Unions back report findings on schools’ asbestos failings
A number of unions has welcomed an audit report that points to serious mismanagement of asbestos in Britain’s schools.
The report, based on the findings of a pilot study of 12 schools by the Asbestos Training and Consultancy Association (ATAC), argues that schools are failing to comply with their legal duty to manage asbestos, and claims that training on asbestos in schools is poor to non-existent.
According to the ATAC, its assessment revealed a lack of clarity between local authorities and schools over who is legally the duty-holder responsible for managing asbestos. The organisation also described some of the asbestos surveys the schools had carried out as “superficial”, because they had failed to look in places most likely to contain the most dangerous form of asbestos, or failed to record that less accessible places had been investigated.
Some schools were also found wanting in terms of producing a clear, written asbestos-management plan and, in one case, recommendations made 13 years ago had not been carried out.
The report follows a questionnaire of local authorities and dioceses, carried out by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the HSE last year. According to the ATAC, this study uncovered similar asbestos-management weaknesses, and has prompted the HSE to investigate 34 local authorities.
But the ATAC’s latest findings have led several unions and campaigners to raise new concerns. Paul Rowen MP, chair of the Campaign Against Asbestos in Schools, and health and safety spokesperson for the Lib Dems, said: “This report confirms what we already feared about asbestos in schools – it is simply not being dealt with.
“This is a major risk to both pupils and staff, and we have already seen too many deaths as a result of poor asbestos management. The Government needs to renew their efforts in tackling this problem, and ensure that the training is in place to allow school staff to deal with the problem quickly and safely.”
Philip Parkin, general secretary of Voice, the union for education professionals, called for the creation of an action plan for asbestos in schools that should include “audits, risk assessments, relevant training and guidance, and for all asbestos to be identified and removed in a phased programme when schools are refurbished”.
The Association of Teachers and Lecturers called on the Government to stop dithering and change its policy on managing asbestos in schools. General secretary, Dr Mary Bousted, said: “We call on the Government to authorise a national audit of asbestos in all educational establishments, set up an independent body to monitor and provide advice on asbestos in schools, and to have all asbestos removed from our schools and colleges.”
Calling for a more extensive survey, Martin Ward, deputy general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The problem of asbestos in schools undoubtedly is more serious and widespread than commonly acknowledged. A more comprehensive survey is urgently needed so that headteachers and local authorities clearly understand the scale of the problem, and what needs to be done to make sure all pupils and adults working in schools are safe from asbestos.”
The DCSF underlined that the health and welfare of pupils and staff is absolutely paramount and stressed that all local authorities and school employers must comply fully with legal requirements on monitoring asbestos.
Schools minister Iain Wright said: “The HSE does not hesitate to take action in areas that are not coming up to scratch. The HSE and DCSF have surveyed every single local authority over the last year to assess their asbestos management and ensure that they are fulfilling their legal duties – the first ever such national audit.
“We will be producing further training and guidance on asbestos management for headteachers, governors and local authorities, and we are setting up a steering group with campaigners, unions and other groups to help improve asbestos management in schools.”
ATAC says it intends to hand a copy of the audit report to schools minister Diana Johnson MP on Wednesday (24 February), prior to a meeting with the Asbestos in Schools Group.
