Not just a formality

Being in touch with people who manage asbestos is an interesting thing - many managers I speak with seem to approach the problem of regulatory compliance as just that - compliance with regulations. But we need to look beyond the regulations - why are the rules there? To protect you and your health - and that should be the focus of managers.

Every week I speak to someone who tells me a story about some unwitting individual who inadvertently disturbed asbestos containing building materials, either by peeling off pipe insulation to get at a valve, or by breaking a hole in wall, etc. Sure there is a hardcopy asbestos management report onsite - but without governance and a sound system/process, people will continue to make these mistakes, putting themselves and others at serious risk.

Before any work is done on a site, there should be a simple process in place to access one single point of contact to check if there are ACBMs present BEFORE doing any work. This saves time, money, and potentially even lives. Having a centralized data source and a way of collecting new site data digitally makes doing this the right way a lot easier.

The Public Sector

Speaking to School Boards and Municipalities about Asbestos Management recently, it has become clear to me that there is a trend to move Asbestos Management Software and Data in-house. I suppose the reasoning is obvious - most public sector organizations have to tender service contracts for bid, and can't afford to be locked in to one contractor by virtue of using that contractor's application to track regulated substances.

Basebridge software is the perfect solution for that, as it allows either the contractor or the building owner to manage the license and access to the data - but regardless of who actually has the license, any valid third party can be given controlled access to the data and the application.

Timing timing

I can’t tell you how often people say they are not ready to buy asbestos management software yet because they are waiting to sell more services first. I think the logic is backward here for two reasons. First, all other things being equal, clients will choose the contractor with the technical solution over a paper based solution every time. Second, automating your processes saves money, allowing you to bid more competitively and do more work. You need to be ready before you sell your services. Asbestos management software is an investment that will pay you back in more clients, more work, client retention, and reduced operating costs. In some situations it pays for itself when you get your first new piece of business.

Enduring Asbestos

I was speaking to an engineer yesterday who said his company didn't focus on asbestos related consulting because "every year there is less and less asbestos around". The comment baffled me, because from my perspective, legislation and activity is just getting up to speed. Considering that most current regulations do not force organizations to remove asbestos, I'd say that the need for management services is only going to grow. Perhaps in 50-100 years when all the old buildings are gone it won't be a problem, but between then and now there is going to be a lot of activity around ensuring that all ACBMs are identified, tracked, and monitored, and that they are not disturbed when work is done to the building.

Providing comprehensive asbestos management services is a good way for engineering firms to combine profitability and public safety.

Ontario Asbestos Regulations - Important Change

Take note: Ontario Regulation 278/05, which considers asbestos in construction and repair projects and asbestos in buildings in general, has changed. To quote the Ontario Public Service Employees Union website, "One important change in the regulation that may increase awareness of asbestos in workplaces is a provision that re-inspection of existing asbestos must occur at frequent intervals and records must be updated at least once every twelve-month period. These changes will be phased in; until November 1, 2007, only workplaces with friable asbestos will be expected to comply with this section. After November 1, 2007, workplaces with any type of asbestos will be subject to the new rules."

This means new rules and reporting/management requirements for building owners (and municipalities that oversee them) in Ontario. When I said it is difficult to keep up with new regulations without a system in place, this is the kind of thing I am referring to. Implementing an Asbestos Management Software application like Basebridge's Hazmat Inspector can help owners comply with this new regulation, and in fact, we are planning to create a custom report aimed specifically at this new requirement in Ontario. There was never a better time for Ontario building owners and associated organizations to take a close look at Asbestos Management Software.

Environmental Expert Feature

This article was featured in the September Newsletter of EnvironmentalExpert.Com:

Asbestos Management Goes Digital

Hopefully this will raise the profile of software for asbestos management and help people understand how technology makes asbestos management more effective and efficient.

And as of September 4th, it was also featured on eZinearticles.com!

Client Feedback

Several client comments made their way back to me since creating the asbestos management software blog. The two I liked best were, in order of my delight:

1. "Wow!"
2. "Using your solution was the deciding factor in winning our last deal."

Keep the comments coming in!

James