Workers were not wearing personal protective equipment
AA Insulation Depot in New Westminster, B.C. has been fined $98,670.
WorkSafeBC observed two of this firm's workers in the process of shipping drywall debris via pickup truck to a recycling depot for disposal. The recycling depot did not accept asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). The firm had provided its workers and the recycling firm with documentation stating the drywall was free of asbestos, but testing later carried out on bags of drywall in the truck confirmed the presence of ACMs.
In addition, samples obtained from the seat of the truck cab tested positive for asbestos fibres and WorkSafeBC observed white powder consistent with drywall dust on the clothing of both workers.
Further, WorkSafeBC observed that the workers were not using personal protective equipment as a means of preventing their exposure to asbestos. The firm's failure to ensure the health and safety of its workers was a repeated and high-risk violation.
Source: WorkSafeBC
