S.L. 646.15 Art. 16Employers shall provide training.

(1) Employers shall provide mandatory and appropriate training for all workers who are, or are likely to be exposed to asbestos dust. Such training shall be provided at the start of an employment relationship and whenever additional training needs are identified. The cost of such training shall not be borne by the workers.

(2) The length of the training shall be adequate in relation to the tasks of the workers concerned.

(3) The training shall be provided by an instructor whose qualification is recognised in accordance with national laws and practices.

(4) Every worker who has attended training in a satisfactory manner shall receive a training certificate which shall indicate all the following information:

(a) the date of the training;

(b) the duration of the training;

(c) the content of the training;

(d) the language of the training;

(e) the name, qualification, and contact details of the instructor or the institution providing the training, or both.

(5) The content of the training shall be easily understandable for workers. The training shall be adapted as closely as possible to the characteristics of the profession of the workers and the specific tasks and working methods of such profession to enable them to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in terms of prevention and safety, particularly as regards:

(a) the applicable law in Malta;

(b) the properties of asbestos and its effects on health, including the synergistic effects of smoking;

(c) the types of products or materials likely to contain asbestos;

(d) the operations that could result in asbestos exposure and the importance of preventive controls to minimise such exposure;

(e) safe work practices, controls and protective equipment;

(f) the appropriate role, choice, selection, limitations and proper use of protective equipment, with particular regard to respiratory equipment;

(g) emergency procedures;

(h) decontamination procedures;

(i) waste disposal;

(j) medical surveillance requirements.

(6) Workers who engage in demolition or asbestos removal work shall be required to receive training in addition to the training referred to in accordance with sub-regulation (5) regarding the use of technological equipment and machines to contain the release and spread of asbestos fibres during work processes in accordance with these regulations.