Asbestos Awareness Week - Prevention Saves Lives

CANADA, April 1 - Released on April 1, 2025

April 1-7 is Global Asbestos Awareness Week. This is an important time to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos in the workplace.

"Work related asbestos diseases can be prevented if you are aware of where it is located in a building and how to properly handle it to avoid exposure to its fibers," Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Jim Reiter said.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material that was regularly used in buildings until the late 1990s. If products containing asbestos are disturbed, the tiny fibres are released into the air. When they are breathed in, they can become trapped in the lungs and stay there for many years. Over time, these fibres can accumulate and lead to serious health problems.

In the 2024-25 Provincial Budget, $230,000 in funding was provided to replace the asbestos registry. This funding ensured that workers continue to be protected when doing repairs or renovations to public buildings identified as containing asbestos. The updated registry was launched in February 2025. 

As of December 31, 2024 more than 5,200 facilities had been registered in the searchable online tool.

The asbestos registry is publicly available at saskatchewan.ca.

To learn more about the dangers of asbestos in the workplace, including information about understanding, identifying and handling asbestos visit: saskatchewan.ca/asbestos and WorkSafe Saskatchewan. 

The Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety fosters safe, healthy and productive workplaces for Saskatchewan through education, intervention and enforcement.

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