Designated Substance Abatement

O. Reg. 490/09 lists acrylonitrile, arsenic, asbestos, benzene, coke oven emissions, ethylene oxide, isocyanates, lead, mercury, silica, and vinyl chloride. The regulation and work setting determine the applicable duties. Asbestos disturbance on construction projects follows the specific procedures in O. Reg. 278/05.

An employer assesses actual or potential worker exposure where a designated substance is present, produced, processed, used, handled, or stored in a covered workplace. For construction, owner-provided survey information must be reviewed before disturbance. The assessment guides the control program, monitoring, hygiene, work method, and any substance-specific requirements.

The method depends on coating condition, steel profile, access, and the required final finish. Harrowgate can use wet scraping, chemical stripping, or HEPA-shrouded mechanical preparation inside a controlled area. Chips, dust, slurry, filters, and protection are captured separately, and cleaned steel is presented for the specified visual or analytical acceptance.

Switches, lamps, thermostats, and instruments are located and disconnected intact wherever possible. Crews protect them from impact, use compatible closed packaging, and keep them separate from demolition debris. A breakage response, collection tools, ventilation decision, and waste route are established before removal begins, especially in occupied or process areas.

Concrete contains crystalline silica, but the required controls depend on the task and exposure potential. Cutting, grinding, breaking, or cleaning dry silica-bearing residue can create airborne dust. Harrowgate uses wet methods, source capture, isolation, access control, and respiratory protection as established by the assessment and Ontario construction requirements.

The project control plan establishes personal or area air monitoring, sampling frequency, action response, and record keeping. An occupational hygienist selects the method and interprets results. Harrowgate coordinates sampling with representative production tasks and adjusts engineering controls, work practices, crew access, or protective equipment when results indicate improvement is required.

Removed material, contaminated substrate, filters, wipes, wash water, and disposable protection are characterized under Regulation 347. Compatible packages are labelled and secured, incompatible streams stay separate, and subject waste moves with the required digital manifest to an authorized receiver. Load and receiving records are reconciled at project closeout.