periods, so the full effects are only now appearing.
New rules
Better understanding of the threat posed by asbestos means that provinces have put in place new regulations on asbestos handling that have big implications for construction and maintenance projects. Most of these regulations change the definition of asbestos-containing material and raise the requirements on how it is handled. Most provinces have expanded the range of materials that must now be considered suspect regarding asbestos. In many cases, the percentage of asbestos in material that triggers the need for special handling is lower. Those who fail to change with the new environment may find work at their sites slowed or stopped by inspectors, union leaders and employees who discover suspect asbestos-containing materials that have not been identified in building assessments.
No magic bullet
The solution to asbestos is a multi-pronged approach, with all elements working in concert. Providing the right skills is one of the first lines of defence when it comes to asbestos-contaminated worksites. Even seasoned construction industry members are surprised at the sheer range of products that contain asbestos. As well as ceiling tiles and asbestos cement, asbestos is routinely found in over 3,000 products and construction materials that can range from drywall filler to floor-levelling compound. Because some manufacturers of construction materials such as drywall mud may have used significant amounts of asbestos in their products while other manufacturers of similar products did not, and distribution of those products differs across the country, asbestos-awareness training must be relevant to the local situation. Only with local knowledge can a trainer provide trainees with an understanding of the hazards they may be facing. Training needs to discuss what materials might contain asbestos, how to recognize these materials and knowing when to call in the right expertise in the form of consultants and asbestos-remediation specialists. Another way to protect employees is through protective clothing and equipment, the nature of which depends on the level of exposure. Many supervisors and management team members are unaware that cutting asbestos with power tools creates a much greater hazard than does using hand tools. The need for protective means that there is also a need to provide training in its correct use, so that workers can be protected. Other protection comes through worksite preparation, including the wetting down of the work area. More hazardous environments may involve negative pressure contained work areas. One of the biggest risks in the asbestos issue is complacence. There is an urgent need to keep training alive through refresher courses and a program that involves proper training of new employees. Complying with the new asbestos regulations is, in general, best done through becoming informed about the issues, due diligence regarding training and procedures, and commissioning the appropriate expert assistance.
Brad Kuchera is manager, health and safety training services and Christopher Nielsen is senior environmental health and safety specialist for Golder Associates Ltd., Mississauga, Ont., an international group of companies that provides ground engineering and environmental consulting services.
Useful web sites
Considerable information on asbestos and other building maladies can be found on the web site of New York building inspector Daniel Friedman at www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse/asbestoslook.htm. As well, more information on the authors and the work they do can be found at www.golder.com.
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