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Asbestos

Asbestos is a strong, fibrous and fire-resistant mineral. In the past, asbestos was used as insulation against heat or noise and for fire protection.

Asbestos fibres are extremely fine and once disturbed, can stay in the air for hours. Breathing asbestos fibres may cause serious diseases, including pneumonia, heart disease and mesothelioma.

Risks presented by asbestos in the workplace are directly related to the hazards associated with the substance, how it is used in the workplace and a worker’s susceptibility to exposure.

Asbestos-related diseases usually develop many years after a person has been exposed to the fibres. The risk of developing these diseases increases with the amount of asbestos you inhale and the length of time you are exposed. Smokers are at an increased risk of developing asbestos-related diseases compared to non-smokers.

Control measures must keep worker exposure levels to asbestos below the occupational exposure limit. Control measures generally follow a hierarchy – elimination (eliminate or remove the hazard from the workplace – this is the most effective control measure), substitution (replace with a less hazardous condition, practice or process), administrative (improvements in the way work is done), engineering (physical changes that reduce exposure, and isolate the worker from the hazard) and personal protective equipment (protect the worker with personal protective equipment).

Legislation

Under Part 37 – Asbestos in the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Regulation, the following actions must be taken to meet legal requirements and protect workers from exposure to asbestos:

  1. Retain a person who is competent in identifying asbestos-containing material to complete an asbestos inventory, to determine if asbestos is present at the workplace.
  2. Use safe work procedures, as determined by a risk assessment, for asbestos-containing materials that present a risk.
  3. Develop an asbestos control plan.
  4. Train any and all workers that may come in contact with asbestos at their workplace.
  5. Asbestos abatement work requires additional levels of training, which may include air monitoring and protocols based on the work performed.

An employer must maintain a monitoring record for a 30-year period after the monitoring was conducted. Employers should keep their Safety Data Sheet for all chemicals and monitoring records.

The Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act and associated regulations are in place to protect the safety and health of workers in Manitoba. Find the regulation part associated with this safety topic linked below.

Part 37 Asbestos Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulation

Related links

Hazards and exposures topic list