Most of the existing asbestos is contained in building
materials used in the 1970s and 1980s. Exposure
typically occurs when old buildings are renovated or
demolished. Thus, the Government enacted the Asbestos
Ordinance in 2005, which outlined proper handling
measures in demolition work. An outline of the Asbestos
Ordinance is shown in figure 14.
The Ordinance also imposes requirements to ensure
proper removal and encapsulation to minimise the
exposure to asbestos dusts. These include requiring
advance notification and plans for demolition work
involving asbestos, measures for asbestos dustcontrol
systems (e.g. exhaust systems) and the use of
protective equipment or isolation to minimise exposure.
Requirements for a system to manage the work and
equipment used were also imposed. In addition, it is
now mandatory for at-risk-workers to go for regular
health examinations to ensure that any health problem is
arrested in its infancy.
Moving forward
The legislation is part of the Government’s strategy
to ensure that the long-term social costs of asbestos
exposure are internalized by companies.