To help keep workers safe from the dangers of asbestos, WorkSafeBC is implementing mandatory training and certification. If you perform asbestos abatement work in relation to buildings in B.C., you must complete training from an approved provider and obtain a certificate. These requirements are in effect starting January 1, 2024. Exposure to asbestos can cause serious long-term health issues and even death. Asbestos was widely used in many building materials until the 1990s with diminishing use thereafter, and it continues to pose a risk to workers today. Trevor Getty owns Antiquity Environmental Consulting, one of several companies in the Lower Mainland approved to offer asbestos training and certification. He’s pleased to see the amendments to the Workers Compensation Act to allow for the new requirements. “It’s long overdue. This is a huge step toward making employees and our industry safer,” he says.