Newfoundland Government Compiles List of Asbestos Mine Workers

October 5, 2006 - The Newfoundland (Canada) government is following through on a promise to develop a registry of former workers of the Baie Verte asbestos mine, reports the Nor’wester newspaper.

The registry, being put together by the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC), is a long time coming, say representatives for the United Steelworkers and other organizations concerned with occupational health hazards in Northwestern Canada. 

According to the newspaper report, the registry will “identify former employees, determine their vital status and general state of health, and attempt to ascertain how many of them may have contracted asbestos-related diseases.” From this report, the WHSCC will develop a plan of action to address the growing number of individuals who have been sickened by their work at the mines.

Lar Hoven, president of the Baie Verte Peninsula Action Committee, is pleased that the process of compiling data on former mine workers has begun. He recognizes that it’s not an easy task.

“This is a great thing for all of us. This is what we wanted and what we really needed. We knew it was coming but I’m pleased to see the process has begun,” said Hoven.

“We had a lot of people go through that mine so to develop a registry is not going to be easy. It won’t only be restricted to Canada, as the mine was once owned by a company in Australia, so this registry could have them looking all over the world,” added Kathy Dicks-Payton, WHSCC communications spokesperson.

Union members and concerned locals hope that the process of identifying those who suffer from asbestos-related problems due to the mine won’t stop with the compiling of the registry.  Much more needs to be done, says Andy King, Steelworkers National Health and Safety Coordinator.

“This is not good enough. We need much more work done on this,” stressed King. “We can never be sure that we are doing justice to everyone if we don’t make it fair for them to be considered and that’s what this report will help us do.”