Maple Creek Hospital opens once again after asbestos scareMaple Creek, Saskatchewan - The Maple Creek Hospital in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan is open once again after being closed down during a recent asbestos scare. This Canadian hospital was approved to re-open early last week after the Cypress Health Region gave officials the go-ahead. Air quality testing confirmed that no airborne asbestos particles were present.
Asbestos was used for many decades to make building materials like fireproofing, insulation, textured paints, cements, and many other items. Generally considered safe if left unexposed or encapsulated, asbestos is most dangerous to human health when it is pulverized, damaged, or disturbed in some way. Today, the health risks associated with asbestos exposure are well known.
Inhaling or ingesting airborne asbestos fibers has been conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects thousands of new patients each year worldwide, and while there are treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure. Mesothelioma lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, and the majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years following diagnosis. Asbestos exposure can also have other ill effects on human health, such as lung cancer and asbestosis.
An asbestos abatement company is still working at the site; however, the Provincial Occupational Health and Safety Branch has ruled that the ongoing asbestos abatement process poses no health risks to building occupants. The asbestos was originally discovered in a maintenance room at the hospital.
