DECADES OF lax attitudes towards tackling deadly asbestos in schools is a national “scandal” threatening the health of former, current and future schoolchildren, a wide-ranging investigation has found.
The Joint Union Asbestos Committee (JUAC) said examples of the problem in schools underlined “systematic failings” in the way it was dealt with by successive governments. The JUAC said Whitehall had a “scandalous disregard for life” by permitting inadequate surveys and campaigning against compulsory detection that it said would help prevent future cases of asbestos cancer mesothelioma. The report said successive governments failed to require schools to keep asbestos records and inform parents about the material in their child’s school. It said: “This has enabled the culprits to evade responsibility for asbestos exposure leading to mesothelioma, allowing them to escape with impunity. “Nothing can be done to put right past asbestos exposure, but we must do more to protect future generations of school children and staff.” Asbestos can be found in wall panels, ceiling tiles, floors, fire breaks, columns, door frames, and ceiling and wall voids. But it can also creep into classrooms and corridors if it is disturbed, such as through having children crashing into affected areas. The UK currently has the highest incidence of mesothelioma in the world and it is steadily increasing. JUAC said government documents released under Freedom of Information rules suggested full and comprehensive new laws to reduce the risk of exposure to asbestos were dismissed by politicians on cost grounds. Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), described the report as “shocking”. She said: “It is outrageous that staff and pupils are still dying from being exposed to asbestos in schools. “ATL has been campaigning about this for years. Action must be taken by the Government now.” A Department for Education spokesman said: “Nothing is more important than the health and safety of children and staff in our schools. “Since 2010, billions has been invested to improve the condition of the school estate, with a further £23 billion on school buildings to come over this Parliament. “This will help ensure asbestos is managed safely and that the amount in school buildings continues to reduce over time. “We have also published new guidance on managing asbestos in schools, and have transformed the way in which we collect information on asbestos to better our understanding.” Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: “Only through the safe, planned removal of all the asbestos which still remains in place across the UK, will the deadly menace of asbestos be lifted from future generations.” Experts say the true scale of the problem is not known, because no comprehensive survey has been done to establish which buildings are affected. Asbestos campaigner Hank Roberts, presenting the report at the NUT conference, said: “It is disgraceful. This document shows absolutely everything you can think of has been going wrong - negligence, deceit, lying. “Saying it is safe is an absolute lie.” Read more: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/education/asbestos-scandal-threatens-school-pupils-health-investigation-warns-1-7819381#ixzz45jp60LfM
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This Survey is required during normal occupation and use of the building to ensure continued management of 'Asbestos Containing Materials' (ACM's) in situ.
The purpose of the survey is to locate, as far as is reasonable and practicable, the presence and extent of any suspected ACM's in the building (surveying all accessible areas) that could be damaged or disturbed during normal occupancy (including any foreseeable maintenance and installation) and assess their condition. The asbestos survey will provide sufficient information for: an asbestos register and plan to be prepared, a suitable risk assessment to be carried out and a written plan to manage the risks to be produced. It will generally include minor intrusive work and some disturbance. It is a requirement under Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012) for all ACM's to be removed prior to major refurbishment or final demolition.
Refurbishment surveys can be small scale or localised - Needed for home improvement programmes i.e. new kitchens, bathrooms, electrics, plumbing, windows, roofs etc. The advantages are clear when you consider the costs construction delays would incur if the discovery of asbestos occurs during proposed building/demolition works. Asbestos was a widely used material within commercial buildings, homes and machinery until 1999, when it was banned. This means that asbestos is common in the general environment.
However, working directly with asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) can give personal exposures to airborne asbestos that are much higher than normal environmental levels. Repeated occupational exposures can give rise to a substantial cumulative exposure over time. This will increase the risk of developing an asbestos-related disease in the future. Please email for more information about Asbestos Survey Reports, Asbestos Removal or Asbestos Sampling. All Asbestos Removal is planned & undertaken in accordance with HSE guidelines & the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
Asbestos Sheds and Garages, asbestos down piping, guttering & rain goods, soffits, asbestos corrugated roof sheets, textured or decorative coating - e.g. Artex, ceiling tiles, central heating flues. asbestos vinyl floor tiles, asbestos insulation panels & literally thousands of other products.We can also take care of the encapsulation or enclosure of asbestos containing materials (ACM's) if removal is not required. We Also Collect Dumped Asbestos Waste. |
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