Asbestos Awareness Toolbox Talk
Asbestos is still in a huge number of older buildings, and trades workers are the people most likely to disturb it. Breathing the fibres causes mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis, often 20 to 40 years later. If you are not sure whether something is asbestos, stop and treat it as if it is.
Takes about 7 minutes, plus a 5-question quiz.
Key points to read out
- OSHA presumes pipe insulation and sprayed or troweled coatings in buildings built before 1981 contain asbestos, and many other older materials do too. Ask for the asbestos survey before you start.
- Common places: eaves, wall and wet area sheeting, vinyl floor tiles and backing, pipe lagging, textured ceilings, roof sheets, fences and old meter boards.
- A survey does not cover everything. Materials can be hidden behind panels, under floors or above ceilings that were not opened during the survey.
- If you find something suspect: stop work, do not touch it, keep people away and tell your supervisor.
- Never cut, drill, sand, break or water blast material that might contain asbestos.
- Never dry sweep or use a normal vacuum on asbestos dust or debris.
- Some small jobs on lower risk materials can be done by trained workers using wet methods, a suitable vacuum and the right mask, but only if the plan says so.
- Asbestos removal must be done by trained, accredited workers under OSHA and EPA rules.
- Disposable coveralls and the right respirator are needed for any work near asbestos. A paper dust mask does not protect you.
- Asbestos waste is double bagged, labelled and taken away by a licensed carrier. It never goes in the general skip.
- If you think you have been exposed, tell your supervisor and make sure it is recorded. Exposure records matter decades later.
Questions to ask the crew
- Have we seen the asbestos survey or register for this building?
- Which materials on this job might contain asbestos?
- What would you do if you drilled into something and it looked like fibre sheeting?
- Who do we call to remove it?
- When did you last do asbestos awareness training?
Reference: 29 CFR 1926.1101 (Asbestos)
How to run this talk
- Bring the asbestos survey or register for this building to the talk and show where it is kept.
- Walk the crew to the areas the survey marks, and to any areas it did not open up.
- Show photos of common asbestos materials on this kind of job, such as sheeting, floor tiles and pipe lagging.
- Agree the stop work steps and who to call, and write the name and number on the sign-in sheet.
- Check when each person last did asbestos awareness training and note who is due.
- Record attendance on the sign-in sheet and keep it with the survey.
Asbestos Awareness quiz
Ask these after the talk. Answers are underneath each question.
Before you drill into the walls of an older building, what should you check?
- The asbestos survey
- The building's paint color
- Whether the owner says it is fine
Answer: A. You need to know where asbestos is, or assume it is there, before doing anything that could disturb it.
You drill into a wall panel and it looks like fibre cement sheeting that is not on the survey. What now?
- Finish the hole quickly
- Stop work, keep people away and tell your supervisor
- Sweep up the dust and carry on
- Spray it with water and keep drilling
Answer: B. Surveys miss hidden materials, and stopping straight away limits the fibres released and the people exposed.
Which mask protects you from asbestos fibres?
- A paper dust mask
- A properly fitted respirator rated for asbestos
- A surgical mask
Answer: B. Asbestos fibres are tiny and pass straight through paper and surgical masks.
How should asbestos waste and debris be cleaned up?
- Dry sweep it into the general skip
- Wet it, use a suitable vacuum, double bag and label it for a licensed carrier
- Blow it outside with an air line
Answer: B. Dry methods spread fibres and asbestos waste must be bagged, labelled and disposed of separately.
When do asbestos related diseases usually show up?
- Within a week
- Within a year
- Often 20 to 40 years after exposure
Answer: C. The long delay is why exposures must be recorded and why nobody should be casual about a small amount of dust.
Questions about asbestos awareness
Which buildings might contain asbestos?
OSHA presumes that thermal system insulation and sprayed or troweled surfacing in buildings built before 1981 contain asbestos unless tested (29 CFR 1926.1101), and many other materials in older buildings do too. Ask for the asbestos survey before you start.
What should you do if you find asbestos on site?
Stop work straight away, do not touch or disturb it further, keep people out of the area and tell your supervisor. The material needs to be assessed and, if needed, removed by a properly trained or licensed contractor before work starts again. If you may have been exposed, make sure it is recorded.
Do you need a licence to remove asbestos?
OSHA classes asbestos work from Class I (highest risk removal) to Class IV (maintenance and cleanup), each with its own training and controls (29 CFR 1926.1101). EPA and many states also require accredited or licensed contractors for abatement, so check your state.
How long does it take for asbestos exposure to cause disease?
Asbestos diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis usually appear 20 to 40 years or more after exposure. There is no known safe level, which is why every exposure should be avoided and recorded.
Sign-in sheet
Print this page or download the sign-in sheet. Or run it in the app and the crew signs on the phone.
| Name | Company | Signature |
|---|---|---|
Get it signed
Run this talk in the app. The crew signs on your phone and you get a dated attendance record as a PDF.