S-2.1, r. 4 - Safety Code for the construction industry

Section 3.23.15 Disposition versions

2022-04-28

3.23.15. On a construction site where moderate-risk work is being carried out, an employer, in addition to the obligations provided for in sections 3.23.3 to 3.23.14, shall comply with the following:

(1)  the employer shall ensure that any worker present in the work area is wearing a reusable protective respiratory apparatus equipped with a 100 series or HEPA high efficiency filter certified by the NIOSH;

(2)  notwithstanding paragraph 1, a respirator that complies with the provisions of paragraph 1 or 2 of section 3.23.16 shall be worn in the following cases:

(a)  for the handling or removal of friable material containing crocidolite or amosite;

(b)  for any work covered by subparagraph d of paragraph 2 of section 3.23.2;

(3)  protective clothing shall be worn by any person present in the work area and the clothing worn shall be used exclusively for carrying out such work;

(3.1)  the employer must provide workers with a changing room that complies with section 3.2.11;

(4)  the employer shall ensure that the protective clothing is clean and dry at the beginning of each day on which it is to be used;

(4.1)  where a worker wearing disposable protective clothing leaves the work area, the employer shall ensure that the clothing is immediately placed in a hermetically sealed airtight container or in a receptacle filled with water or supplied by him until it is washed;

(5)  the employer shall cause reusable protective clothing to be washed or shall cause it to be cleaned by means of a vacuum cleaner equipped with a high-efficiency filter before reuse;

(6)  where a worker wears winter work clothes, the employer shall provide disposable protective clothing so that the worker can at all times wear 2 layers of disposable protective clothing over his winter work clothes;

(7)  where a person wearing disposable protective clothing leaves the work area, the employer shall ensure that the clothing is immediately placed in a hermetically sealed airtight container supplied by him;

(8)  the employer shall ensure that a worker does not wear or carry his work clothes and protective footwear outside the work area, unless they have been washed or cleaned by means of a vacuum cleaner fitted with a high-efficiency filter;

(9)  during work to recover friable materials containing asbestos, the employer shall isolate the work area with an enclosure made of materials impervious to asbestos fibres that has an exhaust ventilation system equipped with a high-efficiency filter providing at least 4 changes of air per hour;

(9.1)  during work to handle or remove friable materials containing asbestos having a volume of debris not exceeding 0.03 m3, the employer shall isolate the work area with an enclosure made of materials impervious to asbestos fibres that has an exhaust ventilation system equipped with a high-efficiency filter providing at least 4 changes of air per hour;

(9.2)  during work to remove friable materials containing asbestos in a work area sealed off from the worker’s breathing area, if the worker uses a glove bag, the employer shall ensure

(a)  that it is used solely for the purposes and conditions for which it was designed, according to the manufacturer’s instructions;

(b)  that it is not reused after it has been filled;

(c)  that it is not used if there is a risk that it will not remain hermetically sealed during the work, in particular due to the location of the tube, the deterioration of the insulation or the temperature of the tube, duct or structure; and

(d)  that, before the glove bag is dismantled, any part of the tube where insulating materials that could release asbestos fibres is encapsulated, and that the glove bag is sealed above the debris of materials so that the debris is isolated from the upper compartment;

(10)  during work to remove false ceilings for the purpose of gaining access to a work area where friable materials containing asbestos are found, the employer shall protect the building’s ventilation system from any contamination and isolate the work area with an enclosure made of materials impervious to asbestos fibres that has an exhaust ventilation system equipped with a high-efficiency filter providing at least 4 changes of air per hour;

(11)  the employer shall post a sign at the entrance to each work area. That sign shall be yellow, 500 mm high by 350 mm wide and shall indicate in black letters of the size specified below the following information in the following order:

Information	Size of letters
ASBESTOS	50 mm
DANGER	40 mm
Do not breathe dust	15 mm
Protective equipment must be worn	15 mm
No admittance	15 mm
Inhaling asbestos dust may be harmful to your health	10 mm;

(12)  where there is no enclosure such as referred to in paragraphs 9, 9.1 and 10, the work area shall be marked off by hazard signs.

O.C. 54-90, s. 3; O.C. 459-99, s. 11; O.C. 885-2001, s. 373; O.C. 393-2011, s. 16; O.C. 48-2022, s. 8; O.C. 645-2022, s. 7.

2022-02-10

3.23.15. On a construction site where moderate-risk work is being carried out, an employer, in addition to the obligations provided for in sections 3.23.3 to 3.23.14, shall comply with the following:

(1)  the employer shall ensure that any worker present in the work area is wearing a reusable protective respiratory apparatus equipped with a 100 series or HEPA high efficiency filter certified by the NIOSH;

(2)  notwithstanding paragraph 1, a respirator that complies with the provisions of paragraph 1 or 2 of section 3.23.16 shall be worn in the following cases:

(a)  for the handling or removal of friable material containing crocidolite or amosite;

(b)  for any work covered by subparagraph d of paragraph 2 of section 3.23.2;

(3)  protective clothing shall be worn by any person present in the work area and the clothing worn shall be used exclusively for carrying out such work;

(3.1)  the employer must provide workers with a changing room that complies with section 3.2.11;

(4)  the employer shall ensure that the protective clothing is clean and dry at the beginning of each day on which it is to be used;

(5)  the employer shall cause reusable protective clothing to be washed or shall cause it to be cleaned by means of a vacuum cleaner equipped with a high-efficiency filter before reuse;

(6)  where a worker wears winter work clothes, the employer shall provide disposable protective clothing so that the worker can at all times wear 2 layers of disposable protective clothing over his winter work clothes;

(7)  where a person wearing disposable protective clothing leaves the work premises referred to in this section, the employer shall ensure that the clothing is placed in a plastic bag supplied by him and he shall ensure that the bag is hermetically sealed immediately;

(8)  the employer shall ensure that a worker does not wear or carry his work clothes and protective footwear outside the work premises referred to this section, unless they have been washed or cleaned by means of a vacuum cleaner fitted with a high-efficiency filter;

(9)  during work to recover friable materials containing asbestos, the employer shall isolate the work area with an enclosure made of materials impervious to asbestos fibres;

(10)  during work to remove false ceilings for the purpose of gaining access to a work area where friable materials containing asbestos are found, the employer shall isolate the work area with an enclosure made of materials impervious to asbestos fibre and protect the building’s ventilation system from any contamination;

(11)  the employer shall post a sign at the entrance to each work area. That sign shall be yellow, 500 mm high by 350 mm wide and shall indicate in black letters of the size specified below the following information in the following order:

Information	Size of letters
ASBESTOS	50 mm
DANGER	40 mm
Do not breathe dust	15 mm
Protective equipment must be worn	15 mm
No admittance	15 mm
Inhaling asbestos dust may be harmful to your health	10 mm;

(12)  where there is no enclosure such as referred to in paragraphs 9 and 10, the work area shall be marked off by hazard signs.

O.C. 54-90, s. 3; O.C. 459-99, s. 11; O.C. 885-2001, s. 373; O.C. 393-2011, s. 16; O.C. 48-2022, s. 8.

2012-09-01

3.23.15. On a construction site where moderate-risk work is being carried out, an employer, in addition to the obligations provided for in sections 3.23.3 to 3.23.14, shall comply with the following:

(1)  the wearing of a reusable protective respiratory apparatus equipped with a high efficiency filter for protection from asbestos as specified in the Guide des appareils de protection respiratoire utilisés au Québec, published by the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail, is compulsory for any worker present in the work area; the equipment shall be selected, adjusted, and maintained in accordance with CSA Standard Z94.4-93 Selection, Use and Care of Respirators;

(2)  notwithstanding paragraph 1, a respirator that complies with the provisions of paragraph 1 or 2 of section 3.23.16 shall be worn in the following cases:

(a)  for the handling or removal of friable material containing crocidolite or amosite;

(b)  for any work covered by subparagraph d of paragraph 2 of section 3.23.2;

(3)  protective clothing shall be worn by any person present in the work area and the clothing worn shall be used exclusively for carrying out such work;

(3.1)  the employer must provide workers with a changing room that complies with section 3.2.11;

(4)  the employer shall ensure that the protective clothing is clean and dry at the beginning of each day on which it is to be used;

(5)  the employer shall cause reusable protective clothing to be washed or shall cause it to be cleaned by means of a vacuum cleaner equipped with a high-efficiency filter before reuse;

(6)  where a worker wears winter work clothes, the employer shall provide disposable protective clothing so that the worker can at all times wear 2 layers of disposable protective clothing over his winter work clothes;

(7)  where a person wearing disposable protective clothing leaves the work premises referred to in this section, the employer shall ensure that the clothing is placed in a plastic bag supplied by him and he shall ensure that the bag is hermetically sealed immediately;

(8)  the employer shall ensure that a worker does not wear or carry his work clothes and protective footwear outside the work premises referred to this section, unless they have been washed or cleaned by means of a vacuum cleaner fitted with a high-efficiency filter;

(9)  during work to recover friable materials containing asbestos, the employer shall isolate the work area with an enclosure made of materials impervious to asbestos fibres;

(10)  during work to remove false ceilings for the purpose of gaining access to a work area where friable materials containing asbestos are found, the employer shall isolate the work area with an enclosure made of materials impervious to asbestos fibre and protect the building’s ventilation system from any contamination;

(11)  the employer shall post a sign at the entrance to each work area. That sign shall be yellow, 500 mm high by 350 mm wide and shall indicate in black letters of the size specified below the following information in the following order:

Information                       Size of letters

ASBESTOS                                    50 mm

DANGER                                      40 mm

Do not breathe dust                         15 mm

Protective equipment must be worn           15 mm

No admittance                               15 mm

Inhaling asbestos dust may
be harmful to your health                   10 mm;

(12)  where there is no enclosure such as referred to in paragraphs 9 and 10, the work area shall be marked off by hazard signs.

O.C. 54-90, s. 3; O.C. 459-99, s. 11; O.C. 885-2001, s. 373; O.C. 393-2011, s. 16.