WALTHAM FOREST: Union campaigning for asbestos removal from schools (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)
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WALTHAM FOREST: Union campaigning for asbestos removal from schools
1:03pm Sunday 7th November 2010 in Waltham Forest News By Safira Ali
A UNION is campaigning for all deadly asbestos to be removed from school buildings.
Waltham Forest's Unison, the public sector union, is requesting information from people who work in schools as part of a survey of asbestos management.
They are concerned that the number of people who have suffered ill health or have died as a result of asbestos exposure is unacceptably high.
A report in the summer showed that asbestos was not properly monitored in schools and steps to prevent risk from deadly bacteria were not taken.
Spot checks were carried out at four Walthamstow schools in June after the council failed to fully respond to a request for information by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
An inspector found Henry Maynard Junior School in Addison Road, Henry Maynard Infant School in Maynard Road, Kelmscott School in Markhouse Road and Willowfield Humanities College in Clifton Avenue did not have asbestos management plans, as required by law.
The HSE said it found no evidence that children or staff were put at risk from asbestos debris or legionella, the bacteria which causes legionnaires disease, in water systems. But they ordered the council to review arrangements at all schools in the borough.
But Unison says the council failed in its duty to safeguard teachers and pupils in order to save money.
The council has since offered asbestos awareness training, and have set up a working group with Unison and other trade unions to update policies.
The union is launching the survey to try to understand where asbestos may be in local schools, what condition it is in and how school staff and pupils are being supported.
They also want to know how staff have been involved in the safe management of asbestos in their work places.
The survey is being conducted with a number of trade unions by November 15.
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Comments(3)
md-j
says...
12:59am Mon 8 Nov 10
The reference is to legionalla, Helen: it's not very well expressed.
Assuming that asbestos IS present in our older schools, does the union have evidence that any is in a position to cause a hazard, when the HSE does not? To disturb asbestos that is safely confined behind panelling or coats of paint is the worst course of action, and risks putting perfectly servicable buildings out of use at vast expense, creating unemployment for union members.
Surely now is not the time to go trawling for a hypothetical grievance?
Redfox
says...
8:45am Mon 8 Nov 10
Hell fire, if they can't even get this done and senior officers KNEW it wasn't in place - a pox on them for putting lives at risk.
Surely this is more evidence that the council has become so arrogant in its' actions, failing to give comments when questioned by media (Guardian), failing to put forward people WITH NAMES when they do condisend to speak, and councillors failing to even acknowledge what they are doing?
Chapel End ward is one major example of the latter: Since the election not a single bulletin about what 'we' are doing for residents. At least the Liib Dems put their actions out there in the public domain.
What, one might ask, has this council got in place for the Domesday Scenario?
Is it all council staff ONLY down to the former Nuclear Cold-War bunker in town hall's sub-basement?
Helen, Walthamstow says...
3:30pm Sun 7 Nov 10
What on earth have bacteria got to do with asbestos? The danger of asbestos lies in inhaling loose fibres of some forms of of asbestos when they have been disturbed.