JUAC Asbestos in Schools Survey Analysis
Introduction
The Education sector trade unions, under the Umbrella of JUAC (Joint Union Asbestos Campaign), conducted a survey of health & safety representatives in the Autumn of 2010, with the survey finishing on 1st December 2010. The survey was designed to establish the workforce knowledge on asbestos in schools and how it might be managed. This was designed to build on an earlier survey by Voice¹ conducted in spring 2010 which had focused on the asbestos survey, management and training, and the NASUWT “Safe to Teach” survey².
The Response
Over 600 safety representatives responded from a variety of schools, predominantly secondary and primary schools in the community sector. They were asked a series of specific questions on the following-
Asbestos Management Plans – only 51% had ever asked to see their school’s management plan, and of these nearly 90% had received a copy. However one in five were either not confident that the plan was being acted on or just didn’t know.
JUAC Analysis – While it is gratifying that almost 90% of those who asked for the plan received it, it is worrying that nearly 50% didn’t ask for the management plan (and why were 10% not given it?). Considering that these reps took the time out to complete the survey it raises concerns on their knowledge of, and training in asbestos issues.
Asbestos Surveys – The representatives were asked if an asbestos survey had taken place in their schools over the last five years. Two thirds responded positively stating that a survey had been undertaken, but over a quarter did not know.
Three in five said that their school had asbestos, but a quarter of respondents didn’t know if asbestos was present.
JUAC Analysis – For more than one in four responses the lack of knowledge on asbestos is frightening both in terms of the existence of a survey and consequently if asbestos was present in their school.
Responsibility for Managing Asbestos – Asked if they knew who had responsibility for managing asbestos in schools two thirds replied yes, while one third said no.
Where the response had been positive only in one third of schools was it the responsibility of the head teacher or other senior management, with responsibility being given to the site manager /caretaker in over 50% of the time. 13% of the schools did have a health & safety manager with this responsibility.
JUAC Analysis – The DfE/HSE plan concentrates on training head teachers on asbestos awareness and their responsibility for managing it. However this response highlights the importance of involving other members of staff in this awareness training, particularly site managers/caretakers.
Consultation – Disappointingly only 30% of respondents had been consulted on the issue of asbestos management, with almost 70% answering no to this question.
JUAC Analysis – While disappointing this is not surprising. It would appear, even though proper consultation is encouraged by the HSE and is part of the safety representatives rights (under SRSC Regulations) this only happens in a minority of workplaces.
Asbestos Registers – Again nearly one third of representatives did not know if an asbestos register existed. On the positive side only 3.5% of respondents said there was no asbestos register.
Those schools with an asbestos register had an almost two thirds positive response on showing the register to contractors before they commenced work. Those who didn’t know were again at almost one third but 5% stated that the register was not shown to contractors.
The awareness of all staff to a register was almost a three way split between those who were aware of it, those who weren’t (nearly 40%) and those who didn’t know.
JUAC Analysis – Again a relatively high level of lack of knowledge on the existence of a register focuses on the need for comprehensive asbestos awareness training in schools for ALL staff. This is of added importance for those dealing with contractors.
Asbestos Awareness – Only 28% of respondents stated that the presence of asbestos was clearly marked, nearly 40% saying it wasn’t and the remainder didn’t know. Following up on this revealed that only just over 20% had asbestos awareness training, including preventing exposure to asbestos, with nearly 60% saying that they did not have training in this. The remainder didn’t know (which implies that it hasn’t taken place).
JUAC Analysis – It is worrying that there is such a large gap in the marking of the presence of asbestos, as the symbol recognisable to many can be placed discreetly on the ACM and therefore reinforces a contractors knowledge on asbestos, particularly if the school staff have changed since the survey and the new staff are unaware of the presence of asbestos.
The awareness training response again shows a distinct lack of pro- active training.
Concerns about Asbestos – Over a quarter of representatives had raised concerns about the management of asbestos in their school, but a third of these had not had a satisfactory response.
JUAC Analysis – again concern that such a high proportion did not feel as though they had a response to put them at ease on such a serious subject. This could be down to a lack of knowledge or a lack of concern on the subject by the management team.
Conclusion
The responses give a snapshot of the situation regarding the management of asbestos in schools across the UK. It might be assumed that this sample, as they took the time out to respond, are reasonably well informed compared to those who, as they knew little of the subject didn’t feel confident enough to respond. It does highlight that a number of key issues, namely the lack of training which is needed for all staff. Then there is the wrong assumption that the head or another senior manager has responsibility for managing asbestos in reality, the lack of proper consultation for the reps and staff, the high proportion who had not seen a management plan for asbestos, and over a quarter of reps not even being aware if their school had asbestos or not.
These findings only serve to reinforce the campaign begun by AiS to raise awareness of asbestos in schools, ensure that there is a management plan, and it is being followed, and to have all staff trained on asbestos awareness to the appropriate level.
Notes 1 Voice survey – can be found at http://www.voicetheunion.org.uk/index.cfm/page/_sections.contentdetail.cfm/cid/1752/navid/570/parenting
Summary – 790 questionnaires returned
Only 43% were aware of an asbestos survey in the previous 3 years.
Over 72% did not have information on asbestos management plan
Only 22% had any asbestos awareness training
2 NASUWT – “Safe to Teach” survey (2008)
Summary -1,923 responses
33% of safety reps who raised concerns on asbestos management had not received a satisfactory response.
13% said that the asbestos present was in a bad condition
57% did not know if asbestos was in their school or not.
Only 21% who knew that asbestos was present were aware of plans to remove it.
