Friable Asbestos

In November 2005, Ontario Regulation 278/05 to the Occupational Health and Safety Act came into force. This Regulation shall be reviewed and clarified the prior regulatory duties owners of buildings with regard to asbestos. Certain aspects of the Regulation were subject to two years of transitional period and are thus not expected to come into force until 1 November 2007. Building owners and occupiers in Ontario should be aware of these new provisions which alter the obligations with respect to the current management of asbestos-containing materials in buildings.

The health hazards associated with asbestos occur when the asbestos-containing materials (which are defined by regulation as a material containing 0.5% or more asbestos dry weight) the release of fibers into the air that can be inhaled. As a result, asbestos-containing materials broken down into the following two categories, according to the ease with which dangerous fibers can become airborne:

Dilapidated - asbestos-containing material that fell apart, powdered or powder, or which can be crumbled, powdered or powder by hand pressure, and

Non-friable - asbestos-containing materials which can not be crumbled, powdered or powder by hand pressure.

The Regulation currently requires building owners to prepare and maintain records relating to materials in buildings that may contain asbestos, but only to the extent that such material trošan.Dio Regulation comes into force on 1 studenoga 2007, however, extends this obligation to all asbestos-containing materials, whether friable or non-friable. This expanded commitment refers to the fact that, although non-friable asbestos containing materials are not hazardous, and remained intact and undisturbed, may publish in the air, fiber and thus become dangerous during the maintenance, repair, renovation, demolition and installation activities.