Monday's Investigation: Killer in the classroom
On Monday's Morning Extra Ken MacDonald investigates the legacy of asbestos in our schools — and I'll be taking your calls on the subject.
The reality is that many parents are sending their children to school every day, unaware of the potential danger that lurks in school buildings. A legacy of the post-war 'build 'em quick' era, asbestos is found in two-thirds of schools across the UK and it's condition is rapidly deteriorating.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) still deny that the risk is high. However, the most recent HSE statistics show that between 1980 and 2000 asbestos caused 182 deaths of workers in education, including 114 teachers. And if asbestos fibres have caused that many deaths in adults, how many of the UK's 9 million school children have been, and will be affected in the decades to come?
Is this something which has concerned you? Teacher, parent or former pupil, do send me your thoughts over the weekend by clicking here. Or, better still, call me from 8 on Monday morning: 0500 92 95 00.
Links:
- The Health and Safety Executive on asbestos
- Professor Julian Peto's research into occupational mesothelioma
- British Lung Foundation action on Mesothelioma
- ATL campaign on asbestos
- The website of Asbestos Exposure Schools
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I have been a teacher in Scottish schools for the past 15 years so was very interested, and more than slightly disturbed, to hear the discussion on Morning Extra this morning. I have never been made aware of any building containing asbestos, far less trained in how to deal with it.
I am currently working in a school, built in the 1950s. We are moving into a brand new school this August. What concerns me is that I have been working here for 7 years in a classroom with leaking windows and crumbling walls. Just last week I swept up some rubble and plaster dust from the crumbling wall. I know that the building contains asbestos because when they demolish the building they are dealing with the asbestos first. Not quite sure what to do about it ??
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I only heard the last five or six minutes of yoru programme - but during that last five minutes there were some comments made which are factually incorrect.
It is not just schools that contain asbestos - but ANY property built or refurbished up until the year 2000, may have asbestos containing materials within the fabric of the building.
There are different levels of surveys undertaken for non-domestic properties - Type 1 (visual inspection - meaning that all surfaces must be conisdered as being asbestos containing and be treated as such), Type 2 - (surface sampling only and Type 3 (full invasive - i.e. into wall cavity and floor voids etc). These surveys are tools from which to develop registers. These registers do not need to be in an electronc format - in fact it can be difficult to maintain such a system - especially when trying to file plans and certificates following removal etc. Such databases can also be prohibitive in the detail they can contain - although in some circumstances they can certainly have value. There are estimated over 500,000 public buildings that contain asbestos.
The leigislative requirements within the UK are very stringent, and it is a legal duty for the persons/body responsible for the maintenance of non-domestic properties, to ensure that any asbestos containing materials within the property are located, its condition documented and to ensure that it is monitored and managed to ensure that its condition is maintained. Non-domestic properties include schools, public buildings, offices, factory, warehouses, shops and even communal staircases/lifts/attic spaces etc in blocks of flats.
We stopped importing crocidolite (blue) into the Uk in 1970 - however the prohibition of use of asbestos was not banned in the UK - (within the fabric of the building) - until 1985. Amosite (brown) - stopped importing in 1983 - Prohibited for use in 1985. We stopped importing Chrysotile (white) in 1999 - and used it into 2000 within the fabric of buildings.
We are actually more interested these days in how easy it is to disturb asbestos fibres from a material, rather than what type of asbestos is present within the material. It is the friability of the product which is of greatest concern - and hence its condition is a significant part of the assessment process when compiling surveys and registers for a property.
The materials were still used after this date in gaskets, sealants, adhesives etc.
There are three levels of training required for individuals liable to encounter asbestos during their work activity.
The highest level of training is for the licensed removal of asbestos, there is an intermediary training requirement for individuals undertaking non-licensed works with asbestos - and a general asbestos awareness requirement for ALL persons liable to be exposed to asbestos during the course of their work activity.
The legilsation is quite clear about the content of such courses.
There are foor diseases associated with asbestos - and certainly Mesothelioma is the worst of them all - but all can be fatalistic.
The trend is certainly increasing with respect to Mesothelioma- largely reflecting the exposures of individuals 50 or 60 years ago.
We are unlikely to see the peak of the number of mesothelioma cases in the UK until the year 2015 or there abouts - when it is anticipated that the number of deaths from this particular disease is likely to peak around the 2,500 mark and continue at the level for perhaps a decade before tapering off again.
A national register for the location and condition of asbestos in various properties is not the way forward. It needs to be monitored and managed at a local level - but this needs to be enforced.
The legislation we currently have is very specific and very focussed - the Uk really just needs to ensure that it is implemented properly.
Failure to comply with H&S legilsation in the UK may result in both financial and prison sentance for the offenders.
I now feel like I am starting to deliver one of the asbestos courses I present on a regular basis - so I shall stop now. Asbestos related diseases - are something I attempt to reduce, through the instruction and training of others.
Any increased awareness with respect to asbestos is a good initiative - however - asbestos is certainly one of those subjects where a 'little bit of knowledge' can be dangerous.
If asbestos is in a building and is in good condition - i.e. - is sealed in and undisturbed - then it is absolutely fine to leave it there.
It is when the material becomes damaged and the fibres are released that there is the potential for asbestos related diseases to develop - Hence the reason why we need to know the type of product and how tightly bound the fibres are, as well as the condition of the product.
The legislation is quite clear - presume the material to contain asbestos - unless you can verify otherwise.
Karen Wilson
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The question was raised “is asbestos in school well managed?”.
I suggest the response should be: “Who knows until the air is tested on a daily basis when school activity is taking place? It is only by daily air testing (or some other technical solution) one can identify that asbestos defences have been breached. At the moment we are waiting until people die years later to find out.”
Unfortunately there is considerable evidence that asbestos in some schools is not well managed - see the link on the BBC website to www,asbestosexposureschools.co.uk. That gives details of known incidents. The story on this blog from penny66 is an example of an unreported potential problem.
As the fibres are invisible, except under a microscope, low level cumulative exposures on a daily basis or undetected damage is not seen or reported. Even the best trained headmaster and caretaker cannot see if the defences are breached and hidden asbestos is releasing fibres when, for instance, doors are slammed and the protective bathroom sealant comes unstuck.
May I suggest that penny 66 looks at her school asbestos register and identifies whether asbestos was in the area that she damaged. Talk to the school authorities and also contact her union so that they can follow up the incident. If asbestos was involved then the incident should be recorded as an incident by the school and other people potentially involved notified. I hope that she finds there is no problem and that the school and local authorities have taken the correct precautions.
Michael Lees spoke on the programme. I am his brother, Richard and I run his web site. He is more expert than I am on asbestos in schools so please do not quote this as his authoritative opinion. That can be found on his research on the website.
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Does anyone remember reading/hearing about teachers/pupils releasing 50,000 asbestos fibres into the air with each swipe across the blackboard when using a chalk eraser? It is small rainbow coloured pad with a wooden back.
I am sure I came across this fact when researching into Mesothelioma upon being diagnosed with it in 2007. It would have been on a webpage.
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