April 1st to 7th is Global Asbestos Awareness Week. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization established the week to raise awareness and prevent exposure.

Products which once contained asbestos, are either no longer in use or have been replaced. However, Saskatchewan workers and individuals may still be exposed to asbestos. It is estimated around 125 million people world wide are exposed to asbestos in the work place.

If found in publicly owned buildings, asbestos must be reported through the province's online Asbestos Registry.

Asbestos Infographic; courtesy of the Government of SKIn a media release Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Don Morgan states, "I am proud of the groundbreaking work our Occupational Health and Safety team undertook to ensure that information about the presence of asbestos is accessible and understandable...Saskatchewan is a leader in this regard, and we have been contacted by other jurisdictions who want to learn more about how to establish similar registries.”

Nearly 5,800 locations have been registered online.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material which was regularly used in buildings between the 1950s to late 1990s. If disturbed, products containing asbestos will release tiny fibres into the air. Asbestos is a carcinogenic material.

It is often found in ceiling tiles, floor tiles, pipe insulation, boilers, and sprayed-on coatings. If inhaled, asbestos can cause lung diseases, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and masothelioma.

As long as the asbestos remains undisturbed, it will not be an immediate risk to your health.