Government must be more proactive on addressing public health issues

During question period today in the House of Assembly, Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones raised a number of issues related to public health issues and whether government has done enough work to protect the general public from unhealthy buildings and chemicals that are potentially causing sickness.

Jones raised three issues related to health concerns including asbestos problems at St. Pat’s Mercy Home in St. John’s, air quality issues at the Registry of Deeds in Confederation Building and a proposed ban on the use of cosmetic pesticides in the province.

“Last spring we raised the issue of asbestos problems at St. Pat’s nursing home in St. John’s after hearing from workers concerned for their health,” said Ms. Jones. “We recently obtained under the Access to Information Act Occupational Health and Safety reports regarding asbestos exposure at the facility. These reports confirm that the building’s asbestos management plan was not being followed prior to 2008. Documentation and e-mail correspondence within the Department of Government Services also stressed the need for a Medical Surveillance Program to be implemented to assess any adverse health impacts on staff and residents who may have been exposed to asbestos during that time. Unfortunately, government has not acted on these recommendations to ensure no staff or residents of the facilities have been exposed over the past number of years.”

In the documents obtained by the Official Opposition, a November 2007 Occupational Health and Safety report states: “the employer has not fulfilled their responsibilities for effective asbestos management. And as such, the same deficiencies in workplace controls that were noted in the past continue to exist today.”

“Workers at the Registry of Deeds in the basement of Confederation Building are also raising concerns about air quality. Legal title searchers employed with various law firms throughout the province work in the “vault” of the registry where older property titles are kept. These workers have expressed concerns about potential exposure to chemicals, asbestos or mould in this area of the registry, especially after 14 out of 35 workers have been diagnosed with cancer over the past five years. They have continuously asked government to look into the situation and provide detailed testing results. These workers and the general public have a right to know whether any testing has been completed, what the results have been and whether this has had any impact on their health.”

Jones also raised the issue of a proposed ban on the use of cosmetic pesticides in the province. “Over the summer a Provincial Working Group was formed with the goal of banning the cosmetic use of pesticides in the province. This coalition has raised public awareness over the use of pesticides and the potential health impacts of their use. We know the Minister met with her Atlantic counterparts to discuss this issue, however, no action or updates have come since.”