Asbestos in schools is a 'serious' problem, Government report finds

Asbestos in schools is a “serious” problem which could threaten the health of children, a Government report has found, as it concluded that thousands of schools are failing to follow safety guidelines.

One fifth of schools which responded to an official survey were found to be “not fully compliant” with asbestos procedures, leaving over a million children potentially exposed to dangerous fibres.

School leaders have branded the report’s findings “deeply concerning”, and urged the Department for Education (DfE) to instigate a works programme that would see asbestos removed from all schools. 

Even low levels of exposure to asbestos fibres can cause both lung cancer, as well as cancer of the lining of the lung called mesothelioma.

Most victims die within 18 months of diagnosis, but it often does not appear until around 40 years after the person first breathes in the dust.

The report, published yesterday by the Education Funding Agency (EFA), found that around 20 per cent of schools were were “not fully compliant” with asbestosprocedures “in that they did not have fully documented plans, processes and procedures in place at the time of the data collection, or did not know if asbestos was present."

The EFA is part of the DfE and oversees funding for all schools, academies and colleges in England. 

According to the National Union of Teachers, 319 teachers have died from mesothelioma since 1980. It is estimated that for every teacher’s death, nine children will die, meaning over 100 people will die every year in the UK as a result of exposure when they were at school.

“These results seriously call into question the DfE’s fundamental assumption that asbestos can be managed safely left in situ, as clearly this is not happening in too many cases,” said Chris Keates, general secretary of the teaching union NASUWT.

“Asbestos is lethal. The only safe asbestos is removed asbestos. The DfE must bring forward proposals for the phased removal of all asbestos in schools without delay.”  

A voluntary survey was sent to schools by the Government between January and March last year, but only a quarter of schools responded.

This means that true number of schools who do not comply with asbestos safety procedures is likely to be far higher, as the report notes that there may be a “selection bias” towards schools that "already manage asbestos well".

Chris Keates, general secretary of the teaching union NASUWT

Mr Keates added: “It is reasonable to assume that schools who know they are not compliant would be less likely to respond, therefore the true number who are failing to comply could be substantially higher, with hundreds of schools putting pupils and teachers at risk by failing to manage asbestos effectively.”

 Three quarters of schools contain asbestos, but the Health and Safety Executive say that it only presents a risk if it is disturbed or damaged, which risks fibres being released into the atmosphere.

A report on asbestos in schools by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Health and Safety in 2012 recommended that the Government set up programme to remove asbestos from all schools.

It concluded: “It is clear that, at present, there are serious deficiencies in the way that asbestos is managed in schools.”