WorkSafeBC recommends that a qualified person collect samples for asbestos analysis. A qualified person is defined as an occupational health and safety professional with occupational hygiene experience related to asbestos. These persons would include the following persons:

​

• Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIH)

• Registered Occupational Hygienist (ROH)

• Registered Occupational Hygiene Technologist (ROHT)

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP)

• Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP)

• Applied Science Technologist (AScT)

• Professional Engineer (PEng)

• US Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) certified inspector

• A person with a combination of education and related experience

​

Should you decide to collect your own samples, a NIOSH approved P100 respirator should be worn and should be fit tested for the individual using it. Disposable gloves (nitrile, latex, or rubber) and coveralls are recommended. Sample collection must minimize the disturbance, as well as minimize exposure to asbestos for the persons collecting the bulk samples.

​

WorkSafeBC provides guidance on the minimum number of bulk samples that should be collected to identify asbestos-containing materials that might be present in a building.

​

Click to Download: WorkSafeBC Guidance on Number of Samples

​

WorkSafeBC recommends a minimum amount of the material is collected for laboratory analysis.

​

Click to Download: WorkSafeBC Guidance on Sample Size

​

Place each sample in a zip-lock bag and label each bag with a permanent marker with the following information:

​

• Sample number – This will determine the order of the samples in the report

• Room or area location (e.g. Kitchen, north exterior wall to left of exterior door)

• Type of material (e.g. Drywall taping compound)

​

​

All of the samples are then placed inside a larger zip-lock bag which is identified with either your company name or the name of the person submitting the samples, and the location of where the samples were collected from. Double-bagging is to ensure if the sample bag rips or tears there is another bag to contain the contamination.

​

You may either mail, courier, or drop off your samples in person at our lab (Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm). You must complete a Chain of Custody (CoC) for each set of samples submitted. In addition to the information above, the CoC will tell us who to report and invoice to, the submission date, and requested turnaround time. Pre-payment is required upon submission. We accept all major credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, and American Express) and debit.

​