GMB warns of dangers from asbestos in schools as new all party report set outs six action points to protect pupils and staff from hidden killer

2 February 2012

There is a real risk of increasing the danger of asbestos in schools buildings killing pupils and staff alike if these recommendations are not properly implemented and there is not a mandatory system of accountability

GMB warned that there is a grave danger that the recommendations in the report from the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on “Asbestos in Schools – the need for action” published yesterday will be a dead letter as more and more schools opt out of local authority control and will not have the expertise to implement the recommendations.

There is a real risk of increasing the danger of asbestos in schools buildings killing pupils and staff alike if these recommendations are not properly implemented and there is not a mandatory system of accountability. GMB is calling for cast iron guarantees that all schools opting out of local authority control will properly account to parents and staff on a regular basis as to how they plan to implement the report's important recommendations.

GMB has a large membership in schools with members working as Support Staff such as Teaching Assistants, caretakers, dinner ladies, cleaners, laboratory technicians all of who could potentially be exposed to asbestos on a daily basis.

The six recommendations in the report are as follows-

1 The government should set a programme for the phased removal of asbestos from all schools, with priority being given to those schools where the asbestos is considered to be most dangerous or damaged.

2 Standards in asbestos training should be set and the training should be mandatory. The training should be properly funded.

3 It is recommended that the DfE and HSE jointly develop asbestos guidance for schools and that current standards be reviewed.

4 A policy of openness should be adopted. Parents, teachers and support staff should be annually updated on the presence of asbestos in their schools and the measures that are being taken to manage it.

5 Pro-active inspections to determine the standards of asbestos management should be reinstated, with a view to reducing future costs.

6 Data should be collected centrally on the extent, type and condition of asbestos in schools and this becomes an integral part of the data collection of the condition of the nation's schools.

John McClean, GMB National Health & Safety Officer said, “GMB endorses the statement from Jim Sheridan MP, who chairs the APPG on asbestos, where he states – “This is a national scandal. Urgent action is needed to prevent pupils, teachers and other staff being exposed to this deadly killer dust”.

GMB recognises that this is not a new problem and there has been a failure by successive governments to even acknowledge the scale of the problem. The publication of the booklet gives an opportunity to finally address the problem by acting on the six recommendations within the report.

As schools become unaccountable under academy status and the state education system breaks up, the government must reassure parents and school staff that their schools will not kill them.

All school governors, and head teachers in schools accountable to local authorities and those that are not must make sure they know how to combat this danger in their schools and protect the pupils and staff. A carefully planned, phased removal of asbestos from all schools will not be cheap but is necessary. They have to be accountable to parents and staff on a regular basis for this.”

Notes:

1 The APPG report– Asbestos in Schools – the need for action was published on Wednesday 1st February 2012 and will be available soon at http://www.gmb.org.uk.asbestosinschools/

2 The APPG Group on Asbestos is a Sub Group of the APPG on Occupational Health.

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