Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - Proponents of a ban on asbestos, as well as individuals simply concerned about public safety, say that British Columbia's Work-SafeBC isn't being tough enough on repeat offenders who are consistently charged with violations of asbestos handling laws.
An article in the Vancouver Sun points out that in the last three years, the agency has issued nearly 2,500 orders against construction companies that violate regulations that are put in place to protect their employees (and others) from asbestos exposure. Data shows that 59 penalties and nearly a half-million dollars in fines were imposed on the law-breakers, yet repeat offenses continue. That's because, many say, the province – beyond warnings and fines - just isn't tough enough on those who break the rules.
For example, the article notes, the two largest fines imposed during that time period went to the same offender, Skylite Building Maintenance, yet owner/manager Mike Singh denies any wrongdoing, claiming instead that he's being singled out because of his skin color (he's Indo-Canadian). He's recently started a new asbestos removal company, Seattle Environmental Consulting, and continues to violate rules on proper inspection and abatement, Work-SafeBC inspection records show.
This kind of behavior upsets the families of those who've been affected by the negligence of Singh and others like him. A separate article in the Vancouver Sun focuses on the plight of Clayton Fernie, an otherwise healthy 53-year-old who died of mesothelioma in 2010, just five months after being diagnosed with the disease. Clayton's brother, Derrick, now sees it as his responsibility to help Work-SafeBC go after offenders, pushing the need for the filing of criminal charges against these individuals and/or companies. He believes offenders should go to jail…period.
"This was the toughest man I ever knew. You could bounce bricks off him. He did the work of three men," Derrick says of his brother. "To go that way, it's so heart-wrenching for the family. He did not deserve this. Nobody deserves this."
He also points out that Work-PlaceBC figures show that asbestos-related disease is the number one occupational killer in British Columbia. It was responsible for more than 500 workplace-related deaths in the province between the years 2002 and 2011.
Construction workers in the U.S. face similar issues when working on homes or commercial buildings that contain old asbestos materials. They remain high on the list of individuals most likely to develop an asbestos-related illness, including mesothelioma.
