Calls for the next government to remove asbestos from all schools

A group of leading health charities, professional bodies, unions and campaigners have accused the present government of “abandoning” attempts to deal with the “schools asbestos crisis” and have called upon the next government to take more robust action and set a deadline for the removal of asbestos from all schools (“I” Newspaper, 1 June 2024).

The group, which includes the British Occupational Hygiene Society and Mesothelioma UK, say that 15 school workers in the UK will die annually from exposure, meaning that approximately 135 former pupils would also die prematurely each year – this figure is based on US Environmental Protection Agency data showing that for every teacher dying from mesothelioma, nine pupils would die prematurely in middle or old age.

The group claim that the Department for Education has effectively “ceased to monitor” the condition of asbestos in schools. Asbestos exposure still accounts for 5,000 deaths each year in the UK - roughly half due to mesothelioma and half due to asbestos-related lung cancer.

The calls followed the launch of the “Asbestos Your Duty” campaign by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in January, which seeks to promote awareness as to:

• Why asbestos is dangerous
• Where asbestos is likely to be found
• The legal obligation to manage asbestos in buildings
• How to carry out both an effective asbestos risk assessment and to complete an asbestos management plan

Buildings built between 1950 and 1980 are those deemed most at risk, as the use of asbestos in construction was at its peak. The risk to health is greatest when asbestos is disturbed and the campaign comes amidst an increase in work which involves retro-fitting buildings or dealing with reinforced aerated autoclaved concrete (RAAC) issues.

Sarah Albon, Chief Executive of the HSE, commented at the launch of the campaign:

"Asbestos exposure is still the greatest cause of work-related death due to exposures decades ago”.