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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned local authorities, schools and contractors about the dangers of disturbing asbestos, and their responsibility to ensure correct procedures are in place to manage asbestos in schools. The warning follows a prosecution brought by HSE against two firms and a company director who were sentenced at Northampton Crown Court earlier this month. In summer 2003, asbestos ceiling tiles at Southfield School, Kettering, were removed as part of work to upgrade the school's electrical system. During the works, asbestos was released into the air posing a danger to workers and cleaners at the school. Pupils were not at risk as the work was undertaken during the summer holidays but they were unable to return to school until the following Easter. Briggs and Forrester (Electrical) Ltd of Northampton were fined GBP 60,000 and ordered to pay costs of GBP 30,000 after pleading guilty to a series of charges at Northampton Crown Court. Richard Lockwood, HSE Principal Inspector, said, "Asbestos can be a killer if disturbed, but if contained and well managed poses minimal health risk. More than half a million non-domestic premises still contain some form of asbestos, posing a real threat to maintenance workers. They could easily drill or cut into the material, causing exposure to deadly fibres. "If anyone is in any doubt about their responsibilities under either the HSW Act or the revised Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations, which came into force last November, they must ask. HSE has a wealth of information on its website and also a public telephone enquiry service." Southfield School was closed for six months whilst decontamination works were carried out. As part of this process, the school lost coursework, teachers' notes and all their computer equipment due to potential contamination. The school was stripped out and refitted at a cost of GBP 6.5 million. Asbestos is a particular issue for many schools and colleges. A National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) survey has found that a significant proportion of schools are not following proper health and safety procedures and that many are not addressing the risks posed by asbestos. The survey revealed that in schools and colleges where asbestos problems were present, nearly three-quarters (73%) of teachers reported that the asbestos hazard was not properly marked, more than half of teachers said that the problem was not properly contained (51%), and around four-fifths of teachers reported that there was no proper plan in place for its removal (79%). Chris Keates, General Secretary of NASUWT commented: "It is a national disgrace that schools and pupils are being placed at risk as a result of the failure of employers to undertake their statutory health and safety duties. "The survey reports confirm that there is much to be done to improve the working environment in schools and colleges throughout the UK and to safeguard teachers and pupils against exposure to health and safety risks." Source: Workplace Law Network |
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