📚 Guide by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety — Asbestos Safety Awareness — a Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety guide for Canadian oil & gas, construction, and industrial workers. Written and reviewed by Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC, Calgary lead safety instructor.
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Course Overview $44.99
Asbestos is a hazardous material that poses significant risks to health when its fibers become airborne and are inhaled. To safeguard yourself from these dangers, it is crucial to use specific personal protective equipment (PPE), adhere to best practices, and implement effective strategies. This online course is designed to guide you through all necessary requirements and protocols for dealing with asbestos safely.
What You Will Learn
In this comprehensive training program, asbestos-related information is broken down into four essential chapters:
- Defining Asbestos
Understand what asbestos is, its classifications, and where it might be found. This chapter provides the foundational knowledge necessary to recognize and manage asbestos-containing materials. - Health Hazards
Learn about the serious health risks associated with asbestos exposure, including the diseases and conditions it can cause. This section highlights why it’s crucial to handle asbestos carefully. - Establishing a Safe Workplace
Discover the methods and controls needed to maintain a safe working environment. This chapter covers engineering controls, administrative procedures, and proper work practices to minimize the risk of asbestos exposure. - Employer and Employee Responsibilities
Get a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of both employers and employees in managing asbestos risks. This includes compliance with legal requirements and implementation of safety measures, cased on your jurisdiction.
Upon completing the course, you will be required to pass an online final exam to demonstrate your understanding of the material covered.
Course Topics
In this training, we’ll delve into a variety of methods, controls, and equipment essential for protecting yourself from asbestos exposure. By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define Asbestos: Recognize what asbestos is, including its forms and potential locations within buildings or construction sites.
- Assess Health Impacts: Identify the health effects of asbestos exposure and understand the long-term risks associated with inhalation of asbestos fibers.
- Implement Controls: Discover the engineering and administrative controls necessary to manage and mitigate asbestos risks effectively.
- Understand PPE Requirements: Learn about the personal protective equipment required for handling asbestos and how to use it correctly.
- Respond to Accidents: Know the procedures to follow in the event of accidental asbestos exposure, including emergency response protocols and decontamination measures.
Online Course Duration
This course is designed to be completed in approximately 40 minutes, providing a concise yet thorough understanding of asbestos safety.
Pass Mark
To obtain a certificate of completion for this online asbestos training course, participants must achieve a minimum score of 80% on the final exam. If the pass mark is not achieved on the first attempt, participants have the opportunity to retake the course up to two additional times.
Certificate of Completion
Upon successful completion of the course and passing the final exam, a certificate of completion will be made available for download and printing. This certificate serves as proof of your commitment to understanding and adhering to asbestos safety protocols.
This course is vital for anyone who works in environments where asbestos may be present. By following the guidelines and recommendations outlined, you will significantly reduce your risk of asbestos-related health issues and contribute to a safer working environment. Enroll today to ensure you’re equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle asbestos safely.
4o minites approximately to complete.
Additional Safety Knowledge
Chemical Hazard Classification in Canada
Under WHMIS 2015 aligned with the Globally Harmonised System (GHS), chemicals are classified into physical hazards (16 classes including flammability, oxidising, explosive, gases under pressure) and health hazards (10 classes including acute toxicity, skin corrosion, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, specific target organ toxicity). Each class has categories (1 = most severe, 4 or 5 = least severe) that determine label pictograms and signal words.
Occupational Exposure Limits in Alberta
Alberta OHS Schedule 1 lists Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) for over 700 hazardous substances. Each substance has:
- 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA): the average concentration over an 8-hour shift.
- Short-term exposure limit (STEL): the maximum 15-minute average.
- Ceiling limit: concentration that must never be exceeded even briefly.
Some substances also carry a Skin (S) notation indicating dermal absorption risk, or a Sensitiser (Sen) notation. Compliance requires air monitoring, engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE.
The Hierarchy of Chemical Controls
Alberta OHS Code requires controls in this priority order: (1) elimination or substitution — use a less hazardous product; (2) engineering controls — ventilation, enclosure, process modification; (3) administrative controls — work procedures, training, rotation; (4) personal protective equipment — respirators, gloves, chemical suits. PPE alone is not adequate compliance where higher-order controls are practicable.
Asbestos Safety Awareness — Emergency Preparedness
Every workplace handling chemicals must have accessible Safety Data Sheets, spill response equipment matched to the products in use, eyewash and safety showers where corrosives are handled (within 10 metres of the hazard, delivering 1.5 gallons per minute for 15 minutes minimum per ANSI Z358.1), and trained personnel available on every shift. Fire departments and mutual aid partners should be informed of chemicals stored on-site above regulated quantities.
Content reviewed by Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC — lead safety instructor at Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety Calgary, an Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider.
