Asbestos Contaminates Canadian University Labs

Fear and frustration best describes emotions felt by University of Toronto faculty and students after they say administration delayed notification that asbestos contaminated some of the university’s science labs. “The emotional experience is really devastating,” said physiology and medicine professor Adria Giacca in an interview with CBC News. Another professor, who didn’t want to be identified, told the Globe and Mail: “I’ve lost confidence, and my lab people have lost confidence…[It] perpetuates fear whenever you see dust, you now worry. Am I going to get cancer 20 years from now?” Asbestos is the leading cause of mesothelioma, an incurable cancer whose symptoms don’t appear until 20-50 years after asbestos exposure. A maintenance person who reported losing sleep over the issue, after sweeping the affected labs several times, said officials should have informed him of the possible exposure to asbestos. Faculty and students say they had no idea their labs were contaminated with the deadly substance until the university administration issued notification a month after test results showed asbestos dust in three labs. University Slapped with Union Grievance The union that represents teaching assistants and contract faculty already filed a grievance against the university, claiming the school violated the Occupational and Safety Act. CUPE local 3902 cites reports from union members who say they continued to work without notifica...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: asbestos ban in canada asbestos exposure in canada asbestos exposure in schools asbestos in canada Source Type: news