Overview of Asbestos

Introduction

Asbestos is a common name given to a group of naturally occurring mineral silicates that can be separated into flexible fibres. The name asbestos comes from the Greek word meaning unquenchable or indestructible. There are two main categories of asbestos, serpentines and amphiboles.

Types of Asbestos

For the purposes of regulation and control, asbestos-containing materials (ACM) are roughly divided into two broad categories, friable and non-friable. The primary difference between these two categories relates to how easily the material can be broken down to release airborne fibres.

Friable: Those materials that when dry, CAN be crumbled, pulverized or reduced to a powder by hand or moderate pressure.

Non-friable: Those materials that when dry, CANNOT easily be crumbled, pulverized or reduced to a powder by hand or moderate pressure.

Health Hazards

Asbestos can be breathed inAlthough some health effects can be realized through ingestion or physical contact (i.e. asbestos warts); inhalation of asbestos fibres is the primary a health hazard to individual workers, building occupants or the general public.

Diseases associated with asbestos exposure include:

• Asbestosis
• Lung Cancer
• Mesothelioma

Increased Risk of Cancer

Smoking and asbestos exposure is a deadly combination.

• Smoking alone: 10 times the risk
• Asbestos alone: 9 times the risk
• Asbestos & Smoking: 90 times the risk

Regulatory Standards

Treasury Board: Guidance specific to occupational exposure only, excludes maintenance, custodial workers or the general occupants of a building.

Canada Labour Code: Part II, the Canada Occupational Safety and Health Regulations

• Sets OEL at 1.0 f/mL for Chrysotile and 0.1 f/mL all other forms of asbestos
• Special requirements under Sections 10.4 & 10.5

PWGSC: Deputy Minister Directive 057 Adopts provincial regulations specific to asbestos Expanded to all government departments in 1999

Ontario Provincial Legislation:

Ontario Provincial Standards:

Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) 0.10 f/mL

Classification of Asbestos Work

Work on asbestos-containing materials (ACM) can be broken down into three (3) primary categories namely Type 1, Type 2 or Type 3. The controls assigned to each category of work vary depending on the likelihood of the work at hand to release asbestos fibres into the workplace.

For Ontario Only:

Type 1 Work includes the following

• Installing or removing ceiling tiles that are asbestos-containing material, if the tiles cover an area less than 7.5 square metres and are installed or removed without being broken, cut, drilled abraded, ground, sanded or vibrated.
• Installing or removing non-friable asbestos-containing material, other than ceiling tiles, if the material is installed or removed without being broken, cut drilled, abraded, ground, sanded or vibrated.
• Breaking, cutting, drilling, abrading, grinding, sanding or vibrating non-friable asbestos-containing material if,
  • The material is wetted to control the spread of dust or fibres, and
  • The work is done only by means of non-powered hand-held tools.
• Removing less than one square metre of drywall in which joint-filling compounds that are asbestos-containing material have been used.

Type 2 Work includes the following:

• Removing all or part of a false ceiling to obtain access to a work area, if asbestos-containing materials are likely to be lying on the surface of the false ceiling.
• The removal or disturbance of one square metre or less of friable asbestos-containing material during the repair, alteration, maintenance or demolition of all or party of machinery or equipment or a building, aircraft, locomotive, railway car, vehicle or ship.
• Enclosing friable asbestos-containing material
• Applying tape or a sealant or other covering to pipe or boiler insulation that is asbestos-containing material
• Installing or removing ceiling tiles that are asbestos-containing material, if the tiles cover an area of 7.5 square metres or more and are installed or removed without being broken, cut, drilled, abraded, ground, sanded or vibrated.
• Breaking, cutting, drilling, abrading, grinding, sanding or vibrating non-friable asbestos-containing material if,
  • The material is not wetted to control the spread of dust or fibres, and
  • The work is done only by means of non-powered hand-held tools
• Removing one square metre or more of drywall in which joint filling compounds that are asbestos-containing material have been used.
• Breaking, cutting, drilling, abrading, grinding, sanding or vibrating non-friable asbestos-containing material if the work is done by means of power tools that are attached to dust-collecting devices equipped with HEPA filters.
• Removing insulation that is asbestos-containing material from a pipe, duct or similar structure using a glove bag.
• Cleaning or removing filters used in air handling equipment in a building that has sprayed fireproofing that is asbestos-containing material
• An operation that,
  • Is not classified as a Type 2 operation (above)
  • May expose a worker to asbestos, and
  • Is not classified as a Type 1 or Type 3 operation

Type 3 Work includes the following:

• Asbestos WorkThe removal or disturbance of more than one square metre of friable asbestos-containing material during the repair, alteration, maintenance or demolition of all or part of a building, aircraft, ship, locomotive, railway car or vehicle or any machinery or equipment
• The spray application of a sealant to friable asbestos-containing material
• Cleaning or removing air handling equipment, including rigid ducting but not including filters, in a building that has sprayed fireproofing that is asbestos-containing material
• Repairing, altering or demolishing all or part of a kiln, metallurgical furnace or similar structure that is made in part of refectory materials that are asbestos-containing materials
• Breaking, cutting, drilling, abrading, grinding, sanding or vibrating non-friable asbestos-containing material, if the work is done by means of power tools that are not attached to dust collecting devices equipped with HEPA filters
• Repairing, altering or demolishing all or part of any building in which asbestos is or was used in the manufacture of products, unless the asbestos was cleaned up and removed before March 16, 1986.