New York Contractor Convicted in Asbestos Case

November 29, 2010

Rochester, NY A federal jury recently convicted an upstate New York contractor and his company for allegedly exposing workers and the public to asbestos during a demolition project at Genesee Hospital, the Associated Press reports.



Keith Gordon-Smith and his company, Gordon-Smith Contracting, were convicted recently of eight counts of asbestos-removal violations as well as lying in an attempt to conceal the violations.



A Justice Department prosecutor said that the contracting firm knowingly exposed both workers and public areas to the dangerous mineral. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause a number of deadly diseases, including asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that occurs in the tissues surrounding most of the body's internal organs.



According to the World Health Organization, approximately 107,000 people worldwide die each year from asbestos-related diseases.



For the violations, Gordon-Smith faces up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 for each count, according to the news provider. In addition, the company could potentially be fined up to $500,000 for each violation.