Occupational Disease Fatalities Occupational Disease Fatalities January 1, 2006 to December 31 2006 Occupational disease fatalities consist mostly of recognized occupational disease, meaning disease known to be primarily or exclusively work-related e.g. asbestosis, black lung disease. Occupational diseases are frequently diagnosed many years after the initial or crucial exposure to the toxic substance, and it can often be very difficult to determine when the fatal exposure occurred. The occupational disease category should not be interpreted to reflect present work site hazardous conditions or exposures. Occupational disease also includes heart attacks suffered on the job. The most frequent occupational disease fatalities accepted by the Workers Compensation Board in recent years concern exposure to asbestos fibres. Industry s Industry Sector Agriculture and Forestry Business, Personal and Professional Services Construction and Construction Trades Manufacturing and Processing Includes greenhouses and market gardens, feed lots, timber management, logging and related woodlands operations including the trucking of logs. Includes building and grounds maintenance, financial services, restaurants, hotels and recreation facilities, security services, and professional services such as engineering. Includes the construction of houses, apartments, industrial plants, roads, bridges and pipelines, and specialized construction trades (e.g. plumbing, painting, roofing, and bricklaying). Involves manufacturing beyond the raw product: includes saw mills, pulp mills, food and beverages, metal fabrication, petrochemicals, and oil refineries. Mining and Petroleum Development Public Administration, Education and Health Services Transportation, Communication and Utilities Wholesale and Retail Trade Includes underground and open pit mining, oil sands mining and processing, operation of oil and gas wells, drilling and servicing of wells, and related services in the oil fields. Includes the provincial government, all forms of local government, universities, colleges, business schools, libraries, hospitals and long term care facilities. Includes public transportation (air, rail, bus), trucking, radio, television, live theatre, electricity, natural gas and garbage collection. Includes food and beverage stores, department stores, home improvement centres, and sale and service of automobiles and equipment. Occupational Disease Fatalities 1
Industry Sector 2006 Number of Fatalities (Year-to-date) 2005 Number of Fatalities Administrative 0 0 Agriculture and Forestry 1 0 Business, Personal and Professional Services 3 1 Construction and Construction Trades 25 26 Federal Government 2 1 Manufacturing and Processing 9 10 Mining and Petroleum Development 4 8 Public Administration, Education and Health Services 8 14 Retail and Wholesale Trade 5 3 Transportation, Communication and Utilities 7 6 Unknown 0 1 TOTAL 64 70 Date of AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY A 64-year old heavy duty mechanic died from respiratory failure resulting from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease resulting from asbestos exposure over a 30 year period. BUSINESS, PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES A 75-year old laboratory technician developed malignant mesothelioma resulting from asbestos exposure over a 15 year period. A 61-year old engineer developed malignant mesothelioma due to occupational exposure to asbestos fibres during the early 70 s and late 80 s in the construction industry. A 54-year old construction insulator died from metastatic lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos from 1971-1997, and later as a chimneysweep from 1997-2005. CONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES A 30-year old welder died of diffuse alveolar damage due to complication arising from Hantavirus infection that resulted from workplace exposure. A 58-year old heavy equipment operator died from conditions arising from renal failure that resulted from infection and post-operative complications related to a contusion injury the worker suffered in 1987. A 76-year old crusher operator developed conglomerate silicosis as a result of occupational exposure to rock dust over a period of 40 years. A 77-year old pipe fitter/welder developed asbestos related pleural disease resulting in respiratory failure as a result of exposure to asbestos over a period of 30 years. Occupational Disease Fatalities 2
A 76-year old worker was severely injured and died from failing health and complications related to the effects of his quadriplegia. An 84-year old plasterer developed asbestos related pleural disease resulting from asbestos exposure in the workplace. A 43-year old glassworker died 5 years later from severe medical complications related to the compensable injury. A 77-year old plasterer developed asbestos related pleural disease resulting from asbestos exposure over a period of 30+ years. A 61-year old concrete construction labourer died from heart failure related to a chronic arterial fibrillation condition that developed as a result of the effect of an electric shock he sustained in 1985. A 71-year old construction and upholstery worker developed peritoneal mesothelioma resulting from asbestos exposure in the early 1950 s. A 69-year old labourer developed asbestos related pleural disease during his years of employment from 1973 1988, resulting in asbestosis and respiratory failure. A 73-year old welder/boilermaker developed malignant mesothelioma caused by repeated exposure to asbestos during his occupational career. An 86-year old developed mesothelioma as a result of his occupational career as a plumber. An 82-year old carpenter/contractor developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a result of his occupational exposure to asbestos. A 90-year old carpenter developed asbestos related pleural disease resulting from asbestos exposure in the workplace. A 70-year old owner/operator in the retail business developed pulmonary asbestosis from worksite exposure during his prior occupation as a pipe fitter. July 2006 A 74-year old boilermaker developed chronic obstructive lung disease during his 30- year career, resulting from asbestosis and respiratory failure. October 2006 An 88-year old pipe fitter developed malignant mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos insulation from 1957 to 1984. A 69-year old labourer developed asbestos related lung disease during his occupational exposure to asbestos in 1954-1955. A 60-year old worker developed pleural plaques/asbestos disease which contributed to his lung cancer over a period of 20 years in the construction industry. A 59-year old worker died from respiratory failure as a result of complications related to the effects of his quadriplegia caused by a severe injury in 1978. An 80-year old boilermaker developed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the liver resulting from asbestos exposure during his 38 years of employment. An 86-year old carpenter died from respiratory failure as a result of complications related to the effects of his paraplegia caused by a severe injury in 1972. A 75-year old truck driver/vehicle maintenance worker developed malignant mesothelioma resulting from exposure to asbestos over a 35 year period. Occupational Disease Fatalities 3
An 83-year old cement finisher developed asbestos related lung disease as a result of his occupational exposure to asbestos in the construction industry. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT A 78-year old heavy duty mechanic developed malignant mesothelioma resulting from exposure to asbestos dust from spray on insulation on hangar doors from 1955-1986. A 47-year old letter carrier died from medical complications as a result of injuries sustained in a work related injury. MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING July 2006 July 2006 A 71-year old steelworker died from kidney cancer as a result of being exposed to various asbestos products during his years of employment from 1958 to 1991 in the steel industry. An 81-year old foundry worker developed chronic lung disease and silicosis resulting in respiratory failure. An 80-year old labourer who suffered with asbestos related lung and pleural disease died from respiratory failure due to emphysema, as a result of his occupational exposure to gravel dust and grain dust. A 78-year old worker developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease together with pulmonary silicosis as a result of his occupational exposure to silica dust. Worker was a part-time grinder from 1947-1984 and a firefighter from 1951-1987. A 66-year old feed mill operator died as a result of respiratory failure caused by pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease resulting from 20 years of grain dust exposure. A 58-year old insulator developed peritoneal mesothelioma resulting from exposure to asbestos over a 35 year period. A 77-year old mechanic/millwright who suffered with asbestos related pleural disease died from respiratory failure, as a result of his occupational exposure to asbestos. A 77-year old worker developed chronic obstructive lung disease during his occupational exposure to asbestos resulting form asbestosis and respiratory failure. Worker was employed as an insulator from 1946-1990. A 53-year old sandblaster was exposed to dust in the 1980 s in the sandblasting industry and developed chronic lung disease and silicosis resulting in respiratory failure. MINING AND PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT A 78-year old equipment operator developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after 29 years of coal and dust exposure in the mines. A 48-year old civil servant contracted hepatitis C following a blood transfusion for ongoing treatment of a 1977 leg amputation, as a result of an electrical incident. The worker died from subsequent liver failure. Occupational Disease Fatalities 4
A 61-year old truck driver died from complications related to severe congestive heart failure caused by a prior work related cardiac arrest incident. A 63-year old labourer developed asbestosis and asbestos related pleural disease resulting in respiratory failure as a result of exposure to asbestos in the workplace. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, EDUCATION AND HEALTH SERVICES An 80-year old utility worker developed malignant mesothelioma as a result of occupational exposure to asbestos. A 71-year old electrician died as a result of a metastatic malignant mesothelioma as a consequence of asbestos exposure over a period of 50 years. A 79-year old retired fire chief developed malignant mesothelioma during his 30+ year career as a firefighter. A 64-year old welder died from malignant mesothelioma caused by repeated exposure to asbestos over a 24 year period. A 78-year old retired fire fighter developed brain cancer after a 12 year firefighting career from 1954-1966. A 48-year old firefighter developed multiple myeloma after a 17 year firefighting career from 1989 2006. A 72-year old retired firefighter developed lung cancer after a 28 year firefighting career from 1953-1981. A 74-year old maintenance worker developed asbestos related lung disease as a result of his occupational exposure to asbestos from 1969 1990. WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE October 2006 A 68-year old grain handler was exposed to grain dust during his employment in the 1950 s and 1960 s and developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease resulting in pneumonia. A 61-year old salesman developed peritoneal mesothelioma resulting from asbestos exposure in previous occupations. Worker was previously employed as a fire fighter and then worked in a nickel, copper and iron mine. A 69-year old yard foreman was exposed to asbestos from 1962 to 1996 while handling zonolite bags which were directly related to his malignant mesothelioma. A 79-year old worker died from medical complications as a result of injuries sustained in a work related injury. A 72-year old mechanic developed mesothelioma resulting in respiratory failure caused by exposure to asbestos in the workplace. TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNICATION AND UTILITIES Occupational Disease Fatalities 5
October 2006 A 59-year old truck driver developed asbestos related lung and pleural disease as a result of being exposed to various asbestos products between 1969-1993. A 44-year old truck driver suffered a heart attack as a consequence of overexertion related to heavy work related to cranking up dolly legs on a trailer. A 54-year old technician died from pulmonary thromboemboli resulting from medical complications related to an ankle fracture sustained in a fall. An 87-year old carpenter/wood machinist developed malignant mesothelioma as a result of his occupational exposure to asbestos from 1946 1979. A 72-year old warehouse man developed malignant mesothelioma from exposure to various asbestos products including bags of zonolite insulation from 1956-1978. An 82-year old electrician developed asbestos related pleural disease and asbestosis resulting in respiratory failure as a result of exposure to asbestos over a period of 30 years. A 65-year old labourer died as a consequence of bronchopneumonia related to pulmonary fibrosis as a result of his occupational exposure to asbestos from 1967-2001. Occupational Disease Fatalities 6