What is Considered High Risk?
“High-risk work activities involve working with or in proximity to asbestos-containing material if a high level of control (such as an air-tight containment structure and powered air-purifying respirators or supplied-air respirators) is necessary to prevent worker exposure to airborne asbestos fibres.
High risk work activities require specific procedures and containment to ensure the safety of workers and others who may be affected by the activities.” – Source: WorkSafe BC
Examples of High Risk Asbestos Abatement
From WorkSafe BC:
- Removing, encapsulating, or enclosing materials containing friable asbestos during the repair, alteration, maintenance, demolition, or dismantling of any part of a building, structure, machine, or equipment
- Cleaning, maintaining, or removing air-handling equipment in buildings where sprayed fireproofing materials containing asbestos have been applied to the airways or ventilation ducts or have been used as spray on insulation
- Removing asbestos-containing textured materials from ceilings and/or walls
- Removing asbestos-containing vermiculite insulation
- Removing any asbestos-containing materials in circumstances where there would be a significant release of fibres
Popcorn Ceiling Asbestos Abatement
Our client in North Vancouver was undergoing some renovations to fix up previous work. We found that their ceilings had an asbestos containing texture coating. We needed to remove a portion of ceiling to accommodate the electrician’s scope of work. To best accomadate the entire project, we decided to scrape the rest of the texture coat in the areas where the ceiling was going to remain so once they install new drywall in the areas needed. They can prime and paint the entire area with a new “flat” ceiling look! This project was done under High Risk Work procedures.
Garage Asbestos Abatement
This garage is in the Point Grey area and unfortunately our clients had asbestos in the joint compound. We carried out this project under high risk work asbetos abatement procedures.
High Risk Asbestos Abatement
In this particular project, the drywall ceilings throughout the main floor needed to be removed in order to facilitate a new pot light lay out. Unfortunately these textured ceilings contained asbestos. Textured ceiling removal is to be done using High Risk Work Procedures, which includes a 3 stage decontamination unit (clean room, shower unit, dirty room), a negative air unit and daily air monitoring from a 3rd party are required. Both the negative air unit and the HEPA vacuums must be tested on site in a High Risk Abatement to ensure they are in proper working order.
Moderate Risk
Once the ceilings were removed, we continued removing the walls in the kitchen which allowed other trades to complete their upgrades for the new kitchen. This work is known as Moderate Risk. Once everything asbestos containing has been removed and cleaned with a fine tooth comb, we spray all surfaces in the containment with Encapsulate, and are now ready for Air Clearance testing. When we pass our air clearance, its now safe to remove the enclosure and confidently hand over the project for the other trades to complete the renovation.
Job completed October 2017
From filing NOPA to receiving air clearance- 5 days
Approximately 1100 SQF of drywall
