Asbestos Removal

A Beginner’s Guide On Asbestos Abatement Regulations

Asbestos Abatement Regulations 1998 were registered under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (O.C 98-730), Newfoundland and Labrador Regulation 111/98. These regulations were filed on December 23, 1998. The Lieutenant Governor in Council made these regulations, under the authority of section 65 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. These regulations were cited as the Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 1998.

The purpose of these regulations is outlined below:

1. Asbestos is a term that is used to characterize a combination of mineral silicates that are fibrous, and of six types namely:

a) Tremolite,

b) Blue crocidolite,

c) Chrysotile,

d) Actinolite,

e) Anthophylite,

f) Brown amosite.

2. The utilization of crocidolite and any other product that contains crocidolite is banned by an agreement to convention internationally.

3. Asbestos has been utilized in applications such as textiles, fireproofing, reinforcing products like structures, insulation (both acoustical and thermal) and cement pipes, and friction products, for commercial purposes.

4. Low cost and availability combined together with the properties of asbestos, like high tensile strength, structural stability at temperatures that are very high, chemical flexibility and inertness attribute to its high usage.

5. Lung cancer, mesothelioma (a pleural lining of a rare cancer) and asbestosis of the lungs are associated with exposure to asbestos fibers. The fibers are airborne. The use of asbestos is therefore, restricted in various jurisdictions.

6. A collective effort has been made, wherever products made of asbestos are still in use. The effort focuses to decrease the exposure for both, the general public as well as those people who are handling the products.

7. The regulations are developed to provide safe handling of all the procedures that involve asbestos related products, to minimize the exposure from asbestos fibers that are airborne and released by the material containing asbestos.

The application of these regulations extends to:

i) Any project, owner of project, employee and employer, contractor who is working in or on an asbestos related project, or each workplace where asbestos or material that contains asbestos is dealt with, handled, removed or disturbed that is covered under occupational safety and health legislation.

ii) The alteration, maintenance, or repair of an erection that contains asbestos and also to its owner, and to every employee and employer who is engaged in the alteration, maintenance, or repair.

iii) Each building in which asbestos containing material has been used and also its owner.

iv) The repair, maintenance or demolition of equipment, ships, aircrafts, machinery, cars, railway cars, locomotives and other vehicles that contain asbestos and also each employee and employer who are engaged in the repair, maintenance or demolition.

v) Manufacture of products or materials that contain asbestos.

vi) Any other operations that involve the risk of an exposure to the asbestos fibers that is airborne.

Those contractors or owners, to whom these regulations are applicable, should take reasonably special precautions to ensure that each worker, even those who are not an employee of the contractor or the owner, but work in the same workplace, should be protected against asbestos. These regulations shall abide by each employee to safeguard their health.

Asbestos Removal