CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

Are we doing "asbestos" we can?

I find it shocking that WSH is content with basing decisions regarding asbestos exposure of workers on a study in 1984 from Ontario that claimed they didn't have any studies on effectiveness of wet demos.

Current policy requires abatement before demo, but we don't have evidence on how effective a wet demo is. If a worker is in contact with asbestos every day for 15 days he would have to be over 95% effective at avoiding asbestos every day in order to be more effective than 50% at avoiding asbestos overall.

Are wet demos 50% effective? I don't know, and neither does Workplace Safety and Health. It seems to me that it would be beneficial to have quantifiable data on the efficacy of wet demos, as it could make for safer demolition as well as more economical demolitions.