Asbestos in Schools |
The aim of this site is to inform parents, teachers and support staff about asbestos in schools. It gives guidance on how to improve the management of asbestos in schools. It aims to encourage openness in the UK Government's policy towards asbestos in schools. |
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Independent on Sunday: The Government has deliberately excluded asbestos from an unprecedented review of the condition of the country's schools because it knows that tackling the risks to schoolchildren and teachers could cost hundreds of millions, critics claim. Campaigners reacted with fury last night as it emerged a year-long survey of England's 23,000 schools will examine every aspect of buildings – from classroom decoration to whether fire alarms and toilets are in working order – but will specifically exclude asbestos, the most serious threat of all to staff and pupils ---------------------------------------- Latest update on concerns over Ministerial action, and submissions that appear ethically unsound to Committees responsible for assessing the risks to children in schools from asbestos. It includes: 1. Minister excludes asbestos from audit of school buildings. ------------------------------------- Letter from Brent Council published as part of PCC resolution makes school safety claims that appear unjustified. Detailed comment at the link. ---------------------------------------- Parliamentary Question One: The reply illustrated Government policy to leave asbestos in situ even when a school has a 70% rebuild. This policy means that generations of staff and pupils will remain at risk. This is in contrast to the policy practiced by DfE for their own offices where asbestos has been removed. Comment: Nottinghamshire County council consider that in a school building such as CLASP, with a significant amount of asbestos in its structure, it more cost effective to replace the building rather than refurbish it. http://brilliantbookaward.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/claspreportupdateappendix126012009.pdf (There are about 3,000 CLASP buildings, most of which are schools. There are 2,000 SCOLA buildings, all of which are schools. 400 Hills Schools and many thousands of similar buildings containing significant amounts of asbestos.) Parliamentary Question Two: Asbestos excluded from the audit of the condition of school buildings The Minister of State for Schools replied that asbestos would be excluded from the Schools Property Data Survey. (PDS) Comment: It is illogical and financially irresponsible to exclude asbestos from the PDS as its presence imposes significant ongoing financial costs in maintaining school buildings, and for many schools it presents one of the greatest costs when the school is refurbished or demolished. It also poses a significant risk to the occupants. As the PDS will be “used to provide evidence of the current condition of schools, and enable future maintenance funding allocations to be focused on the buildings with the greatest need” the specific exclusion of asbestos is extraordinary and the Minister's reasons for doing so should now be questioned. -------------------------------------- A national asbestos trade union campaign group has called for the government to continue its commitment to the funding of online asbestos awareness training for all staff following the recent prosecution of a leading university for failing to manage the asbestos on their campus properly. .... The Joint Union Asbestos Committee (JUAC) said today that the recent judgment against University of Lincoln indicated how easily things can go wrong with asbestos in educational institutions, and underlines how important it is for Department for Education (DfE) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to continue working together on elearning and online training of education professionals in being able to identify and successfully manage asbestos. ------------------------------------------- A new report from the Asbestos in Schools (AiS) group... .This paper examines the extent, type and condition of asbestos in schools and the risks to the occupants.....The paper shows how staff and pupils have been exposed to cumulatively significant levels of asbestos fibres.... .It gives examples of classroom activities that can frequently release significant levels of asbestos fibres. .There is analysis of the results of air sampling that demonstrates that the actual levels of asbestos fibres can be significantly higher, particularly in schools, than recorded in the results..... .It describes how workplace control levels are applied to the occupants of schools and the unsafe practices that have resulted from this... . It then analyses the reasons staff and pupils are frequently not aware of their exposure or are advised not to enter it in their medical records..... The paper examines the particular vulnerability of children to asbestos. ----------------------------------- HSE has published its Mesothelioma statistics for 2009. The deaths continue to rise and have now reached 2,321. The incidence of mesothelioma in Britain is the worst in the world at 37.8 per million per annum and rising, whereas the incidence in the USA has stabilised at about 14 per million per annum since 1999. There are less female mesothelioma deaths than males, but the incidence of deaths amongst females is increasing at a greater rate than that of males, it is thought that their deaths will peak some years after the male deaths. -------------------------------------------- Very worrying further information from the HSE. On the 14th October HSE published a summary of the inspections and enforcement action taken against Academies, Foundation Schools, Voluntary Aided and Independent Schools. Almost a third of Independent schools inspected by HSE had enforcement action taken. More than half of the schools that carry out their own building and maintenance work had not given their staff asbestos training and had enforcement action taken against them. The following papers list the breaches in Health and Safety and Asbestos Regulations and analyse and comment on the implications.
----------------------------------- The latest update (11 Oct) on Asbestos in Schools contains worrying news from the HSE:
------------------------------------- Sec Ed has published a detailed article on asbestos in schools. They have asked the Department for Education a number of questions on the dangers of asbestos in schools. The DfE have replied on the same page. Their reply is complacent, it avoids critical issues, conceals a policy that has prevented teachers and parents being told about dangerous exposures and it is misleading. The next edition of Sec Ed has a letter that exposes the failures in DfE's answers. The first article, 10 questions to DfE and DfE response. The letter identifying the dangerously wrong responses from DfE (bottom half of page 6) ------------------------------------- There is a mesothelioma seminar organised by Mesothelioma UK and the British Oncology Group in London on 30th September and 1st October in the Novotel Hotel, St Pancras in London. Friday is a scientific seminar and the Saturday is aimed at patients and carers and other interested people. The agenda and speakers for Friday are at this link and for Saturday at this link. If people wish to attend please contact: British Thoracic Oncology Group and Mesothelioma UK
The Times: Britain's death rate from mesothelioma is the highest in the world. So why do three quarters of our schools still contain asbestos? .... Professor Julian Peto, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, says that children are more likely to contract mesothelioma because they have longer to do so..... Comment: A good double page article by Mark Piggott. There were three excellent letters in response from the Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation, from Dr Andrew Lawson and Paul Rowen a former MP. They not only point out the way forward, but illustrate the worries in schools and hospitals. They comment from specialist knowledge and experience on major flaws in the DfE comments and the health service response. One DfE defensive statement being labelled "risible". To see their letters and a short factual analysis see this link ----------------------------------- House of Commons Early Day Motion 11 July That this House congratulates the many asbestos support groups throughout the country who on 1 July 2011 came together to remember the thousands of people who have died of mesothelioma, an asbestos-related disease for which there is no cure; expresses concern that the British mesothelioma death rate is the highest in the world; is concerned at this and the rising number of deaths of teachers and other support workers working in schools due to the large number of schools which still contain asbestos; commends the work of the Asbestos in Schools Group; and calls on the Government to adopt US-style policies of disclosure with local authorities and governors, providing an annual update to parents and teachers on the condition and management of asbestos in schools. -------------------------------------------------- Government urged to be open with parents over asbestos in schools - as in the USA.... ......“The government’s concern about adopting a more open policy on asbestos in schools appears to be that if the public understand the nature of the problem they’re only going to panic. And in their panic, they’re going to want all asbestos removed from each and every school, which the government appears to believe is too high a price. This concern is exaggerated: the panic has not happened in the United States. We are campaigning for effective asbestos management and progressive, not immediate, removal.”...... By contrast, because of the particular vulnerability of children to ACM exposure in schools, in 1986 the United States Congress passed the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act or AHERA. Not only does AHERA require all schools to audit their ACMs and develop appropriate management plans but each school authority must regularly communicate that plan to every parent and teacher, with updated surveillance of ACMs taking place every six months -------------------------------------------------------------- There is an update on the paper "The increased vulnerability of children to asbestos" at this link. It makes sobering reading and assesses how many children may be dying as adults from asbestos exposure in schools. It concludes: "Despite the warnings and the increasing death toll they (government) have failed to take a precautionary approach. The scale of the problem has never been assessed and neither has an assessment been made of the risks. ...... Many have died and many will die. The way forward is to follow the basic principles of risk management. Assess the scale of the problem then base a proper risk analysis on researched facts and the best science available. Asbestos policy and the management of asbestos in schools can then be based on that firm foundation. In the meantime adopt the precautionary approach that has been advised by the authoritative experts and agencies over the last forty years.". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flawed Government policy over HSE proactive inspections of the standards of asbestos management in schools In March Chris Grayling MP, the Minister with responsibility for the HSE, announced that HSE would no longer be carrying out pro-active inspections of low risk premises such as .... LA schools....... A few years ago HSE rarely carried out proactive inspections of the standards of asbestos management in schools with the inevitable consequence that unsafe systems of asbestos management passed unnoticed and uncorrected. The usual practice was that inspections were only undertaken following an asbestos incident when it was too late as the damage had already been done. In the last few years AiS have successfully exerted pressure on the Government to change their policy, and since then a reasonable number of proactive inspections have been carried out by the HSE. The latest series has just been completed and was of 162 independent schools (The results will be published in the next two months) It was therefore a retrograde step when the Minister announced that in future the inspections would revert to just proactive inspections. (For more detail and links to government policy documents and press release follow this link). ---------------------------------------------------- School staff and parents are not being informed of their, and their children’s, asbestos exposure....... HSE guidance is contrary to expert medical opinion and to the definition of significant exposure accepted by the High Court, Appeal Court and Supreme Court....... There is no scientific or moral justification for this bad guidance. HSE guidance LAC5/19 should be withdrawn without further delay. At the link is a brief based on the reply to a Parliamentary question to the Schools Minister Nick Gibb MP and the Minister responsible for the HSE -------------------------------------------------
. Union asbestos survey shows many schools remain at risk from asbestos (Monday 18 April 2011) - A nationwide survey .. of more than 600 school teacher and support staff safety representatives has flatly contradicted Health and Safety Executive claims that the government is meeting its legal obligations to address the issue of asbestos in schools. Julie Winn, Chairman of the Joint Union Asbestos Campaign (JUAC), a coalition of ten main unions within the education sector, said “JUAC was unable to accept HSE’s summary findings as these did not align with the experience of our members on the ground. JUAC decided to carry out a grassroots survey and the results confirm the disparity between the information received from our members and what local authorities (LAs) are reporting back to the HSE. JUAC analysis of the survey at this facebook post ....... the survey shows the worrying gap between what LAs claim to the HSE is happening, and the reality at ground level"......... "Training fund for staff is less than £1 a school" -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Early Day Motion in the House of Commons number 1578 That this House notes the Supreme Court judgement of 9 March 2011 that upheld that Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council negligently exposed Dianne Willmore to asbestos when she was a pupil at her secondary school; further notes with sadness that she died of mesothelioma aged 49 the day after the Appeal Court hearing; acknowledges the increasing numbers of school teachers who are dying of the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma and that more than 140 died in the 10 year period from 1999 to 2008; believes that an assessment of the risk to children from asbestos exposure should be undertaken; and calls on the Government to commission such a study. --------------------------------------------- Sarah Bowman, 41 was diagnosed with the deadly cancer, mesothelioma, in August 2009 ....... She said: "The school officially opened in November 1975, which I’ve since learned was a time when asbestos was still being used in the construction of education buildings. We regularly saw walls and partitions in classrooms broken through general day-to-day wear. ...... "When the doctor told me I cried my eyes out. I asked him if I was dying and he just put his head down. "Telling my two children was the worst part." ------------------------------------------------------ Government changes to Health and Safety put schools at risk. Today (21 March) the Government announced its proposals for “Reforming Britain’s health and safety regime to put common sense back.” The proposals will inevitably lead to a reduction in safety standards in schools and to the occupants being at an increased risk from asbestos.
For a short summary and the government press release see this link ________________ Supreme Court Ruling 9 March All seven Law Lords found in favour of Dianne Willmore who was contaminated by asbestos when a pupil at school. This case is important for any person who has had small doses of asbestos exposure and has contracted mesothelioma. For the solicitors press release and that of the Asbestos Victims Support Forum see this link Supreme Court Press Summary A Facebook page has been launched today to inform, give guidance and encourage openness. Please join in and help make schools safer. ----------------------------- Latest Update : BBC programme on asbestos in schools - Rising teachers death rate - No Government assesment of the risks to school children - Parliamentary answer from Schools Minister over deaths in schools and asbestos management policy - HSE recent enforcement actions against schools and a University the details --------------- The latest statistics for teachers' and lecturers' mesothelioma deaths have been released and are analysed here. Sadly the numbers have increased once again.... . Between 1980-1985 on average 3 school teachers were dying each year of mesothelioma, in the latest period 16 died each year. The Minister of State for Schools has failed to commission the WATCH committee to assess the relevance of these deaths and assess the asbestos risks to children. (Their final meeting to discuss low level asbestos risks is on 24th February.) Instead in a new Parliamentary answer Nick Gibb MP has dismissed the deaths. His answer is not only misleading but it also demonstrates an unacceptable level of complacency. (New -The analysis is at this link) ----------------- Parliamentary Education Questions on the dilapidated state of schools and BSF. John Cryer MP opened the questions and Stella Creasy MP raised the issue of asbestos. If schools are in a dilapidated state then invariably the asbestos they contain will be in a similar state. The scrapping of BSF has meant that many schools which were going to have major refurbishments, or were going to be rebuilt, are now just going to have essential maintenance work carried out. One of the major expenses in refurbishing schools or even bringing them up to a sound state of repair, is removing or making safe the asbestos. The schools capital spending review is overdue and it is to be seen whether it has allocated sufficient funds to carry out the essential work on asbestos to make the schools safe. There is also a serious problem with leaking roofs and windows in many schools. Not only does this cause the obvious problems but also as the leaking water passes over asbestos materials it picks up fibres which then precipitate out when the water dries in the classrooms. ------------ New guidance from the National Union of Teachers informing their local oficers about the hazards that can arise from asbestos in schools Minister's Answer to Parliamentary Question: New analysis: "In principle the Minister argues that it is acceptable for school teachers to die from an asbestos related disease as it is a normal hazard of working life. He is wrong.... In a profession where there should be minimal or no asbestos exposure teachers should not be dying of asbestos related disease – but they are. In occupations such as farming where they genuinely have little asbestos exposure they have well below average death rates, and teachers should also. The fact that teachers have “average” death rates shows that as a profession they have been exposed to asbestos." "... just because a dangerous carcinogen is killing people in other occupations it does not make it acceptable that it is also killing people in schools...... The .... difference .................. is that as the teachers were being exposed to asbestos, then so were the children. It is known that children are more at risk from asbestos exposure. .............. That is why there is great concern about teachers’ deaths, as they indicate a far greater number of subsequent deaths amongst the children." -------------------------------------------------- Update 117 - An analysis of the Coalition Government's developing policies with links to government statements, policies and papers that appear to place children and staff at risk from asbestos in schools. Contents:
------------------------- Call for a Parliamentary Committee to take evidence, consider and report on asbestos in schools. --------------------------- Parliamentary Questions Annette Brooke MP asked a Parliamentary Question about the numbers of school staff and children affected by asbestos related illness. The answer follows the standard government position of refusing to analyse or assess the deaths of children in later life from asbestos in schools. The answers are particularly concerning as the government analysis of teacher's death rates is fundamentally flawed and appears deliberately misleading. There is also an assumption, with no evidence, that, although 70% of schools contain asbestos, teachers who have died of mesothelioma must have contracted it from asbestos encountered elsewhere. A new analysis of the answer is at this link with a link to the PQ. In addition there is a closely referenced paper demonstrating that teachers' death rates are significantly higher than they should be. Parliamentary Questions John Cryer MP asked a series of detailed Parliamentary Questions. The answers by the Minister, Nick Gibb, are very concerning as financial decisions on the school capital programme appear to be flawed and decisions are being made / have been made which appear to be dangerous. The parliamentary questions and the analysis of the replies are at this link. ----------------------------------------------- The North East Asbestos Support and Awareness Group have done an analysis of the replies from councils in the North East of England to the recently published HSE survey of local authorities asbestos management in system built schools “which raises a number of questions as to the overall value of the survey, and more so to the reliability of the responses given to the HSE”. This view was echoed by Dorset County Council who said: I’m concerned about the quality of this questionnaire and the potential for misinterpretation when the contents are analysed. It does not show the full picture of asbestos management and only concentrates on a very small area. The questions are confusing and potentially misleading (far too open to interpretation) The standard of compliance was not established in diocesan schools as only a handful replied, and no attempt was made to establish compliance in independent schools. The Minister has been briefed on this limited survey/questionnaire as an authoritative view of asbestos management standards in practice in all local authority schools and policy decisions will inevitably be based on it. All local authority’s responses are here and a summary of inspections at this link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/services . Two thirds of the authorities were not inspected because HSE assumed from their response that they had “procedures and precautions in place to manage asbestos safely.” Kirklees Council’s response is typical of others and raises questions about whether they have been managing their asbestos safely. ------------------------------------------------ Newsletter 116 at this link. Contains:
-------------------------------------------------------- Post election progress on asbestos in schools Asbestos in Schools campaigners yesterday held an important meeting with Lord Hill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools. At the meeting the Minister agreed to the continuation of the steering group set up in the last Parliament to look at all aspects of risk, management and training for asbestos in schools. ------------------------------------- The Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association writes about the flaws in the HSE "survey" of asbestos management in schools. It is worrying, factual reading with quotes from Local Authorities about the flaws and about cost implications driving the report rather than prevention of contamination of children. The article can be seen at this link. Concerns are rising over the latest Report issued by the HSE on asbestos management in schools John Richards, Managing Director of Thames Laboratories is one of many who have openly questioned the validity of the Report. He said: “Although HSE show the report as being overwhelmingly positive, those who campaign on this subject have been highly critical of the format, the review and the reliance placed on the honesty of the Authority and its understanding of what is a system built school... One authority in its response commented: “As per my previous e-mail, I’m concerned about the quality of this questionnaire and the potential for misinterpretation when the contents are analysed. It does not show the full picture of asbestos management and only concentrates on a very small area. The questions are confusing and potentially misleading (far too open to interpretation).” He continues: "The questionnaire has not examined the detail required for asbestos management and many questions such as annual re-inspections have been carefully avoided ...... Within the HSE’s detailed list we are aware of a number of authorities who have not undertaken re-inspections and who have had more than one asbestos issue over the last few years, but yet these are judged to be ok. The message created by this report is in complete contrast to that produced from the recent Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association (ATAC) report at school level earlier in the year, where the report was conducted at school level and identified a number of key failings in most schools”. NUT comments on the HSE "Survey" “......... Apart from the fact that the survey was restricted to asbestos management in system built schools, the NUT questions how it can be claimed that the majority of local authorities meet legal requirements in terms of asbestos management when only 42 were actually visited by HSE inspectors. The other 110 simply completed an on-line survey, making the survey essentially a paper exercise, reliant on local authorities admitting to failings in their system of asbestos management in order to trigger a visit from the HSE....... ------------ The Asbestos in schools group (AiS) will be meeting the Schools Minister Lord Hill on 14th October to determine the Coalition Government’s policies towards making schools safe from the dangers of asbestos. They will ask him:
Attached are reports on English, Scottish and Welsh schools condition and on the visit of Lord Hill to schools - one of which in Waltham Forest was subject to an HSE Improvement notice for failures in asbestos managment ----------------------------------------------------- HSE Report on asbestos in System built schools. An HSE report was issued on 21st September which summarised the responses from local authorities to a questionnaire asking whether they are complying with the law and asbestos guidance issued in 2006. The guidance concerned a dangerous asbestos problem in 'System Built' schools. The problem had first been identified in 1987, but no action had been taken until it was re-identified in 2006. The report also gives details of a number of authorities inspected by HSE of which a quarter required enforcement action. The questionnaire did not cover the many other types of schools that contain asbestos. It did not cover independent schools and 95% of diocese schools - the main owners of Voluntary Aided Schools - simply failed to respond. In addition the questionnaire cannot claim to be definitive as, unsurprisingly, few Authorities responded "no" when asked if they are complying with the law. Evidence shows such confidence is often misplaced. The press release asserts that the majority of local authorities are complying but it gives details that show a significant number are not managing their asbestos effectively. Analysis of the report at this link. Asbestos in Schools press release on the report HSE/DfES report and detail at this link. --------------------------------------------------------------- Cancellation BSF Many, if not most of the schools that were going to be refurbished under the building schools for the future initiative (BSF) contain asbestos. It is known that some contain large amounts. All the asbestos is now old and it is known that some schools are of a type where they have a potential to release asbestos fibres into the classrooms, corridors and halls. When school buildings are replaced the asbestos problem is removed once and for all, also the previous Government had announced that asbestos would normally be removed when secondary schools are refurbished under BSF. Manor Foundation school in Sandwell is of a type of building that is likely to contain considerable amounts of asbestos. According to this article it “is riddled with asbestos” and “teachers had to close three classrooms”. It is therefore concerning that the refurbishment/replacement of a school such as this has been put on hold. The Asbestos in Schools Group have asked the Government to identify the schools that contain the most dangerous asbestos materials and prioritise them for refurbishment or replacement. (Also see "Water leaks in schools and the implications for asbestos contamination") ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A new summary of the main issues and the latest situation is at this link TUC (27 July) Cancelling school building programme puts children at risk of asbestos exposure..... Many of the existing school buildings were built before 1970 and almost certainly contain asbestos. As these buildings fall into disrepair the risk of asbestos exposure increases dramatically. ...... Many schools have spent little on maintenance in the promise of being part of the new schools building programme..... Patricia Cameron, from Capheaton, Northumberland, died in 2004 from mesothelioma, after she was first exposed to asbestos while working at Otterburn First School in the 1970s. A Coroner's inquest heard the mother-of-three had levels of asbestos in her body similar to that found in people who have worked in heavy industry..... Children exposed to asbestos are five times more likely to develop mesothelioma than adult teachers in the same environment. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote from one HSE notice "You have failed to manage the risks from asbestos.. in particular the primary schools... You do not have adequate measures in place for monitoring the condition of any asbestos" A press release ( 15 July) is attached at the link above with the local authorities identified, the details of the breaches and evidence of the problem being endemic in schools in the UK. It also identifies action taken and needed by government. "These are not minor problems that have crept in over recent years; rather they are fundamental problems that are endemic in schools in the UK" Chairman Asbestos Consultants' Association after an ATAC investigation of the problem. ---------------------------------------------------------- A Summary of the past and present situation of asbestos in schools is at this link. It is a background paper issued to delegates at the Asbestos and the Law conference in Lioverpool on 18 June 2010 Study of Childhood Exposure to Asbestos Through the Libby Epidemiology Research Project, the researchers hope to better understand the effects of low-level asbestos exposure on vulnerable populations such as children whose lungs aren’t fully developed and to identify protective exposure levels. ----------------------------------------------- Voice is the Union for educational professionals. They are asking for “The creation of an action plan for asbestos in schools. They say asbestos is present in around 75% of schools in Britain – in ceilings, wall linings and pipe lagging. In the last 25 years, at least 178 teachers have died from mesothelioma, a form of cancer linked to asbestos exposure. There are no statistics for pupil fatalities because of the disease’s long latency. The education unions are concerned about the risk to staff and pupils in schools where little is known about its location and condition. ATAC’s recent audit and Voice’s own research reveal that in many schools staff are not aware of the dangers of asbestos; they do not know where it is and are not involved in its management. Urgent action is required to improve standards of asbestos management, and to create an action plan for asbestos in schools, including: audits, risk assessments, relevant training and guidance, and for all asbestos to be identified and removed in a phased programme when schools are refurbished. " Voice has a short "Election Manifesto". The detailed wording on asbestos is item 11 on the link. ----------------------------------------------------------------- House of Commons Early Day Motion 975 That this House is concerned by the recent report of the Asbestos Training and Consultancy Association, which highlights systemic failings in the management of asbestos in schools; notes with alarm that around 75 per cent. of schools contain this potentially deadly substance; further notes that at least 178 school teachers have died from the fatal disease mesothelioma, which is contracted from asbestos; welcomes the decision by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to set up a steering group to examine all aspects of risk, management and training for asbestos in schools; and calls on the Government to take further steps to tackle this problem and to ensure that adequate guidance and training is in place for the protection of staff and pupils.
Clinica (World Specialists in Medical Technology) exclusively reports 11 year old research into children' exposure at school was omitted from official guidance. It says the data is "shocking" ------------------------------------------------------- Parliamentary Question: Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what training is provided to teachers on asbestos management and safety; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of such provision. Comment: The Minister's reply (24 Feb) appears to be contrary to the regulations and appears to be breaking the law. The relevant regulations state that: “Every employer shall ensure that adequate information, instruction and training is given to those of his employees who are or who are liable to be exposed to asbestos….”. It is known that teachers and support staff have disturbed asbestos and have been exposed, and it is known that unless they are trained they are liable to be exposed in the future. By law the employer is therefore required to give adequate information, instruction and training to the teachers and support staff so that such exposures to both them and the children can be prevented. It is criminal not to do so. See the question, the Minister's flawed reply and analysis of the Minister's reply at this link. ----------------------------------------------- Parliamentary Question: Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment she has made of the follow-up work to the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Asbestos Management in Schools survey; how many visits by the HSE to local education authorities have been made following the survey; and when she estimates the HSE follow-up work will be completed. [318515]. To see the Minister's holding reply and the dangerous implications of the Minister's position see this link Ministerial action following the damning ATaC report on asbestos in schools (see red box below) The Schools Minister Diana Johnson MP met the asbestos in schools group and ATac representative yesterday (24 Feb) and agreed to the setting up of a steering group to look at all aspects of risk, management and training for asbestos in schools. The first meeting of the steering group will take place next month. See a short Press release
Inspectors say schools fail to protect pupils and staff from asbestos Asbestos tests on dozens of schools have revealed "unacceptable" safety standards that could be putting thousands of of children and teachers at risk... Analysts who conducted the nationwide survey found that too few head teachers manage asbestos properly; many rely on containment plans more than a decade old and some have never drawn up plans at all. The audit, by the Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association, also found that some schools had asbestos particles in the air ......... A preliminary report said that most schools are failing to comply with their legal "duty to manage" the asbestos, that the responsibility for ensuring safety was dogged by confusion, and that staff training was "either poor or non-existent". ------------ Asbestos to be left in place in primary school refurbishment under Primary Capital Programme. A parliamentary question and comment on the response is at the link Major Concerns about Asbestos Management at Non Local Authority Schools. HSE and Local Authorities have made asbestos management in non-Local Education Authority schools a priority for action in 2010. In 2004 this sector was recognised by HSE as being particularly weak on asbestos awareness and management, consequently a priority of the defunct 2004 HSE schools campaign was to target them. As the campaign was dropped no action has been taken, but the poor response from the recent DCSF/HSE questionnaire has once again shown that although there are many flaws in asbestos management in local authority schools, the situation is considerably worse outside. See the link for a press release from the Chair of the Campaign against Asbestos in Schools For detail see http://www.lacors.gov.uk/lacors/NewsarticleDetails.aspx?id=22456 then follow the link Delivery Portfolio 2010-11 The notice is at paragraph 4. A press release from the asbestos in schools group is here ------------------------------------------. New Analysis Parliamentary Question 15 Dec Baroness Quin : To ask Her Majesty's Government how many teachers have contracted asbestos-related diseases. [HL648]. The reply from the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Children in the Lords is very flawed and misleading. Each factual error, example of statistical spin, each attempt to conceal teachers' deaths and the proven risk to teachers and each attempt to avoid analysing children's deaths and that of support staff is identified and corrected at the link. Each point is referenced to authoritative sources. Mr David Kitchin, a master at Farleigh School, Andover died of mesothelioma on 21 January 2009. According to a High Court writ he was exposed to asbestos dust and fibres in the Stone Passageway, the route into the main school .....Overhead central heating and hot water pipes lagged with blue asbestos ran in the passageway, and the lagging was friable, making the atmosphere contaminated with asbestos, the writ says. It is claimed that pupils also disturbed the lagging by jumping up to swing on the pipes. Parliamentary question 8 Dec. This concerns the DCSF questionnaire that attempted to assess the management of asbestos in schools and the compliance with HSE guidance on asbestos in System built schools. In his answer the Schools Minister, Vernon Coaker MP has refused to publish any of the responses from the questionnaire. The Minister’s reason for his refusal is that “this information may be required for legal purposes.” The same reply was given by HSE to the asbestos in schools group at their meeting with the Parliamentary Under–Secretary Dianne Johnson MP when they asked which local authorities were being investigated and which had failed to reply. Comment It is unacceptable that the Minister refuses to publish the names of the councils that have failed to reply or are being investigated, for as well as being a legal matter this is a matter that affects the safety of the occupants of schools. Therefore the names of the failing councils who are potentially putting teachers, support staff and children at risk should be made public without further delay. For further information see : --------------------------------------------------- Scotland - December 2009. An investigative report by Highland News into the situation of asbestos management in Scottish schools has prompted an HSE Improvement Notice on Highland Council. At the same link a Public Petition on behalf of schools in Scotland asking for action with a discussion by the Scottish Parliamentary Committee of the petition and their proposed action. 30 Nov - A 5 minute video on BBC News about the unsatisfactory results of the DCSF questionnaire about asbestos in System Built schools. 24 and 26 Nov - Three Parliamentary Questions by Paul Rowen MP and answers from Sec of State for Children Schools and Families about dealing with asbestos in the Building Schools for the Future programme 11 Nov: Meeting with the new Schools Minister Diana Johnson MP The Asbestos in Schools Group discussed the HSE/DCSF flawed questionnaire inaccurately claimed as a comprehensive audit of standards of asbestos management in schools. The HSE brief on the returns from the questionnaire (now 7 months late) and the lack of responses made it clear that there are some serious flaws in the manner that schools are managing their asbestos (paper at this link). The Minister and the HSE appeared, for the first time, to be prepared to listen to the Prime Minister (who has already acknowledged there is a problem) and also listen to the united Teachers Unions, the support unions the specialist scientists, the asbestos consultants' association and specialist solicitors - all of whom have been saying there is a problem of asbestos management in schools and have been suggesting practical ways of identifying the scale of the problem and resolving it. 27 Oct: Parliamentary Question: Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools have been found to contain hazardous asbestos in the last 12 months; in how many of those schools all asbestos has been removed; at what cost; and what assessment has been made of the health of (a) teachers and (b) pupils attending schools where asbestos has been found. [291622]. Reply includes the statement "It has highlighted the need for further investigation and follow up" into "how asbestos is being managed in System Built schools" --------------------------------------------- I have to report the tragic news that Dianne Wilmore died on 15 October. It was the day after she won her fight for justice in the Appeal Court over exposure to asbestos as a child at school. Our deepest sympathies go to her family Please click this link to see more from her solicitors and from us. A BBC Today Programme interview describes what the Government is being asked to do to identify asbestos in schools and do risk assesments following Dianne Willmore's death and the Appeal Court ruling in her favour. _________ Royal Court of Justice Appeal Verdict - 14 Oct 2009 This is a very important appeal ruling which will have profound consequences for every member of staff and pupil who has been exposed to asbestos in a school. Further details of the case are at this link. Summary: In July 2009 Liverpool High Court found Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council liable for damages for negligently exposing Dianne Wilmore to asbestos fibres while she was a pupil at her secondary school in Huyton. The Appeal Court upheld the verdict. Malta and Tasmania have taken the decision to remove asbestos from schools working with the Commonwealth through the stimulus package and the Building in Education Revolution spending. Comment and detailed statements under "Malta and Tasmania 6 Oct" at this link 17 September TUC Conference Dr Mary Bousted, the General Secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers called for a risk assessment and a comprehensive audit of asbestos in educational establishmentsand the standards of management. She also called for the restarting of the Asbestos in Schools campaign, training for those managing asbestos in schools, and all asbestos to be identified and removed by 2015, with the most dangerous asbestos removed first. The resolution was passed unanimously.. .A seperate article on this issue by Dr Mary Bousted is at this link. Also see Conference Motion 78 21 September Scottish Parliament. Parents are as concerned in Scotland as they are in the remainder of the UK about their children attending schools where the local authorities do not have robust systems of asbestos management. A petition has therefore been put before the Scottish Parliament where MSPs raised the issue of the standards of management, the unwarranted secrecy surrounding asbestos in schools and the need to determine the extent of the problem so that a proper response can be made. The details of the committee meetings, the petition and the action being taken are at the Scottish Parliament link 31 July Latest update, includes
----------------------------------- 21 July Parliamentary questions confirm that the Government has no risk assesment model for assessing the health risks to children of exposure to asbestos fibres. The answers show that the Schools Minister, the DCSF and HSE current guidance that children's exposure to 48 fibres/millilitre of air is "usually insufficent to pose a significant long risk to health" has no sound scientific basis. It also shows that the Schools Minister recommendation that parents are not informed of their children's exposure unless the "Action Level" has been exceeded is a recommendation based on an outdated standard and is not based on a sound scientific analysis of the risk to the children exposed. The answers also show that asbestos will generally be left in primary schools during refurbishment For the Parliamentary Questions, the answers and referenced analysis of the above points click this link. ---------------------------------------------- Prime Minister acknowledges that there is a problem in schools that has to be addressed. A delegation representing six Teacher Unions presented a paper to the Prime Minister voicing their concerns about the problem of asbestos in schools. The delegates were the General Secretaries of ATL and the NASUWT and the Assistant Secretary of the NUT. In full support and agreement on the statement were the teaching unions Voice, ASCL and NAHTA. Specialist scientists, solicitors, Health and Safety specialist organisations and asbestos support groups are also in full support and agreed the statement. The delegation was led by Paul Rowen MP (Lib Dem Shadow spokesman W&P). Michael Lees was also a delegate. The Union GMB announced it would join the campaign shortly afterwards. The full list is here The Prime Minister acknowledged that there is a problem and that it would be addressed, and instructed that a further meeting should take place in the near future with the Schools Minister to decide the way forward. The four key points in the paper are:
The complete text presented to the Prime Minister is at this link. ------------------------------------------ Parliamentary Seminar contrasts asbestos management in Parliament and that in schools Daily Mirror report on the meeting Update 7 May 2009. The update contains a report of a formal complaint about HSE scientific tests (including complaints of non-declared commercial interests, secrecy and lack of peer review). It also includes an analysis of misleading standard statements produced by authorities about asbestos in schools, it reports on the very supportive Teachers Unions AGMs, including a presentation by a teacher dying of mesothelima. It also contains an excellent BBC Radio investigation of school asbestos management at every level. ----------------------------------------------------------- The Prime Minister agrees to meeting on 13 May. Liberal Democrat MP Paul Rowen asked the Prime Minister on Prime Minister's Questions to meet a delegation to discuss how concerns over asbestos in schools could be allayed. Responding, Prime Minister Gordon Brown agreed that asbestos was a crucial issue, and agreed to meet the delegation. -------------------------------------- Yesterday (6 May) the Prime Minister also met asbestos campaigners at a private meeting in the House of Commons. On the agenda were a series of issues including: the fatal legacy left by asbestos manufacturing in Britain, the consequences of low level exposures to asbestos, the asbestos contamination of schools and the urgent need for a coordinated national research strategy for medical treatment and cures for asbestos-related diseases. Having acknowledged the threat posed by low level exposures to asbestos, the Prime Minister confirmed that further discussion on asbestos in schools will take place at a Westminster meeting on 13 May. Full report --------------------------------------- Conference on "Mesothelioma the wider perspective" 12 May 2009 with scientific, medical and legal leaders in the field. There will be a lecture on asbestos in schools. Agenda, speakers, precis of discussions and booking a place at this link. Medway Maritime Conference 2009 -------------------------------- Parliamentary asbestos seminar “Asbestos Update” 13 May. Michael Clapham MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Health and Safety, will chair it. The agenda is at this link. The General Secretary of the Association of Training and Lecturers and Carol Hagedorn, a teacher suffering from mesothelioma will be talking about asbestos in schools. The meeting is for MPs and invited guests. --------------------------------- NASUWT Conference Calls for removal of asbestos. A terminally ill teacher says ".I am understandably unhappy that the lack of proper asbestos control will end my life prematurely, like some sort of collateral damage or natural wastage in the education game". ---------------------------------- BBC Investigation A detailed, factual investigation by Radio Scotland, applicable to the rest of UK. The BBC web site has now lapsed (some 20 days) but it is now on this link. Quotes: “What we are risking with this are young children's lives. The authorities have to be whiter than white, they have to prove to us there is no asbestos not just assume…. ”Asbestos expert ---------------------------------------- NW TUC Conference. Asbestos in Schools. Motion carried unanimously, Hear the speech ----------------------------- A Teacher's Story " I now have this terrible disease which need not have happened if I had been looked after in my professional environment". -------------------------------------- Parliamentary Debate The debate on asbestos in schools covered the issues well - the MP leading the debate was a Deputy Head Teacher so spoke from experience. Unfortunately an analysis of the Minister's reply was less than convincing and demonstrates that children will still be at risk. Analysis and Hansard script of the debate is at this link. --------------------------------- BBC 1 "Inside Out" ran a report on asbestos in schools on 25 March. It can be seen on the BBC Inside Out site. An earlier report can be seen on this site. ------------------------------------------ Welsh Assembly Asbestos Conference 24 March. The conference highlighted the problem of asbestos in schools. A leading occupational hygienist, Robin Howie, gave a graphic illustration of how deaths from asbestos exposure amongst school teachers is significantly higher than one should expect in an occupation where there should be minimal or no exposure to asbestos. He stated that between 1980-2000 male teachers have an incidence of mesothelioma deaths (PMR) almost ten times greater than would have been expected if they had had no exposure to asbestos. During the same period female teachers had an incidence almost three times greater. He stressed that the teachers’ deaths are but the tip of the ice-berg. Because for every teacher there are many more children, and they are more vulnerable. However because of the very long latency their mesothelioma deaths occur many years later and are recorded in whatever occupation they had at the time, and not as the result of their asbestos exposure at school. (Western Mail report) Dr John Osman, chief medical adviser of the HSE, said that 90,000 were expected to die in the asbestos-related disease “epidemic” by 2050. A senior HSE official Steve Coldrick, director of the HSE’s disease reduction programme, said: “This is an absolute horror story, there’s no getting away from it.” ------------------------------ Parliament An Early Day Motion has been put forward by Michael Clapham MP. It is for five specific changes in Govenment Policy on asbestos that the Daily Mirror is campaigning for. There is a No10 petition for the same proposals that you can sign if you wish to make a difference. ------------------------------------ Sadly another teacher has died of mesothelioma ----------------------------- Update 2nd March 2009 Today the Daily Mirror launched a campaign to raise public awareness of the dangers and issues surrounding asbestos. The first article asks the Government to give financial support for a research centre into asbestos related disease. There is so much bad news associated with asbestos that this is a positive move forward and is a project that we strongly support. As part of the Mirror’s campaign there will be an article about the problems associated with asbestos in schools. If you have any comment or stories of bad asbestos management, of a lack of awareness or you know of any asbestos incidents in schools then please contact the Mirror at asbestos@mirror.co.uk or join their blog at: http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/asbestos-campaign/ ---------------------------- .Update 5 February 2009 Parliamentary Asbestos Sub-committee briefed by Teachers Unions, Asbestos Consultant's Association and a Teacher ill with mesothelioma on:
MPs attending say that something must be done and Committee agree to speak to Minister again. -------------------------------- .Update 2 February 2009. Includes: BBC investigation into school asbestos management (video)
Parliamentary Asbestos sub-committee consider repeated calls over many years for:
28th January 2009 - BBC Inside Out broadcast a report on asbestos in schools in the South East. The lessons learnt here apply to many schools in the country. There is detailed comment on the programme here and you can see the 13 minute video. ----------- 3rd February 2009 - a meeting of the Parliamentary asbestos sub-committee where the Liberal Democrats Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions, the Teaching unions, the medical profession and others will join the Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Safety and Health in his call for the Government to undertake:
14th November 2008 - ITN’s Teachers TV broadcast a news report on asbestos in schools. The report focuses on the widespread calls for the reinstatement of a campaign to improve the asbestos management in schools, the need for a national audit of asbestos in schools and the need for an assessment to be made of the risk to staff and children. The calls are from the teaching unions, MPs, asbestos consultants, surveyors, doctors, occupational hygienists, solicitors, mesothelioma research organisations, mesothelioma support groups, teachers, parents and individuals. As licensing constraints prevent the showing of the videos for more than 28 days the following summaries cover many of the main points: A transcript of the report. --------- 14 Nov 2008 - Letter in the Times A letter from the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Health and Safety, the medical profession and asbestos specialists requests action on asbestos in schools. --------- 30 Oct 2008 - BBC Today report on asbestos in schools and other public buildings and an interview with the chest consultant John Edwards. --------- July 2008 - Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association professional development seminar. It identified failings in school asbestos management survey, procedures, training and standards. It was attended by asbestos surveyors, consultants, analysts and contractors, Chairman of the UK Asbestos Training Association, the Manager of the UK Accreditation Service, specialist scientists, local authority safety officers, solicitors, Teachers Unions and HSE Head of Asbestos Policy. Michael Lees presented. His notes (updated Jan 09) are attached. -------- .Friday 15 February 2008 ITN News reported on the discovery of asbestos in a System Built School and raised the possibility of the same problem affecting many other schools. This paper has guidance on asbestos precautions in these schools based on best practice. It has been written in consultation with experienced asbestos consultants. |
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