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Asbestos licensing and certification now required
New rules to enhance safety for workers doing asbestos removal, transportation and disposal came into effect Jan. 1.
The rules require asbestos-abatement employers to be licensed and ensure their workers are certified to perform this work. B.C. is the first jurisdiction in Canada to enforce a formal licensing program related to asbestos.
WorkSafeBC has the authority to oversee the employer licensing program as well as worker certification. WorkSafeBC started accepting licence applications in September 2023 and an online registry of licensed employers is now available.
The required training for worker certification was launched in June 2023, so that workers can be certified by Jan. 1, 2024.
To keep workers and the public safe from the dangers of asbestos, changes were made to the Workers Compensation Act in 2022 to strengthen regulatory requirements for asbestos-abatement work. Employers and workers have been given sufficient time to comply with the new rules, the Ministry of Labour outlined in a media release.
Asbestos abatement work includes removing, repairing, transporting and disposing of asbestos or materials that may contain asbestos.
Employers and workers should visit the WorkSafeBC website if the work they do requires a licence or a certificate.
Asbestos-related diseases are the number one cause of workplace-related deaths in B.C., more than any other type of workplace injury or illness.
In 2022, asbestos exposure was a contributing factor in 61 of 181 workplace deaths.
Over the past decade, WorkSafeBC accepted more than 500 claims for workers who were killed by occupational disease related to asbestos exposure.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that was used as an ingredient in a variety of building construction materials prior to 1990.
Asbestos is often found in construction materials, drywall, building insulation, car and truck brake pads and the natural environment, and it becomes hazardous when it is disturbed and releases dust or fibres into the air where they can be inhaled or ingested.
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