Asbestos: The Silent Killer | Video, 2009
Produced by the United Steelworkers, a full decade before asbestos was banned in Canada, the video “Asbestos: The Silent Killer” discusses the harmful effects of asbestos exposure on workers, particularly those from the Trail, BC smelter.
This 26-minute video touches on the history of asbestos management, and the need for a comprehensive asbestos removal program, and calls for accountability from employers and governments.
“Asbestos: The Silent Killer” includes personal testimonies from those impacted by asbestos-related illnesses. One carpenter recounts developing asbestosis in both lungs after years of cutting asbestos sheets and making insulating blocks, a process that generated significant dust. Another individual discovered their condition accidentally when they experienced extreme breathlessness during light exercise, leading to a diagnosis. A former worker described how many colleagues who handled asbestos insulation on pipes also developed asbestosis. The widow of one victim shared the profound grief of informing her children that their father was dying from an asbestos-related disease and her principled refusal to sign a document absolving the company of responsibility.
The video offers strong evidence that workers and their unions were appealing for many years for the government and other agencies to address this crisis, ensure accountability, and provide just compensation for affected workers and their families.
Today, asbestos remains the leading occupational killer in British Columbia.