Hazardous Materials Assessments in Kamloops and Surrounding Areas
If you live in an older residential building, work in an older commercial building, or work in or with older industrial buildings, structures, or equipment, there is a high potential of hazardous materials being present. If damaged or disturbed, these materials can cause serious health effects to individuals without notice until it is too late.
WP Consulting can identify these materials and provide sound recommendations on how to deal with these materials, especially before renovations or a demolition project.
Asbestos Testing Services
Asbestos was widely used in construction materials in residential, commercial and industrial buildings prior to 1990. However, new information has been brought forward from research conducted by the Canadian Standard Association ((CSA), now part of the CSA global group). provided in their publication, "Asbestos Management in Canada: Assessing the Need for a National Standard", June 2021.
Asbestos exposure poses serious health risks when the materials containing it get damaged. When damaged, a release of toxic fibres occurs. These fibres can easily be ingested or inhaled when airborne. These fibres can then lead to serious health problems such as developing lung diseases (asbestosis or mesothelioma).
Aside from building materials, asbestos-containing products include various automotive parts, textiles, and electrical components.
WP Consulting, now licenced and certified for asbestos inspection through the new legislation implemented in BC recommends asbestos testing for buildings up to 2018 before commencing structural repairs and renovations.
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Note: this image shows Chrysotile Asbestos fibres, commonly found in building materials in British Columbia.
Why Do You Need a Hazardous Materials/Substances Assessment?
Other hazardous materials/substances that are included in our assessments within your residence, property or workplace are mould, lead, silica, equipment or appliances containing ozone-depleting substances (ODSs), Elemental Mercury, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) or radiation or emits radiation. Before starting a project, it is essential to identify asbestos and other hazardous materials/substances that could impact renovation or demolition projects.
British Columbia Occupational Health and Safety Regulations and Guidelines (BC OH&S), legislate that hazardous materials and substances that exist within a workspace shall be identified and adequately controlled. This means that having an assessment is not only imperative to one's health and safety. It is an enforceable act for building owners and employers to protect the health of workers and employees.
Our Hazardous Materials Assessments
WP Consulting works with its clients to ensure that they are informed of the legal requirements. To make it an exhaustive process, we perform:
On-site surveys
​Our hazardous material surveys are conducted by a current certified Level S Asbestos Surveyor (required certification now in British Columbia). The sample collection is conducted in a way that ensures full representation of the client's designated project areas while performing methodologically in accordance with British Columbia Occupational Health and Safety Regulations and Guidelines (BC OH&S).
Costs often depend on the nature of the survey needed for a particular site. Complications like multiple renovations over the years, often in older homes, can make it hard to anticipate sampling costs. Renovations can include repairing older building materials with another hazardous substance (such as patching damage to a lath and plaster wall with asbestos-containing drywall joint compound or levelling compound) or switching an old product with a newer hazardous substance (such as removing exterior wood siding and applying asbestos-containing stucco coating).
​For further information regarding the sampling methodology, please contact us.
​Sample analysis
WP Consulting is associated with a wide range of third-party laboratories and suppliers for its sampling analysis needs. Third-party laboratories provide a higher confidence factor, that some of WP Consulting's clients like to have. A third party removes the conflict of interest concerns and the bias factor.
These laboratories are also used by government entities such as the City of Vancouver, WorkSafeBC and, BC Government Ministries. WP Consulting only uses laboratories and suppliers that have been established for years and that are accredited by highly standard bodies.
​​Documentation
Our hazardous material surveys come complete with documentation, which can provide you with detailed information about the current regulations and standards pertaining to hazardous materials, results of our findings, and laboratory analysis results along with conclusions and recommendations.
We offer the following documents:
Hazardous material abatement scope of work (for contracting bids).
Hazardous material management plans.
Hazardous material risk assessments.
Hazardous material exposure control plans.
