Asbestos Dangers – The Real Stats

A recent incident reported by police in the Delta area of British Columbia says it all. A routine traffic stop this summer netted a driver a number of tickets. First, there were 12 people stuffed into a van meant to hold six. On top of that, in the cargo box next to two of the passengers was a pile of loose asbestos contaminated material.

Not only was this construction company putting their own employees at risk, the cops that made the stop were put at risk, and wherever they were going to dump it, the people who live in the vicinity would also be at risk of asbestos exposure.

Shady construction and even unscrupulous asbestos removal companies show up routinely in the news. With that kind of uneducated attitude, it’s no wonder that asbestos is the leading cause of workplace deaths in Canada and what’s more, fatalities have risen 60 percent between 2000 and 2012, the last years for which data is available. That assertion comes from Statistics Canada.

• The number of people who die from asbestos exposure on the job represents more than a third of all workplace deaths.
• The number is higher than those killed by highway accidents, fires, and chemical exposure put together.
• It is by far the biggest cause of workplace related cancers, at over 70 percent.

The risk is real, and a careless attitude towards asbestos and how to deal with it carries real consequences.

What About Your Home?
The risk is real when you live in an older building – one built before the mid-1980s. Asbestos and asbestos containing materials can show up anywhere in your home literally from floor to ceiling tiles, basement pipe chasing to attic insulation.

But, that doesn’t mean you need to live in fear.

• What all the situations in the news, and the unfortunate cases of workplace mesothelioma, have in common, is that workers were exposed to asbestos unknowingly or in ignorance of its dangerous potential.
• They were not made aware of the dangers, and not educated on how to protect themselves.

In your own home, you can take control.

Let Us Help
If you have asbestos or asbestos containing materials in your home, we can help. Our experienced and certified asbestos removal and asbestos remediation technicians can help keep you and your family safe. In the Toronto area call Environmental at (416) 818-9414. Contact us for a quote today.

Featured in Mike Holmes’ magazine, HGTV’s Income Properties, W Network’s Love It Or List It and chosen by Homestars.com as “Best Toronto Asbestos Removal Company” based on customer ratings and reviews, GreenStream Environmental Services are fully-certified, trusted and insured professionals in the removal and disposal of commercial, industrial, institutional and residential asbestos, vermiculite and mould (hazardous and non-hazardous). Providing emergency service 24/7/365 for all of Toronto and the GTA (North York, Mississauga, Markham, Brampton, Scarborough, Ajax, Oshawa, and beyond) GreenStream has over 40 combined years of experience serving clients such as the City of Toronto, the Toronto District School Board and many more. For a free estimate in Toronto, the GTA and Southern Ontario, call today at 416-818-9414. You’ll be glad you did.