Asbestos in schools ITN report

16th February 2008

Two ITN News bulletins following a year investigation by ITN have featured the asbestos problem in these schools. The paper for download was delayed waiting for publication by ITN of their findings
Shortly a technical paper will be produced on asbestos exposure in System Built Schools

Asbestos in Schools
Attached is a paper that describes asbestos fibre release in schools at levels above the 'Control Level'. The Control Level is the level at which contractors have to wear protective clothing.
The release comes from normal school activity like sitting on window sills, slamming doors, kicking skirting boards or knocking walls.

The particular type of schools in which this happens is 'System Build' Schools. They are in common use in the UK and are prefabricated buildings built in the period between 1945 and 1980.

There is extensive scientific, photographic and paperwork evidence in the paper that the HSE and the HSE/CLASP consortium that is responsible for dealing with the problem has put procedures and tests in place that fail to deal with the risk of disturbance to asbestos by normal school activity. There is further evidence that the procedures that they have put in place have not been properly implemented or supervised.

This paper follows up the two ITN News bulletins on Friday 15 February. Those bulletins were based on months of ITN research and tests in school.

The paper gives you the detailed technical information required to analyse responses to the ITN report, to check the effectiveness of precautionary and procedural measures in your local area and the ammunition to respond to unsound official responses.

You may wish to check that all such schools in your area are safe and whether the HSE, LEAs and schools are applying effective regulations or failing staff and pupils. You may wish to challenge the effectiveness both of their inpection standards and the procedures they have put in place as there is evidence that neither deal with disturbance of asbestos by things like banging doors, sitting on window sills or knocking skirting boards.

You will also find evidence that HSE and LEAs fail to address contamination by asbestos over a period of years - like that spent by a child or teacher in a school.

The paper is a factual paper, based on referenced authoritative material, and has been prepared in conjunction with experts in the asbestos industry, scientists specialising in this field and with various teacher unions. It is fully referenced.
ml@asbestosexposureschools.co.uk

To access report please click on the link below: (It is over fifty pages in length and may take a short while to download
http://www.asbestosexposureschools.co.uk/RELEASE%20OF%20ASBESTOS%20FIBRES%20IN%20SYSTEM%20BUILT%20SCHOOLS%20PART%201%2015%20FEB%2008.pdf