BC's Construction Health & Safety Association
New asbestos certification program offers the abatement industry a path to a safer future
 
The BC government recently published a requirement for the mandatory certification of all asbestos abatement workers and any workers who are likely to come into contact with asbestos as part of their job. All workers in British Columbia who are covered by the regulation must obtain their asbestos abatement certification by January 1, 2024 to continue working on any site where they might encounter asbestos.
 
Workers can soon enroll in one of two certification levels appropriate to the work they do by following this link to the BCCSA Asbestos Control Training web page. This page contains all the information needed to get started with online training, skills assessment and a final certification exam.
 
All asbestos abatement contractors must be licensed by WorkSafeBC by January 1, 2024, but the need to ensure applicable workers are certified can only be satisfied by the separate requirement for Asbestos Control Training.
 
WorkSafeBC also reminds workers who operate concrete pumps that they have until January 1, 2024 to achieve Certified Concrete Pump Operator (CCPO) certification. After that date, anyone operating a concrete pump in BC must be certified, unless they are under the direct supervision of a certified operator for the pump type in question. If you’re an operator who hasn’t yet been certified, register and reserve a space now by visiting the BCCSA’s CCPO website at www.ccpo.ca.
 
Interesting fact: for most inland Canadian cities, July is the hottest month of the year. In Vancouver, the heat keeps on coming until it peaks in August. As temperatures rise, keep hydrated, even before you recognize that you’re thirsty. Stay in the shade whenever possible and learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, two different and serious conditions that require immediate attention.
 
Finally, in this issue meet Regional Safety Advisor Suzanne Jackson, a safety professional with an extensive resumé, and some unique hobbies.


As always, we welcome your feedback!
Meet new Interior and Kootenay BC, RSA
Suzanne Jackson
Choose one answer to complete the statement below.
 
BCCSA Regional Safety Advisor (RSA) Suzanne Jackson:
 
a) raises Araucana hens that lay blue-shelled eggs
b) commuted by snowmobile for two years while working in the Arctic
c) worked with construction crews to help build the floor of a data centre
d) believes that making safety simple requires practical advice that is meaningful to smaller employers
e) all of the above.

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Get your asbestos certification
WorkSafeBC is implementing mandatory requirements that anyone doing asbestos abatement work in B.C. will need to be trained and certified, and employers that carry out asbestos abatement work for others will have to be licensed. These requirements are an important protection to ensure workers have the appropriate understanding of how to safely do their asbestos abatement work.
Certified Concrete Pump Operator program
Featured Safety Course
COR® Internal Auditor

This 2 day course provides participants with comprehensive information on conducting health & safety program audits utilizing the BCCSA’s COR® OHS National Audit Document. Participants complete exercises designed to prepare them for conducting a company audit. This course is for both qualifying and requalifying internal auditors.


Date: August 23 & 24, 2023
Location: Best Western Plus - 2402 Highway 97 N Kelowna BC, V1X 4J1
Time: 8:00am to 4:00pm

Please click here for a Course Overview

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BCCSA Head Office
#400, 625 Agnes Street
New Westminster, BC V3M 5Y4
Tel: 604-636-3675
TF: 1-877-860-3675