What Is Asbestos Level 1? WorkSafeBC Certification Explained

Asbestos is a natural mineral that was used for decades in building materials because it is strong and resists heat. It is still found in many older homes and buildings, in materials like:

• Insulation, including pipe and boiler insulation
• Drywall mud and joint compound
• Vinyl flooring and the glue under it
• Ceiling tiles and textured (popcorn) ceilings
• Roofing and siding products

When these materials are cut, drilled, broken or removed, tiny fibres get into the air. Breathing them in can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, often many years later. WorkSafeBC says asbestos exposure remains the leading cause of work-related deaths in BC.

You cannot tell if a material contains asbestos just by looking at it. It has to be tested. If you work in an older building and are not sure, treat the material as if it contains asbestos, stop work, and ask your supervisor before you disturb it.

Since January 1, 2024, anyone doing asbestos abatement work in BC must hold a certificate issued by WorkSafeBC. There are four levels:

Level 1 does not allow you to do abatement work. Removing or enclosing asbestos as part of an abatement job requires Level 2.

In BC, you need Level 1 if you transport asbestos-containing material or dispose of asbestos waste. You also need it before you can take Level 2.

WorkSafeBC also recommends Level 1 for people who do not need a certificate but would benefit from asbestos safety knowledge. That can include trades who may come across asbestos in older buildings but do not remove it:

Not sure which level your job needs? Ask your employer before you enrol.

Here is a quick way to think about it:

• Transporting or disposing of asbestos waste? Level 1.
• Doing abatement work? Level 2, with Level 1 first.
• Supervising an abatement site? Level 3, with Level 2 first.
• Doing asbestos surveys? Level S, with Level 1 first.
• Just want to recognize asbestos and stay safe, with no abatement duties? Level 1 is recommended, and a general awareness course may also meet your employer’s needs, but awareness is not a WorkSafeBC certificate.

Only training from a WorkSafeBC-approved provider, followed by the WorkSafeBC exam, leads to a Level 1 certificate. A general asbestos awareness course is useful, but it is not the same thing.

Gama Safety Canada is a WorkSafeBC-approved training provider for Asbestos Level 1, both online and in person.

The certificate itself is issued by WorkSafeBC, not by the training company. Gama gives you a certificate of completion for the course. WorkSafeBC gives you your asbestos certificate once you pass its exam.

Gama Safety’s online Asbestos Level 1 course takes about 1 hour 20 minutes and has three modules:

1. Foundations of Asbestos Awareness: what asbestos is, where it is found in older buildings, how exposure happens, and the health effects of breathing in fibres.
2. Working Safely Around Asbestos: how to recognize asbestos-containing materials, control dust, follow safe work procedures, and know when to stop work.
3. Responsibilities, Protective Equipment, and Safe Asbestos Disposal: the duties of employers, supervisors and workers, choosing and using PPE and respirators, decontamination, and bagging, labelling and disposing of waste.

The focus is practical knowledge for the job: how to keep fibres out of the air, how to protect yourself and others nearby, how to clean up and decontaminate before leaving a work area, and how to package waste so it is safe to move. The course does not train you to remove asbestos; that is Level 2.

Online students do the theory online, at their own pace. At the end of the course, you book your WorkSafeBC Level 1 exam session with Gama Safety, either live on Zoom or in person at our Burnaby training centre.

The exam session with Gama is held in English. When you pass, WorkSafeBC issues your Level 1 certificate, which you can view in WorkSafeBC Online Services, and WorkSafeBC sends you your card. Gama Safety also offers in-person Asbestos Level 1 training in Burnaby if you prefer a classroom.

So you end up with two documents:

• Your Gama certificate of completion, which you can download as soon as you pass the course exam.
• Your WorkSafeBC Level 1 certificate and card, issued by WorkSafeBC after you pass its exam. This is the certificate that counts as asbestos certification in BC.

A WorkSafeBC asbestos certificate is valid for up to three years from the date of issue. To renew, you pass the exam again through an approved training provider. If no more than 12 months have passed since your certificate expired, the exam alone is enough. After that, you must take the full training and pass the exam again.

If you hold a higher level, you don’t renew the lower ones separately: a current Level 2 covers Level 1.

Keep track of your expiry date. Employers and contractors may ask to see a current certificate before you start work that involves asbestos waste. If you plan to move up to Level 2 later, keep your Level 1 current, because Level 2 builds on it.

1. Enrol in the online Asbestos Level 1 course and start right away on your phone, tablet or computer.
2. Learn at your own pace. Your progress saves automatically.
3. Pass the course exam with 80% or better (retakes are unlimited and free). Download your Gama certificate of completion right away.
4. Book and pass your WorkSafeBC Level 1 exam with Gama, on Zoom or in Burnaby (in English). WorkSafeBC then issues your certificate and sends your card.

Training a crew? Volume pricing starts at 2 seats, with an admin dashboard to track progress. Questions? Call 1-866-661-9803 or email info@gamasafety.ca.