A judge has ruled that an asbestos removal contractor — who operates in Richmond — is not in contempt of court after allegedly ignoring a previous court order.
At the BC Supreme Court on Friday, Justice George Macintosh dismissed the application brought by WorkSafeBC against Seattle Environmental Ltd., Mike Singh and Shawn Singh because the Workers Compensation Act is too difficult to decipher.
WorkSafeBC had earlier argued that the Singhs were in contempt of court as a result of breaching an order granted in 2012 by Madam Justice Russell.
The Singhs, with Seattle Environmental, were accused of repeatedly and knowingly exposing workers to asbestos and, thus, risking their future health.
Seattle Environmental and the Singhs denied the allegations and said, in court filings, they were being discriminated against by WorkSafeBC because they are Indo-Canadians.
The case may still not be over, as WorkSafeBC has announced that it’s reviewing Friday’s decision and may launch an appeal.
In a released statement, WorkSafeBC said it was “committed to the safety of all workers and employers in (B.C.) and will continue its efforts to reduce occupational disease and fatalities in the province.”
Contempt of court charges could have led to fines or jail time or both.
