Tens of thousands of pupils and teachers and other staff could
have been exposed to asbestos in science labs, after it was
revealed by the HSE that two companies have been supplying
equipment containing the deadly material to UK schools,
the NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union is
warning today.
The deeply disturbing revelation potentially means that thousands
of metal gauzes used in experiments involving bunsen burners
contain asbestos and have been supplied to schools from as far
back as 1976. Schools would have no indication that the
materials were unsafe and potentially deadly.
The NASUWT has acted immediately to advise its workplace
and health and safety representatives on the actions to take
including:
1) ensure the Headteacher/Principal and
Head of Science Department(s) are aware of both the HSE and
CLEAPSS guidance.
2) any gauze purchased after 1976 should
be considered suspect unless the supplier can provide the
certificate from a UK based, UK Accreditation
Service (UKAS) accredited testing
organisation that the gauzes are free of asbestos.
3) suspect, uncertified gauzes must not be
used.
4) teachers must not be required to
carry out the removal of suspect gauzes. In line with CLEAPSS
advice, if there are no competent person(s) on site then a
specialist asbestos removals contractor should be used.
Chris Keates, NASUWT General
Secretary said:
“It is shocking that suppliers, clearly it seems only interested
in profit not people, have distributed such life-threating
equipment to schools putting children and teachers and other
staff at risk. It beggars belief that this situation has been
allowed to happen for so long, possibly as far back as 1976.
“Whilst it is to be welcomed that the HSE Executive have
highlighted this major hazard to the health of children and young
people and all those who work on school sites, it is unacceptable
that the two suppliers involved have not been named.
“The NASUWT believes that the suppliers must be named
immediately, not only to enable schools to identify if they have
used the suppliers and therefore may have this potentially deadly
material on site, but also so that they can be held
accountable by those whose health may well have been damaged by
using this equipment.
“The fact that the HSE has told these suppliers to immediately
stop sending the gauze to schools, highlights the
seriousness of this issue.
“Staff, pupils and parents will be deeply anxious as a result of
this announcement. If schools had the names of the suppliers the
anxiety and distress could be alleviated as they could
confirm that they had not used these suppliers.
“There are serious questions to be asked and answered about this
appalling situation, including why it has taken so long to
identify that suppliers are using such hazardous materials and
what action the Government intends to take to support schools in
the light of this revelation, including the costs that may
incurred as a result of the disposal of this material.
.
“I have written to Secretary of State for
Education to ask those questions.”
