As of November 2020, significant revisions were made to the Guide to Asbestos management. These revisions are enforceable, so whether or not you’re aware of them, you could receive a stop-work order from Workplace Safety and Health Branch if you fail to comply.
Stay informed and stay safe — the following is a summary of significant revisions made to the latest version of the Guide for Asbestos Management (November 2020) which was released by SAFE Work Manitoba. This is only a summary of new or significant changes to the existing guidelines. Please refer to the Guide for Asbestos Management posted on their website for the most recent version.
Page 7 – Asbestos Management
The following reference to the regulations flagging the need for control measures has been added:
“All key components cited above should be undertaken with guidance from a competent person. In addition, the employer and owner must ensure control measures are in place to prevent the release of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) before proceeding with asbestos work as per Part 37.8(1) of Manitoba Regulation 217/2006.”
Page 8 – Asbestos Inventory
A paragraph has been added explaining the sampling vermiculite. It states the following:
“Vermiculite containing asbestos – Insulation material that visually appears to be vermiculite is assumed to be ACM due to the high likelihood of contamination with asbestos. Detection of the asbestos contamination is challenging and even the competent person runs the risk of reporting a false negative. Note that any asbestos fibres (sometimes denoted as a trace amount, small amount, few fibres) observed in a vermiculite sample will confirm it is ACM. The competent person collecting bulk samples for analysis should know to ensure the selected, accredited laboratory reports trace amounts.”
Page 9 – Suspected ACMs
The regulation has different definitions of what is classified as an asbestos-containing material based on its friability. Some products like plaster and stucco can become friable during renovation or demolition.
“Wherever building materials are suspected to contain asbestos or ACMs, they must be managed and handled as if they contain ACMs until analytical laboratory testing confirms they are asbestos-free. Materials that are NOT asbestos-free but are found to have asbestos content below the threshold to be defined as ACM, remain subject to Part 36 requiring an assessment of risk and appropriate control measures as non-friable materials that have, or may, become friable over time should be considered friable when considering risk and choosing appropriate control measures.”
Page 14 – Bulk Sample Collection
Item four of the Sampling Frequency Table has been updated. The following sentence has been added below the table:
“Each distinct material is sampled individually based on the evaluation of homogeneity made by the competent person. Additional sampling may be required to delineate areas with unclear homogeneity.”
Page 15 – Laboratory Analysis
Paragraph D under the measurement methods for bulk samples has been expanded, as follows:
“Many laboratories will perform analytical variations of the EPA method cited above to address challenges with certain types of materials such as the Chatfield method for floor tile or the Cincinnati method for vermiculite attic insulation (600/R-04/004).”
Page 31 – Perimeter Air Sampling During Work
Guidelines for high risk (type 3) work have been amended as follows:
“Regular air sampling monitoring, as determined by a risk assessment conducted by a competent person, should be performed for asbestos fibre concentrations outside the perimeter of an enclosed work area, during asbestos work and cleanup. The asbestos fibre concentrations should be as close as possible to zero and not exceed background levels.”
Page 31 – Final Air Clearance Sample After Work
The following amendment has been made:
“A final air clearance post-type 2 abatement work (including glove bag work) is a measure of best practice prior to dismantling an enclosure.”
Page 34 – Type 1 Work Activities
Drywall with asbestos joint compound can no longer be removed following type 1 procedures —regardless of quantity. A paragraph has been removed to reflect this.
Page 45 — Air Monitoring for Glovebag Work
The revisions place a stronger emphasis on air monitoring, including the following:
- “Regular area sampling (in the area of work), as determined by a risk assessment carried out by a competent person, should be conducted during the glove bag work activities…”
- “Monitoring should be carried out for long-term projects where glove bag activities occur over a period of time or for ongoing or intermittent maintenance activities where the same workers and procedures are used each time. In either of these cases, monitoring, as determined by a risk assessment carried out by a competent person, should be carried out to demonstrate that fibres are controlled when the work is done, but not necessarily each time a glove bag operation is performed.”
Page 45 — Type 3 Work Activities
The scope of these activities has changed. These revisions places size and time limits on what can and cannot be completed following moderate risk type 2 procedures, including the following:
- “Removing, encapsulating, or enclosing areas one meter square in size or greater of friable ACM during the repair, alteration, maintenance, demolition, or dismantling of a building, structure, machine, tool or equipment, or part of it.”
- “Removing, encapsulating, or enclosing areas one square meter in size or smaller of friable ACM during the repair, alteration, maintenance, demolition, or dismantling of a building, structure, machine, tool or equipment, or part of it but where the job takes longer than three hours to complete.”
If you have questions about these revisions, or to speak to a CSAM safety advisor on any item relating to safety and health, please call our head office at 204-775-3171 or our Westman Office at 204-728-3456.
