Possible asbestos exposure at Sudbury Hospital Services

The Ministry of Labour confirmed it is investigating possible exposure to asbestos at Sudbury Hospital Services, a facility that provides laundry and dishwashing services for Health Sciences North.

The ministry received a complaint about possible exposure to asbestos fibres – a serious health hazard and known carcinogen – on Jan. 12, and ordered the employer to erect a barrier around the contaminated area, after dispatching an inspector and hygienist to investigate the situation, said Ministry of Labour spokesperson William Lin.

Terry Watters, the general manager at Sudbury Hospital Services, said the possible exposure to asbestos happened in November and December, when contractors were removing old steam valves in the facility's boiler room.

The building, located at 363 York Street, was built in 1969, when asbestos was still commonly used for insulation.

In 2000, Sudbury Health Services started an asbestos program to identify parts of the building that still contained the material for insulation.

The pipes in the boiler room were identified to be encapsulated with asbestos, Watters said. A protective shell surrounded the pipes, and was filled with asbestos to insulate them.

“We believed we could remove it safely by not disturbing the (pipe) elbows,” Watters said.

But the Ministry of Labour later informed Sudbury Health Services they had not followed the correct procedures while handling the pipes.

“Prior to lowering these (pipe) elbows they should have been re-wrapped,” Watters said.
Watters said there was no way to determine whether or not employees were exposed to airborne asbestos fibres while handling the pipes.

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board provided Sudbury Health Services with workers exposure incident forms, which it has handed to all of its employees, contractors and suppliers.

Anyone who suspected being in the affected area when asbestos exposure was possible was encouraged to identify themselves.

Sudbury Health Services employs 60 full-time and part-time staff.

Only trained workers, with proper personal protective equipment, are allowed to enter the affected area, and Sudbury Health Services is required to provide the Ministry of Labour with an updated asbestos management plan to clean the area.

Asbestos does not pose a significant health risk when it is enclosed or tightly bound in a product.

But when asbestos fibres are inhaled in significant quantities they can cause asbestosis – a scarring of the lungs which makes breathing difficult – lung cancer, and mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that affects the lining of the chest or the abdominal cavity.