p.52 health Asbestos 9:Page 6 02/09/2009 12:22 Page 52
Health, Hygiene and Safety
Government failing to tackle
asbestos in schools
16 asbestos-related deaths among teachers every year
B
rian Nimick, Chief Executive of the British Metropolitan University, who died of exposure to asbestos in the workplace -
Safety Council, today called on the mesothelioma aged 63 years. “Mischa Glenny, making it the greatest single cause of work-
government to take urgent action to in his obituary in the Guardian, wrote of Peter related deaths in the UK.
implement a programme for the management Gowan’s time spent teaching in East London “In the short-term school heads and chairs of
and removal of asbestos in schools. Schools, “It was within the crumbling Governors may want to ask themselves this
In calling for a national comprehensive infrastructure of public education that he was question: “Would you allow members of your
register of asbestos in schools he said “it is most likely exposed to the asbestos that led to family to attend a school or college where the
unacceptable that the UK, in 2009, has not yet mesothelioma.”. asbestos risk had not been assessed?”
undertaken a national audit of asbestos in “In 2009 it is estimated that more than 4,000
schools; has not comprehensively assessed the people who die from cancers caused by past
risks that teachers and pupils in each and every
school face; and has not allocated appropriate
resources to take urgent remedial action.
“Without these actions the tragedy of
asbestos in schools will be left to fester and
continue to kill the lifeblood of our society.
Teachers and pupils continue to live with the
deadly legacy of having once worked or
studied in a school containing asbestos” said
Mr Nimick.
Addressing a conference on “Directors
Duties, Corporate Manslaughter and Health
and Safety Enforcement” – organised by the
Centre for Corporate Accountability – Mr
Nimick disclosed that there had been 228
asbestos-related deaths among teachers over
the last 14 years – an average of 16 members
of the teaching profession dying every year.
Mr Nimick referred to the recent obituary of
Peter Gowan, the esteemed Professor of
International Relations at London
52
www.education-today.co.uk September 2009
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