RELEASE OF ASBESTOS FIBRES IN SYSTEM BUILT SCHOOLS

Asbestos in Schools, 25th June reported that twenty years ago the ILEA found slamming a door five times in a "System build" school in Wandsworth resulted in measurements of asbestos 33 times higher than the Clearance level a safety limit set by the Health and Safety Executive. Advice was given nationally but little effective action taken. In July 2006 the problem was rediscovered in many schools.

The asbestos present in such schools and the lack of action has left a 20 year legacy of exposure of children and teachers that could and should have been avoided and is embarassing to the HSE, local councils and the Government. The legacy includes many schools today with asbestos that has had twenty years and, at times, more than fifty years in which to deteriorate and so is no longer "in good condition" - a prerequisite for the safe management of asbestos.

Children are more susceptible to asbestos fibres than adults but HSE standards are set for adults so, for instance, HSE standards for reoccupation of schools after an asbestos incident is the "Clearance Level" - a level that ILEA asbestos working group say "is very dangerous for children" and the 2006 Control of Asbestos Regulations state: “........ should be taken only as a transient indication of site cleanliness .. and is not an acceptable permanent level”