British Columbia’s WorkSafe announced the launching of HiddenKiller.ca, a comprehensive web site on asbestos-exposure prevention and the first of its kind in Canada.
The site reflects WorkSafeBC’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness about the potential deadly effects of asbestos exposure in the workplace. Asbestos ranks as a leading cause of work-related disease and death in British Columbia. The term “hidden killer” refers to the fact that asbestos fibers — which may be released during demolition or renovation — cannot be seen or smelled when inhaled and yet the damage they cause is irreparable.(WCxKit)
“Too many workers in British Columbia are affected by asbestos exposures each year,” said Minister of Labor, Citizens’ Services and Open Government Stephanie Cadieux. “This new website is a significant step forward in our efforts to educate and help protect B.C. workers from the dangers of this harmful substance, and hopefully one day, we can eliminate asbestos exposures altogether.”
When asbestos fibers lodge in the lungs, the results can appear decades later and potentially lead to debilitating chronic diseases, such as asbestosis, or a form of lung cancer known as mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure is British Columbia’s number one occupational disease. Of the 143 accepted fatality claims last year, 75 were the result of occupational disease, and the majority of these can be attributed to exposure to asbestos. This trend is expected to continue.
“We are committed to educating workers, employers, and the general public about the dangers of asbestos,” added Diana Miles, senior vice president, worker and employer services operations, WorkSafeBC. “This site will present one comprehensive source providing key information and resources on asbestos to help in our exposure prevention initiative.”(WCxKit)
The HiddenKiller.ca website includes information on what asbestos is, where it can be found, and how it should be handled, along with real-life stories about workers and families dealing with the consequences of asbestos exposure, and information about how to file a work-related exposure claim.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. See www.LowerWC.com for more information. Contact: [email protected].
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