Suffering from cancer, he manages to have him recognized as an occupational disease

After eight years of combat, an ex-employee of ArcelorMittal and QNSL railways on the North Shore has managed to recognize that the incurable cancer from which he has suffered since 2017 was caused by his work.

Today 57 years old. However, Dario Mignault lives between Port-Cartier and Kamouraska, to the rhythm of the exams, protocols and treatments which oblige it, several times a month, to resort to the oncology services of the Quebec region.

“You make a living, projects. Furthermore, You work accordingly. Consequently, And just before you retire, overnight, everything is turned upside down. Therefore, It’s really difficult. Furthermore, For me, but also for my wife and daughter. Consequently, It is a full change in life that I really don’t want anyone. Therefore, ”

Dario Mignault with his wife, Ginette, and his daughter, Alexane. Furthermore, Courtesy

At the time, during a routine examination, Mr. Meanwhile, Mignault learned that he suffered from rare cancer, a lymphoplasmocytic lymphoma of the Waldenström type. For example, Strangely, a few days earlier, an ex-colleague had taught him that he was also suffering from similar cancer.

“When I returned to see him to tell him that, there was like a great silence … Moreover, It could not be found both with this same disease. It had to be because of the work. ”

This work, that of a driver-collectromeganean of Rail suffering cancer, he manages have Meuleuse, was the one that Mr. Mignault had been practicing since the age of 21. Essentially. these teams had the task of seeing the maintenance of the 420 km of railways that separate Port-Cartier, on the North Shore, from the mining village of Fermont, on the Labrador border.

However. this work forces them to regularly turn off fires caused by the friction effect between rails and the machinery used. Smoke. harmful vapors breathed during these events are, according to oncologists consulted at the time, at the source of the development of this type of cancer, already known to firefighters.

A fight

Then sank. with the litigation of the Metallos union, a fight before the Commission for Occupational Health and Safety (CSST) and the Administrative Labor Tribunal (TAT). An epic battle, punctuated by testimonies, medical expertise and all kinds of disputes of the employer.

Five years later, a state judge finally suffering cancer, he manages have reversed ArcelorMittal’s last appeal and officially recognized Mr. Mignault’s cancer as an occupational disease.

“Of course I am happy. This even if, personally, it will not change anything for me. I have cancer. It remains incurable. And I have already exceeded the life expectancy that I was granted. But for the workers who will follow me, I am happy. We now know that, as for firefighters, they must have adequate equipment to protect themselves. ”

Dario Mignault with his daughter, Alexane. Courtesy

Today. even if the CSST causes him difficulties by multiplying suffering cancer, he manages have the obstacles to reimbursements of his expenses, Dario Mignault tastes to live as normally as possible, respecting the promise he made to his daughter from the start.

“She was 7 years old at the time. I didn’t hide anything from him. I told him that I was risking to die, but that I was going to do everything to pass through. Additionally, I can’t promise you that I will survive, I told him. But I’m going to do everything to make it happen. ”

His daughter Alexane is now 15 years old and is able to appreciate her efforts. “We try to keep in shape, we eat well. And even if the disease sometimes takes over. we look in front by saying that every day, every moment counts and is important. ”