Asbestos Litigation

An employer from Vancouver, British Columbia, who was reportedly responsible for exposing his workers to dangerous asbestos during demolition projects has been sentenced to 60 days in prison.

CBC News reports Arthur Moore was sentenced in British Columbia Supreme Court for contempt after he allegedly ignored demands that he stop all demolition projects after failing to provide proper protection to workers.

According to the news source, lawyers for British Columbia's Workers Compensation Board had initially requested that Moore be sentenced to between six months and one year.

"Thankfully, at least one time in all the time I've been in this province, an employer is going to jail for basically giving the death sentence to a whole lot of workers," B.C. Federation of Labour president Jim Sinclair said following the sentence, according to CBC News.

However, Sinclair added that he felt the 60-day jail term was too light of a sentence, the news source reported.

Ensuring that asbestos is properly handled and removed is critical, as the inhalation of the airborne fibers can cause a range of serious illnesses including asbestosis, lung cancer and the rare cancer malignant mesothelioma.