Presentation by Keith Kelly to BED10, a Be2camp (Built Environment meets Web 2.0) event, held at Maxwell Winward in London on 30 November 2010.

1. @pagroupuk pagroupuk.blogspot.com

2. Asbestos in SchoolsAsbestos in Schools
What does the cancellation of BSFWhat does the cancellation of BSF
mean for Schools?mean for Schools?

3. Brief History

6. There are aboutThere are about
21,000 Primary Schools21,000 Primary Schools
4000 Secondary Schools4000 Secondary Schools
1500 Special schools1500 Special schools
2500 Independent School2500 Independent School
In the United KingdomIn the United Kingdom

11. Assessment of AsbestosAssessment of Asbestos
Management in SchoolsManagement in Schools
Undertaken by the Asbestos Testing andUndertaken by the Asbestos Testing and
Consultants Association (Consultants Association (ATaCATaC))
January 24January 24thth
20102010

12. ““Providing that asbestosProviding that asbestos--containing materials are maintained in goodcontaining materials are maintained in good
condition, they can be left where they are and managed until a bcondition, they can be left where they are and managed until a buildinguilding
reaches the end of its life.reaches the end of its life.””
““Although it is worrying to teachers and parents that schools conAlthough it is worrying to teachers and parents that schools containtain
asbestos, asbestos does not pose a serious risk if it is managedasbestos, asbestos does not pose a serious risk if it is managed properly inproperly in
accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations.accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations.””11 Letter Minister ofLetter Minister of
State for Schools and LearnersState for Schools and Learners RtRt Hon Jim Knight MP 30th April 2009Hon Jim Knight MP 30th April 2009
“We believe that the majority of school employers and particularly local
authorities are managing their asbestos responsibly.”2 Letter Minister of
State for Schools and Learners Rt Hon Jim Knight MP 27th November 2008

15. “Apart from the fact that the survey was restricted to asbestos management in
system built schools, the NUT questions how it can be claimed that the majority
of local authorities meet legal requirements in terms of asbestos management
when only 42 were actually visited by HSE inspectors. The other 110 simply
completed an on-line survey, making the survey essentially a paper exercise,
reliant on local authorities admitting to failings in their system of asbestos
management in order to trigger a visit from the HSE. A true understanding of
the nature of the problem can only be gained when a full independent national
audit of all schools is undertaken – something for which the NUT has called
many years.
“With more and more schools opting out of local authority control, the NUT is
concerned that standards of asbestos management will fall further, leading to
greater numbers of exposure incidents. We fear also that the findings of this
limited survey will be used to justify the abolition of a recently-established DfE
steering group which was set up with the aim of improving asbestos
management in schools.”

16. Cancelling school building programme putsCancelling school building programme puts
children at risk of asbestos exposurechildren at risk of asbestos exposure
Kevin Rowan, Regional Secretary of the Northern TUC said: 'Many schools in
the region are in a terrible state of disrepair. Teachers, governing bodies, pupils and parents have
been waiting desperately for new building work to take place, to allow them to enjoy working and
learning in a decent, safe and healthy environment. Now they continue to face risks of serious and
potentially fatal hazards due to the lack of investment in the maintenance and improvement of
their schools.
'The Government must make funds available now, to all schools who need it, to secure a better
and safer environment for children, teachers and school staff alike.'
Mick Lyons National Executive Member of The Teacher's Union,
NASUWT, for the North East said: 'Asbestos in schools is a ticking time-bomb. Over 190
colleagues have died through asbestos exposure across the country so far, with the unfortunate
spectre of many more to come. Scrapping the BSF programme has left older schools - and those
who have to spend time in them, extremely vulnerable. Schools are meant to be a place of
security and education, not fear of ill-health and bringing the legacy of grave mistakes made pre-
1970s into the 21st century.'

17. Dave PrentisDave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, the, General Secretary of UNISON, the
UK's largest public sector union, said:UK's largest public sector union, said:
""UNISON welcomes Lord Hill's recognition of theUNISON welcomes Lord Hill's recognition of the
need to tackle this problem urgently. We lookneed to tackle this problem urgently. We look
forward to working with him to getting to gripsforward to working with him to getting to grips
with the true extent of the problem, by playingwith the true extent of the problem, by playing
our part in the joint working group due to startour part in the joint working group due to start
next month.next month.
““Put simply, there should be no place forPut simply, there should be no place for
asbestos in our schools. Children, staff andasbestos in our schools. Children, staff and
parents should have the right to know they areparents should have the right to know they are
learning in a safe and healthy environment. Butlearning in a safe and healthy environment. But
asbestosasbestos -- especially without properespecially without proper
managementmanagement -- is anything but safe.is anything but safe.
"It is vital that the Government recognises that"It is vital that the Government recognises that
asbestos in schools is a health hazard and thatasbestos in schools is a health hazard and that
they should take urgent action to have itthey should take urgent action to have it
removed, and make sure it is properly managed.removed, and make sure it is properly managed.
"With more schools being taken out of local"With more schools being taken out of local
authority control, UNISON is deeply concernedauthority control, UNISON is deeply concerned
that standards of asbestos managementthat standards of asbestos management -- whichwhich
are already seriously failingare already seriously failing -- will decline evenwill decline even
further. Schools will not get the help they need tofurther. Schools will not get the help they need to
deal with this dangerous problem, and this willdeal with this dangerous problem, and this will
sadly lead only to a more children and staffsadly lead only to a more children and staff
losing their lives.losing their lives.
Unison members protesting
at Waltham Forest’s Enforcement
notice from the HSE

18. Where now for
Schools?

20. @pagroupuk.com pagroupuk.blogspot.com