Schools failing to manage asbestos problem

Date: 2010-02-23

ATL, 22 February 2010 - A new report has concluded that schools are failing to tackle the problem of asbestos in older buildings adequately.

Approximately 75 per cent of UK school buildings are thought to contain the deadly substance, yet the Asbestos Training and Consultancy Association (ATaC) found that a voluntary sample of education institutions they assessed were failing to manage the problem.

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: "This report by ATaC is further damning evidence that the current policy of managing asbestos in UK schools and colleges is fundamentally flawed.

"Thousands of teachers, support staff and students in the UK could be putting themselves at risk every day if their school or college contains asbestos."

She added that the union is calling on the government to revise its policy on asbestos management in schools in response to the findings, and to establish an independent body to monitor the situation and provide advice to affected schools.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers is very active in awareness and management of of asbestos in schools. For more information on ATL's on-going campaign, please refer to their website.