Asbestos Removal Part Two: An Ontario contractor sentenced to 30-days in jail for doing it the wrong way

We don’t need training on how to handle asbestos, right? We know what to do, as  contractors. We locate a customer, get the deposit, turn up on Monday and start work. No extra precautions necessary!

WRONG! As reputable contractors know, when asbestos is discovered, there are safety procedures to follow, from protecting our workers, to protecting the public… and to protecting ourselves. This goes from handling, right through to disposing, of this highly dangerous product.

In Ontario, where I work, the issue of asbestos is addressed under the Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA). Every province has strict asbestos protocols. The dangers of asbestos, once barely recognized, have been common knowledge (it’s a killer) for several decades now.

Less than 3 weeks ago, Bolton, ON-based contractor Daniel Lane, operating under the name of HomeSeal, learned the hard way about improper asbestos protocols. On Jan. 14 Lane was sentenced, in Brockville, ON, court to 30-days in jail for violating nine OHSA regulations re: asbestos removal. And he was fined $45,000.

See conviction

This contractor’s online reputation has taken a terrible hit. Which is nothing to the health hazards he was flirting with. Now his firm’s name has become an overnight liability. When I Google-searched this firm’s name today, first I found his paid Google ad. Second, I found his conviction. Third up was his LinkedIn profile. And in fourth place was his HomeStars rating of 3.6/10 for 31 reviews.

Is this what you want for your company? Don’t play fast and loose with asbestos, or any other hazardous material. Get the training. Visit our online Safety e-courses Asbestos Awareness.

CARAHS is an approved Ontario Ministry of Labour Working at Heights Provider.

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