Guidelines for Outdoor Work with Asbestos : NS Labour and Advanced Education, Health and Safety

Outdoor Work with Asbestos Guidelines

March 26, 1998

Outdoor operations involving work with asbestos should be subject to appropriate precautions. The extent of these precautions will be dictated by the nature of the work undertaken and the project size. Each undertaking must be assessed by a competent individual to determine the specific job requirements.

Isolation

  • a) For all jobs, barricades of rope or warning tape should be erected around the areas where work on asbestos is to be carried out (For major work, placing barricades a distance of 15 metres (50 feet) from the work site would usually be adequate).
  • b) Where bystanders (neighbours or other workers) are likely to be present or the potential for fibre release is judged to be high, the immediate area in which work is to be carried out may have to be sealed by building temporary enclosures and appropriate warning signs erected.

Personal Protective Equipment and Hygiene

Where personnel may be exposed to an inhalation hazard, an acceptable respirator must be made available and worn. The respirator selected should provide adequate protection for asbestos concentrations likely to be encountered. In addition, appropriate protective clothing should be provided to prevent skin and street clothing contamination.

Where required a change area should be provided. This area should be close to the work site but outside the posted area.

Equipment and Material

  • respiratory protective equipment
  • protective clothing
  • high efficiency vacuum and/or wet cleaning equipment
  • hand tools appropriate for the operations to be conducted
  • leak tight polyethylene bags for waste disposal
  • wetting/saturating agents and equipment
  • barrier material

Code of Practice

A defined procedure indicating how the operation is to be conducted should be developed. All operators involved should be aware of and adhere to this procedure.

Additional information is included in the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education booklet "Dealing with Asbestos Containing Materials - An Information Package."