Old ductwork removal in an Ottawa house, asbestos precautions?

Old ductwork in an Ottawa house built before 1990 may have asbestos-containing insulation on or around it. Ontario's guide to O. Reg. 278/05 lists HVAC duct insulation among the materials where asbestos was used, and Health Canada lists industrial furnaces and heating systems, and insulation around hot water pipes and tanks, among older building materials that may contain asbestos. Testing before removal is the right first step.

What the Type depends on

The Type the contractor assigns under O. Reg. 278/05 turns on two things: whether the insulation is friable, and how much of it will be disturbed. Those are assessed on site, not from a description or a photo.

If the insulation is friable and the total area disturbed in the room or enclosed space is one square metre or less, the work falls under Type 2. If it is more than one square metre of friable material, it is Type 3. Section 12(5) of the regulation closes the splitting loophole: the area is counted across all consecutive work in that space, even if the job is broken into smaller sessions. For non-friable material, different thresholds apply, and the contractor decides that on site as well.

Type 3 carries the heaviest requirements. Before work starts, the constructor or employer must notify, orally and in writing, a Ministry of Labour inspector at the nearest office. Every worker must have completed the Asbestos Abatement Worker Training Program and every supervisor the Asbestos Abatement Supervisor Training Program, both approved by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, and both before work begins. After Type 3 work, a clearance air test is required under section 18 of the regulation: every air sample must show no more than 0.01 fibres per cubic centimetre using the PCM method, or pass the TEM statistical comparison. Results are posted within 24 hours and the owner keeps a copy for at least one year. You can ask for a clearance test in the quote for Type 2 work as well, even though the regulation does not require one for that Type.

Once the material leaves the site, Ontario Regulation 347 applies. Asbestos waste must go only to a disposal site whose operator has agreed to accept it and has been told when to expect it. The contractor arranges this before the load moves.

A fair quote for this job should include:

• the Type the contractor has assigned, with the reasoning
• confirmation of the inspector notice if the work is Type 3
• the disposal site that has agreed to accept the waste
• the clearance air test, or a clear statement that it is not included and why
• WSIB clearance, which you can verify through the WSIB online search

Health Canada advises hiring a professional to test before renovating, and a qualified asbestos removal specialist if asbestos is found. We found no company-level abatement licence in Ontario; what exists is the Type 3 training requirement, the inspector notice and WSIB registration.

Start with testing; if you have a question about what the regulation requires, the Ministry of Labour receives the Type 3 notice.