Asbestos worker course in Alberta, how many hours?

The Alberta OHS Code requires that every worker who enters an asbestos restricted area must have successfully completed a course approved by a Director of Occupational Health and Safety. That course must include at least 14 net instructional hours, a written exam with a pass mark of 80 per cent, and a practical component that must also be passed.

The worker carries the original valid certificate on site. Alberta sets a three-year expiry on the card, so a worker whose card was issued more than three years ago is not in compliance, regardless of experience. There is no company or contractor licence for asbestos abatement in Alberta. The credentials that exist in law are the individual worker card and the employer's 72-hour notification filed through Alberta's asbestos portal before work begins.

When you are hiring, this matters in a practical way. Ask to see the actual cards, not a photocopy or a company letter. Check the issue date on each card against the three-year window. If a crew of three is doing the work, all three need current cards, not just the supervisor. The Alberta OHS Code also requires the employer to notify a Director at least 72 hours before any work that may release asbestos fibres, and no work may start until that notification is filed. Ask the contractor to show you the notification confirmation before anyone sets foot in the work area.

One other point worth knowing: the Alberta OHS Code lists asbestos as a class A1 carcinogen and requires abatement waste to be labelled accordingly. Health Canada advises against disturbing asbestos-containing material. These rules exist to protect workers, and the card and notification requirements are the mechanism Alberta uses to enforce that protection on a job-by-job basis.

The question to ask before any crew starts: can you see the current worker card for every person entering the restricted area, and the filed 72-hour notification for your address?