WorkSafeBC says it will begin a new educational campaign to better ensure home contractors are properly disposing of asbestos at construction sites.
The measures come after a rash of asbestos-related stop-work orders and are aimed at all contractors — however, the matter may be of particular interest to Richmond residents in single-family homes who are living next to a home demolition site.
“The regulatory consequences of contractors not identifying asbestos properly, not removing it safely and not following safe work procedures include stop-work orders and fines. This year to date, WorkSafeBC has issued more asbestos-related stop-work orders and fines than in all of 2016 — resulting in lost hours, blown deadlines and cancelled projects,” noted WorkSafeBC in a media advisory last week.
WorkSafeBC said that in homes built before 1990, asbestos — a toxic substance — can potentially be found in more than 3,000 building materials.
“Asbestos can be released into the air when these building materials are drilled, sawed, sanded or broken up during a renovation or demolition,” noted the provincial regulatory organization.
If asbestos isn’t properly contained, contaminated particles can billow into neighbouring properties. And Richmond has some of the smallest setbacks between houses.
According to the May/June WorkSafeBC Magazine, several Richmond firms have been penalized for unsafe practices in recent months in single-family homes.
Last November, 3D Environmental Group Ltd. was charged just over $37,000 for two separate, high-risk asbestos abatement violations.
In one incident, the company took asbestos out of a single-family home and didn’t wet the contaminated materials; nor did it contain the site.
In January, B King Construction was fined $2,500 for having its workers not wear protective asbestos gear at a single-family home construction site.
Also in January, Seattle Environmental Consulting Ltd. was fined $20,000 after workers were observed throwing away asbestos-contaminated materials without proper containment protocols. Material billowed from the site into the air, noted WorkSafeBC.
From 2013 to 2015, the company was reported to have been fined almost $280,000 for other incidents.
Repeated exposure to asbestos can have dire consequences for workers, noted WorkSafeBC.
“If workers breathe in enough asbestos, their lungs can be permanently damaged or result in death.”
