Asbestos is one of the most dangerous and prevalent sources of hazardous substances in the workplace, due to its wide use in building materials.
According to the scientific literature, exposure to asbestos is positively associated with: asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), sarcoidosis, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, among several other diseases.
The demand for asbestos for use in building materials increased into the 20th century, until peak consumption was reached in the 1960s and 1970s. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that asbestos use declined, and it became strictly regulated in Ontario under the Occupational Health and Safety Act in 1985. Canada stopped mining asbestos in 2012 and new asbestos use was banned in Canada in 2018.
Asbestos fibres were prized for their tensile strength, thermal insulation, and resistance to chemicals, fires, and electric current. They also do not dissolve in water or evaporate, are resistant to biological breakdown, and have sound absorbing properties. Thanks to these physical properties, asbestos was used extensively in construction, and as such it is still found in many existing buildings.
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is the largest independent asbestos victims’ organization in the U.S. It was founded in 2004 and started Asbestos Awareness Week. Following are some OHCOW resources about the hazards of Asbestos.
WEBINARS – Advances in Understanding the Continuing Impact of Asbestos
A presentation made during the 2021 Occ-tober Webinar Series: Research and Data
Presenters: Paul Demers, Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC)
RESPIRATORY HAZARDS
January 2020
Presenters: Kimberly O’Connell, Kevin Hedges, Todd Iri