PURPOSE
To establish divisional expectations and standards regarding an asbestos management program at River East Transcona School Division (RETSD) that meets or exceeds all municipal, federal and provincial legislated workplace safety and health program requirements.
An asbestos management program must be defined and documented for compliance as part of Element 6, controlling chemical and biological hazards, for the effective development and implementation of a workplace safety and health program under Manitoba legislation.
SCOPE
This safe operating procedure and associated documents establish a procedure for an asbestos management program for all workers at RETSD.
The best practices apply to all RETSD worksites where potentially asbestos containing materials are present.
RESPONSIBILITY
Maintenance Staff
Maintenance Department manages the asbestos exposure control program at RETSD.
Contractors
Contractors are expected to follow all asbestos management program regulations. See Contractor Safety and Safe Work Permit for details on contractor safety responsibilities.
ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
River East Transcona School Division shall define and enforce the procedures for handling potential asbestos exposure in the workplace.
For the purposes of this SOP, any material likely to contain asbestos is deemed to be asbestos containing material until it is determined to be asbestos free.
Inventory of Asbestos Containing Material
River East Transcona School Division and an owner shall ensure that a person who is competent in identifying asbestos containing material:
(a)prepares an inventory of all the asbestos containing material in the workplace;
(b)keeps the inventory current by updating it each time asbestos containing material is added to or removed from the workplace; and
(c)at least annually, inspects the condition of all asbestos containing material in the workplace.
The inventory prepared shall identify the location of all asbestos containing material in the workplace and, without limitation, the location of any asbestos containing material that may release asbestos into the atmosphere due to it being damaged or in poor repair.
Records
River East Transcona School Division and an owner shall ensure that a copy of the records of the inventory and the annual inspection of the asbestos containing material prepared are:
(a)kept for 30 years from the date the records are made; and
(b)made available for reference by a worker at the workplace.
Signage
River East Transcona School Division and an owner shall ensure that all asbestos containing material present in a workplace is identified by signs, labels or by other effective means.
Asbestos Control Plan
River East Transcona School Division shall ensure that:
(a)an asbestos control plan is developed to
(i)prevent asbestos containing material from becoming airborne in the workplace, and
(ii)protect the safety and health of a worker if an asbestos containing material becomes airborne in the workplace; and
(b)the asbestos control plan is implemented.
Employer's General Obligation
River East Transcona School Division shall ensure that every process carried out in the workplace is done in such a manner as to prevent, to the extent possible, an asbestos containing material from becoming airborne in the workplace.
River East Transcona School Division shall ensure that a worker who is or is likely to be exposed to an asbestos containing material, or to be employed in a process which may result in an asbestos containing material becoming airborne, is provided information, instruction and training in:
(a)the hazards of asbestos;
(b)the means of identifying asbestos containing material at the workplace;
(c)the use of personal protective equipment; and
(d)the purposes and significance of any health monitoring that the worker may be required to participate in.
Abatement or Removal
River East Transcona School Division shall ensure the abatement or removal of asbestos containing material is done in a manner that does not create a risk to the safety or health of any person.
Alteration, Renovation or Demolition
River East Transcona School Division and an owner shall ensure that, before proceeding with:
(a)the alteration or renovation of a building or structure, measures are taken to prevent any asbestos containing material in the area of the alteration or renovation from being released into the atmosphere; and
(b)the demolition of a building or structure, any materials with the potential to release asbestos containing material into the atmosphere are removed in a manner that does not create a risk to the safety or health of any person.
River East Transcona School Division or an owner shall notify the director at least five days before beginning the work to alter, renovate or demolish a building or structure that contains asbestos containing material that may release asbestos containing material into the atmosphere.
Prohibitions
River East Transcona School Division shall not require or permit
(a)friable asbestos containing materials to be applied in any location at a workplace;
(b)asbestos or asbestos containing material to be sprayed at a workplace;
(c)crocidolite asbestos or material containing crocidolite asbestos to be brought into a workplace;
(d)the use of pressure spraying equipment of any type to remove asbestos containing material;
(e)the use of compressed air to clean up asbestos containing material; or
(f)dry sweeping or dry mopping of asbestos containing material.
COMMUNICATION
A combination of hard-copy postings, distributions and electronic posting will be used to communicate safety and health program information within RETSD.
TRAINING
All stakeholders shall be trained to their required level of involvement in the WSHMS to become familiar with its structure, organization, and how to look up and access information both electronically and in hard copy form through:
ENFORCEMENT
Ultimately, the superintendent shall be responsible for the sustainability of the WSHMS, and shall enforce compliance to standards at a divisional level.
Workplace safety and health management system compliance shall be managed through the application of performance management and progressive discipline policies and procedures.
Worker failure to comply with provisions of the RETSD safety program may lead to discipline, up to and including discharge from employment and / or other remedies available at law.
