Westacre Middle school closed twice in four years because of a failure in asbestos management
The closure of Westacre Middle School highlights the disruption, anxieties, potential health risks and cost that can occur when a school contains asbestos.
“A county council spokesperson confirmed asbestos material debris was discovered in the hall, during a routine survey.” February 2011
Serious questions have to be asked about why the asbestos debris was in the school hall? How long has it been there? What failure in asbestos management meant that this debris was not identified in previous surveys and routine checks on the condition of asbestos?
“Residue of dangerous material was found on high level windows in the main hall just three years after contractors were called in to tackle a similar problem at the school.
“Maintaining the health and wellbeing of the pupils and staff at the school is our highest priority, which is why the decision has been made to temporarily close the hall to enable the asbestos to be removed.” Worcestershire County Council spokesman 2011
The council’s reassurances have a hollow ring, for this is the second time this school has been closed because of an asbestos incident in four years with similar reassurances being given following the previous incident. The last time there was widespread asbestos contamination so that the children’s work, computers and equipment were destroyed and many thousands of pounds were spent on an environmental clean before the children could return, with some not returning for more than a month. In 2007 the Council made similar statements:
Director of children’s services Richard Hubbard, said: “Our first priority has been the health and welfare of staff and children, weighing that up against minimising disruption to class time.”
A Worcestershire County Council spokesman said: “Asbestos was detected in the air and the school was closed for safety reasons…
It is the sustained exposure to asbestos fibres that are dangerous, so we are confident pupils are fine and have not been put in danger.” Worcestershire County Council spokesman January 2007
The County Council spokesman is wrong that only sustained exposures are dangerous, for there is no known level of exposure to asbestos below which there is no risk. He also has no grounds to make his reassurances that the pupils are fine, that is because an assessment has never been made of the increased risk to children from the exposure to asbestos, and this Government has no plans to undertake such an assessment, despite requests that they should.
These incidents underline the risks, disruption and expense that will always be present so long as asbestos remains in our schools. Both incidents were caused by a failure in asbestos management, but it is inevitable that such incidents will continue long into the future because of the Government’s policy of leaving the asbestos in place and managing it for the remaining life of the school.
Contrary to the Government’s policy, this asbestos is now going to be removed from this school. If that decision had been made long ago then the trauma of these incidents would have been avoided. The Asbestos in Schools group calls for the identification and phased removal of all asbestos from schools, with the most dangerous materials being identified and removed first. This was the policy of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and the Inner London Education Authority in the 1980’s but was dropped when they no longer existed. It is the present policy of Nottinghamshire County council who have large numbers of schools containing asbestos.
In Westacre school they have had two incidents, but only now are they removing the asbestos and closing the door after the horse has bolted. For the safety of future generations of our children the policy of the phased removal of all asbestos from schools should be adopted throughout the country, and if it was asbestos incidents such as these would no longer happen.
Michael Lees
13th February 2011
