Background and Purpose

Asbestos was mined and milled at Baie Verte from 1955 - 1992. Health effects from exposure to, and working with, asbestos have been widely recognized for more than 50 years.

Following a strike at the mine to protest working conditions and health risks, a study was commissioned in the mid-1970s with Dr. Irving Selikoff, a world-renowned specialist in occupational diseases. Dr. Selikoff identified changes in the health of some Baie Verte asbestos miners that were consistent with asbestos exposure. One of the recommendations of this study was that, "a registry of the Baie Verte employees should be established to include all workers who have been employed for one month or more... notifications of the former employees should be undertaken, and they should be informed of the Registry's existence" (Selikoff, I.J. 1976).

In the late 1980s, the United Steelworkers, concerned that the impact of employment at Baie Verte on the health of employees and former employees was being underestimated or ignored, created a paper database of employees and their work records. Since that time, the union has pressed the provincial government and the Workplace Health Safety & Compensation Commission (WHSCC) to use these data as the starting point for the creation of the registry recommended by the Selikoff study.

Presently, information regarding past employees of the Baie Verte asbestos mine is scattered across the province, the country and the United States. Files, datasets, X-rays and other vital clinical information is stored in a variety of delicate forms and at high risk of loss, destruction, and in some cases, unauthorized access. The creation of a formal registry brings all available data together in a single place under conditions that will guarantee preservation and ethically appropriate access.

What does this registry mean to you?

By joining the registry, you will make sure that your employment, exposure and health records are collected safely and stored in the right place along with the records of the other former Baie Verte employees. These records will then be studied and compared to evaluate the health effects of working with asbestos. You will be informed of the overall results and you will be advised about any further steps to take in your specific case.

What happens next? We will contact you.

When you press the 'Click to Contact Us' button, you are expressing your interest in the registry. A member of the Registry team will contact you directly and discuss your choices with you. Until we speak to you, we will keep your name and contact information completely confidential.

This is your time to go on the record - Time is of the essence.

Time is of the essence. You should contact us soon either to register yourself or to register a deceased member of your family who worked at the mine. You can either call us toll-free at the number printed below in red or press the ‘Click to Contact Us’ button to get started.

1-888-737-7250