Asbestos Management on Farms – By Henk Jooste

The Asbestos Regulations, 2001 (GN R155 in GG 23108 of 10 February 2002) published under the OHSA has been repealed by this new regulation. Many questions regarding the new regulations were asked, and many answers were given from various sources. With this, I would like to provide a brief and clear summary of the requirements and what will be expected of you as the employer.

Does the Asbestos Abatement Regulations 2020 apply to my business?

The scope of application of the Asbestos Regulations apply to all employers and self-employed person who may expose any person to asbestos dust at the workplace. (If asbestos containing material is present in the workplace, people may be exposed to asbestos dust and therefor the regulations apply)

How to ensure that the requirements of the “new” regulations are met?

The employer must ensure that a competent person is appointed to conduct an assessment with the purpose of identifying asbestos containing material in the workplace. In the event where no asbestos containing material is observed or identified, the employer must ensure that the asbestos-free status of the workplace is substantiated in writing by the competent person.

In the event where the assessment indicates that asbestos containing material is present in the workplace, the employer must ensure that:

An asbestos inventory, asbestos risk assessment and asbestos management plan must be compiled by a competent person (to be revised every 24 months); training must be provided to all persons who may have incidental exposure to asbestos; and all asbestos containing material identified in the asbestos inventory must comply with the labelling and signage requirements contained in regulation 20.

How can SkyVines assist with compliance?

SkyVines can assist the employer with the following:

• Asbestos Assessment
• Asbestos Inventory
• Asbestos Risk Assessment
• Asbestos Management Plan
• Asbestos Induction Training
• Advise on labelling and signage requirements

All the above can be provided to the client as a “compliance package” or separately depending on the needs of the client. Also feel free to share this opportunity with your network. Should you have a request for group packages do not hesitate to contact us.