Asbestos in Schools: Important Information for Duty Holders
by James P. Outreach & PR ExecutiveIt might come as a shock to learn that asbestos still exists
in schools today, which are meant to be safe learning environments for children.
It’s important to keep children safe, so here, we’ll take a
look at what asbestos actually is and procedures that should be in place for
schools and how we can make sure the next generation are in safe learning
environments.
The problem
Asbestos was a building material used extensively throughout
the UK from the 1950s through to the 80s. However, the harmful health effects
weren’t known as they are now. Asbestos itself wasn’t banned until the end of
1999. It’s well established that severe or even fatal diseases can develop when
asbestos fibres are released and inhaled, often developing 30 to 40 years after
exposure.
Because of the wide use across the country in all manners of
buildings and facilities, asbestos was laid in schools — remains in many of
these buildings today.
Asbestos Audit, who provides asbestos surveys
across the North of England and Scotland, said that they are regularly called
out to school buildings with asbestos in various states of repair. The main
problems they come across are:
- Old or
poor-quality surveys have often not found the asbestos existing in the
buildings.
- Asbestos
maintenance and regular re-inspection aren’t carried out periodically or
have been forgotten, increasing the likelihood of health risks.
- Paperwork
has been lost when staff has changed or moved office.
- There
is little knowledge of the regulations and requirements or it is outdated,
leaving the school liable to any harm.
- There
has been no management of contractors working on schools which has led to
accidental damage to the asbestos.
- Not
knowing who the duty holder of the school is and who is responsible for the
asbestos.
Problems like this shouldn’t be occurring in our day and
age.
So, what procedures should a school have in place for dealing with
asbestos?
Any school buildings built before 2000 fall under the Control
of Asbestos Regulations 2012. This act places a legal responsibility on the
duty holder to ensure that appropriate asbestos management action is taken, and
buildings are safe. Duty holders who fail to follow through with the legal
requirement can be faced with legal action.
Asbestos management actions usually include:
- Carrying
out asbestos surveys and re-inspections of asbestos materials identified to
assess the risk and actions required.
- Implementing
an asbestos management plan to identify and manage all the required
actions and delegate who is responsible for carrying them out.
- Carrying
out removal or reduction work.
- Review
the existing asbestos management plan and make changes when necessary, for
example when regulations, site conditions, duty holders, staff, or actions
change.
- Make
sure that staff are correctly trained and aware of asbestos on site.
- Make
sure both contractors and visitors are safe when present in the building.
- Seek
specialist advice when it is needed.
With asbestos being a serious concern that must be
addressed, responsibility of others’ health can feel overwhelming, especially
if you’re not knowledgeable about the area. Many teachers and school staff are
tasked with not only teaching but building maintenance that can cause a lot of
stress. If you’re involved in carrying out asbestos duties, seek specialist
advice to take the pressure off and to make sure you’re doing everything within
your legal duty, so you are confident that you’re making the right decisions.
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Created on Aug 5th 2020 10:53. Viewed 454 times.