Lead poisoning on the construction site of the Royal Opera of Versailles: "Even in the 21st century, we still deny the dangers of the toxic products that surround us, particularly at work"

A "major failure" , a "collective bankruptcy which does not, however, exonerate any defendant from their responsibilities" : the public prosecutor had asked the Versailles judicial court to convict all the defendants prosecuted for involuntary injuries through deliberate violation of safety obligations, endangering others and, for some, tampering with witnesses.

On May 13, the court delivered an exemplary judgment, sentencing all defendants to suspended prison sentences of six months to two years, plus fines of up to 150,000 euros.

The hearing took place in February, just a stone's throw from the scene of the crime: the splendid Royal Opera, inaugurated in 1770 under Louis XV within the Palace of Versailles, one of the most visited historic monuments in France. During major renovation work at the Royal Opera in 2009 , several workers suffered severe poisoning from lead contained in the old paintwork of the prestigious monument. This could have been a trivial procedure related to non-compliance with legal working conditions on a construction site. On the contrary, it was a historic trial, and the judgment that has just been handed down is just as historic.

You have 80.51% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.