Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral once hailed for its durability and fire-resistant properties, continues to cast a shadow over the safety of schools. Whilst its use has been significantly curtailed in recent decades thanks to the advances in regulatory frameworks, its presence in schools remains a pertinent concern that poses a potential risk to the health of students, teachers and staff.
The legacy of Asbestos
Historically valued for its resistance to heat, electricity and sound, asbestos was once extensively used in the construction industry. Its integration into various building materials including ceiling tiles, insulation and the surrounds of doors and windows led it to be commonplace in schools before its eventual ban in the United Kingdom in 1999. The problems arise when materials containing asbestos are disturbed or damaged, as this causes the asbestos fibres to be released into the air. This can lead to the risk of developing asbestos-related health conditions such as lung cancer or mesothelioma.
Despite increased awareness and stringent regulations over recent years, many schools still harbour asbestos-containing materials. There are 33,600 schools in the United Kingdom and at least 21,500 of these contain asbestos. This poses a significant threat as the fibres of asbestos can become airborne when disturbed, leading to inhalation and a subsequent risk to health.
Health risks for students and staff
Asbestos-related conditions exhibit prolonged latency periods, making the tracing of exposure to a specific timeframe challenging. Asbestos-related conditions such as pleural thickening or asbestosis require heavy, prolonged exposure to airborne asbestos. In contrast, mesothelioma, an asbestos related cancer that is always terminal, only requires one airborne fibre to put someone at risk of developing the disease. In schools, the continuous activities that may inadvertently disturb asbestos-containing materials include maintenance, renovations or deterioration over time. Teachers, students and other staff members are potentially at risk without even being aware of it. It has recently been reported by the Joint Union Asbestos Committee that an estimated 10,000 pupils and teachers have died due to exposure to asbestos in schools.
While regulations are in place to govern the handling and removal of asbestos in buildings, the compliance with such regulatory measures remain disparate. In certain instances, the asbestos may not be well managed in the school, or they may lack awareness of its presence. A survey carried out in 2017 found that nearly half of those who were aware that asbestos was in their school did not know the location of it. For those who did know where the asbestos was, it was in accessible locations such as floors and ceilings. Nearly 700 schools in England have been referred to the national health and safety body following concerns that asbestos in schools is not being managed safely.
The importance of proactive measures
The education of the dangers to asbestos and the warnings to those who use premises containing asbestos as to its location, is key. We believe the best way to ensure safety in schools is to have a central register of all asbestos in buildings in the UK and for the phased, safe removal of all asbestos in the UK. We have previously signed a petition for the Government to commit to this but, sadly, the petition closed with only 10,697 signatures. The Government responded to the petition on 28th September 2023 stating, “Government understands concerns about asbestos in buildings. We will continue to consider how we can improve the system to minimise the risk of exposure to asbestos.”
We hope this issue will continue to be highlighted and improvements made.
If you require assistance in pursuing a mesothelioma claim, or believe you have a valid claim for any other asbestos disease, then please contact us today on our freephone number 0800 038 6767. Alternatively, head over to the Contact Us page, complete the form and we will be in touch.
