Asbestos Awareness Training in British Columbia: Online Course
Asbestos Awareness Training, $24.99 CAD
A 30 to 40 minute online course that covers the asbestos awareness concepts that BC OHS Regulation, Part 6 (sections 6.1 to 6.32) expects British Columbia workers to understand: where asbestos hides in buildings built before 1990, friable versus non-friable material, how exposure causes disease, what to do when you find suspect material, and why abatement is left to trained crews.
- Instant access after checkout, self-paced, works on any device
- Developed by CRSP-certified safety professionals
- Printable certificate of completion with verification code
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Awareness level: pairs with your employer's site-specific procedure
What this course is (and is not)
It is awareness-level training: the shared knowledge every trades worker, maintenance worker, supervisor and property manager needs to recognize suspect asbestos-containing material and stop before disturbing it. It covers the concepts in BC OHS Regulation, Part 6 (sections 6.1 to 6.32) in plain language, with quizzes and a final assessment.
It is not an abatement worker certificate, an asbestos removal licence, or a substitute for the risk assessment and work procedures that removal work requires. British Columbia regulates abatement separately, and this course does not qualify anyone to remove, repair or disturb asbestos-containing material. We do not claim the course meets or satisfies the regulation on its own; your employer pairs it with an asbestos inventory, site procedures and supervision.
Buying for a crew? Corporate accounts let you assign seats and track completions. Need help building an asbestos inventory or management plan? Talk to a consultant.
What British Columbia Requires for Asbestos
Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97), Part 6, Substance Specific Requirements, Asbestos, sections 6.1 to 6.32, with the Workers Compensation Act asbestos licensing and certification provisions, in plain language.
In British Columbia, asbestos is governed by Part 6 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97), Substance Specific Requirements, Asbestos, sections 6.1 to 6.32, and, since January 1, 2024, by the asbestos abatement licensing and certification provisions of the Workers Compensation Act. WorkSafeBC administers both.
Licensing and certification. Read this first. Asbestos abatement contractors must hold a WorkSafeBC licence to operate in BC, and anyone performing asbestos abatement work in relation to buildings must be certified by completing training from a WorkSafeBC-approved provider and passing the examination. Certificates are valid for three years. This awareness course is not that certification and does not permit anyone to perform abatement work. It is for the trades, maintenance and property staff who need to recognize suspect material and stop.
Inventory, identification and risk assessment (sections 6.4 to 6.6). The employer and the owner must ensure a qualified person samples suspect materials and determines whether they are asbestos-containing, keeps an inventory, identifies the materials with signs or labels, and conducts a risk assessment with regard to condition, friability, accessibility and the potential for fibre release. Activities are classified as low, moderate or high risk.
Control, procedures and prohibitions (sections 6.7 to 6.10). Procedures must prevent or minimize airborne fibres and follow methods acceptable to WorkSafeBC. Crocidolite may not be brought into a workplace, spraying is prohibited, pressure spraying and compressed air may not be used for removal, and substitution is required where practicable.
Instruction and training (section 6.11). A worker at risk of exposure must be adequately instructed and trained in the hazards of asbestos, how to identify asbestos-containing material at the worksite, the work procedures, the correct use of personal protective equipment and engineering controls, and the purpose of any health monitoring.
Containment, exposure control, waste and records (sections 6.12 to 6.32). High risk work requires containment and a decontamination facility, air monitoring, ventilation and filter testing. Work surfaces must be protected, material wetted, damaged material repaired, waste sealed and disposed of properly, respirators and protective clothing provided, and records retained.
Guidance, inspections, licensing and claims are all handled by WorkSafeBC.
This summary is for awareness only and is not legal advice. Always read the current consolidated text on the official site linked above.
Who Needs Asbestos Awareness Training in British Columbia
Anyone who renovates, demolishes, maintains, inspects or cleans buildings built before 1990, and the supervisors and property managers who send them in.
- Renovation, restoration and demolition contractors
- Property management, strata and building maintenance
- Plumbers, electricians, HVAC and drywall trades
- Roofing, siding and flooring installers
- Municipal, school district and health authority maintenance
- Pulp mills, sawmills and industrial plant maintenance
- Insurance restoration and disaster recovery
- Home inspectors, realtors and appraisers
Also relevant for joint health and safety committee members, new and young workers, and contractors bidding on British Columbia renovation, facility maintenance or demolition work who need documented awareness training before mobilizing.
Asbestos Awareness Training British Columbia FAQs
Is asbestos awareness training mandatory in British Columbia?
Section 6.11 of the OHS Regulation requires the employer to ensure a worker at risk of exposure to asbestos is adequately instructed and trained in the hazards, how to identify asbestos-containing material at the worksite, the work procedures, the use of protective equipment and controls, and any health monitoring. The Regulation does not name a specific course for that awareness duty. This course supplies the awareness half; the employer adds the site inventory and procedures.
Can I do asbestos abatement in BC with this certificate?
No. Since January 1, 2024, anyone performing asbestos abatement work in relation to buildings must be certified by completing training from a WorkSafeBC-approved training provider and passing the exam, and abatement contractors must hold a WorkSafeBC licence. This is an awareness-level course and is not that certification. It does not authorize anyone to remove, repair or disturb asbestos-containing material.
What does a BC employer have to do before work that could disturb asbestos?
Sections 6.4 to 6.6 require a qualified person to sample and identify asbestos-containing material, an inventory to be kept, the material to be labelled or signed, and a risk assessment that classifies the work as low, moderate or high risk. Section 6.8 requires procedures that prevent or minimize fibre release. The course teaches workers what those documents mean and when to stop and ask.
Is there a difference between low risk and high risk asbestos work in BC?
Yes. Section 6.1 defines high risk work activity as work with or near asbestos-containing material where a high level of control is needed to prevent exposure, and section 6.6 requires each activity to be classified. High risk work triggers containment, decontamination facilities and air monitoring under sections 6.12 to 6.19, and any abatement work needs certified workers and a licensed contractor. The course covers the concepts; the classification is done by the qualified person.
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