Death from asbestos is one of the greatest single causes of workplace fatalities in B.C. According to the government, asbestos has been the cause of more than 50 per cent of all work-related occupational disease deaths and approximately 33 per cent of all work-related deaths since 2000.
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. Many cases originate from workplace exposures to asbestos 20, 30 or more years ago when it was still being widely used in building construction.
“Many buildings in B.C. were constructed during the peak use of asbestos-containing building products. These buildings are now at an age where renovation or demolition is required. The potential for exposure to asbestos in the construction industry has never been greater,” say Don Whyte, industry advocate and former executive director, Hazardous Materials Association.
While there have been significant and comprehensive efforts in recent years through changes to occupational health and safety regulations and enforcement to protect workers from asbestos exposure, too many workers are continuing to be exposed to harmful levels of asbestos.
According to a BC Federation of Labour Report, “it is estimated that every year more than 145,000 Canadian workers are exposed to asbestos at their workplaces, and tragically over 2,000 are diagnosed with often fatal asbestos cancers and other diseases”.
To help keep workers safe from the danger of asbestos, Asbestos abatement contractors who operate in B.C. must be licensed by Jan. 1, 2024, making B.C. the first jurisdiction in Canada to implement a licensing requirement for this work.
Anyone performing asbestos abatement work in relation to buildings must be certified by completing training from a WorkSafeBC-approved training provider and passing a written exam. A practical assessment may also be required for some certification levels.
The level of certification a worker needs depends on the type of asbestos work being done. An online tool is available to help workers determine which level of certification they need.
Workers will need to contact training providers directly to learn more about their asbestos abatement training offerings, including dates, length of training, location, and cost. Once a worker is certified, the certificate will be valid for three years.
To be issued a valid Asbestos Abatement Licence, an employer or an independent asbestos abatement operator must be registered with WorkSafeBC. Once an application is submitted, it will generally take two to six weeks to process. Licences will be valid for one year and must be renewed annually. There is no fee to apply for a licence.
Once a licence has been issued, the licensee information will be added to an online registry. This allows other businesses, contractors, and homeowners to identify who is licensed to perform asbestos abatement work in B.C.
The new regulations also include an obligation for owners and prime contractors to ensure that, before permitting a contractor to carry out asbestos abatement work at a workplace, the asbestos abatement contractor holds a valid licence issued by WorkSafeBC.
The new requirements for asbestos licensing and certification were brought in by the provincial government through amendments to the Workers Compensation Act in the spring of 2022. The changes were made to further protect people and the environment from the dangers of asbestos.
