Former Executives Jailed in Italy
On April 26, 2010 it was reported that former executives from a Sicilian shipbuilding company had been convicted of negligent homicide after the asbestos-related deaths of 37 former workers.1 The three executives from the Fincantieri company were sentenced to prison terms of three years to seven and a half years and ordered to pay several million euros in compensation to the injured workers or surviving family members. In their closing remarks to the court, the prosecutors said that:
“The danger of asbestos has been known since the 1950s. Nevertheless, Fincantieri failed to take the most basic steps to prevent the inhalation of asbestos dust and fibres.”
The company continued to use asbestos until 1999, even though Italian legislation adopted in 1992 had banned its use.
April 31, 2010
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1 Italian ex-executives jailed for asbestos deaths: report. April 26, 2010.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100426/hl_afp/italytrialasbestoshealth_20100426172358
