Asbestos tests on dozens of schools have revealed “unacceptable” safety standards that could be putting thousands of children and teachers at risk.

An inspection report obtained by The Independent on Sunday shows a grim picture of the lack of controls on the potentially deadly substance lurking in the fabric of thousands of schools. Analysts who conducted the nationwide survey found that too few head teachers manage asbestos properly; many rely on containment plans more than a decade old and some have never drawn up plans at all.

The audit, by the Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association, also found that some schools had asbestos particles in the air; some allowed workmen to disturb the material and others simply didn’t know the rules for managing the threat from building projects.

The IoS revealed last November that campaigners had arranged inspections of 100 English schools to demonstrate the threat from asbestos which they blame for a series of illnesses – including the cancer mesothelioma – which claim the lives of at least 16 teachers a year. MPs, union leaders, and families persuaded the association to carry out the tests for free, after the Government refused funding.

A preliminary report said that most schools are failing to comply with their legal “duty to manage” the asbestos, that the responsibility for ensuring safety was dogged by confusion, and that staff training was “either poor or non-existent”. The report concluded: “It is not therefore surprising that the standards of asbestos management were unacceptable in the majority of schools. This should have been identified and corrected.”

The majority of schools are thought to contain asbestos, which was used as insulation or fire protection from the 1940s until the 1980s. Local councils must keep records of how many schools contain asbestos, but they do not have to know what state it is in. They have largely opted to leave it in place, rather than risk further contamination by removing it. However, campaigners have warned that it poses a greater risk over time as it is disturbed by wear and tear and renovations, and releases fibres which could be lethal if inhaled.

The Lib Dem MP, Paul Rowen, who has led parliamentary demands for action against asbestos, said: “Only the Government can resolve this. We need it to show the political will and the funding to ensure this problem is tackled once and for all.”

The Health and Safety Executive insists there is no evidence that teachers are at increased risk

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/inspectors-say-schools-fail-to-protect-pupils-and-staff-from-asbestos-1891760.html

ASBESTOS caused the death of an elderly man, an inquest heard.

It is thought he breathed in the fibres when he was a machine worker in London in the 1950s. His brother-in-law who worked in the same factory also died of cancer caused by asbestos.

John Blake, who lived in Westerleigh Nursing Home, Corsica Road, Seaford, died in June 2009 due to mesothelioma, an aggressive type of cancer which has no cure. He was 86.

A post-mortem examination found asbestos fibres in his lungs. Asbestos can remain in the lungs for years, only causing cancer years later.

Mr Blake and his brother-in-law both worked for a London firm which made tanks and pressure vessels. It is believed asbestos was used in their construction. 

Mr Blake worked for the company for 10 to 12 years, leaving the firm, which was then based in Greenhithe, Kent in 1958 - before the dangers of asbestos were fully understood.

Mr Blake’s son Peter, who lives in Newhaven, told the inquest, held at Eastbourne Coroners’ Court on Thursday (January 7), “His brother-in-law worked there for longer but it was the same period of time.”  The coroner, Alan Craze, recorded a verdict of death caused by industrial disease. After leaving the firm, Mr Blake worked at Ford Motors. He was a widower with two childrenhttp://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/seaford/Man-killed-by-asbestos.5978640.jp

A woman who battled for two years for a payout after contracting an asbestos-related disease has died a day after a judge said she should be paid £240,000.

Dianne Willmore, 49, from north Wales, passed away on Thursday from malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused mainly by breathing in asbestos.

She inhaled the dangerous substance as a pupil at Huyton’s Bowring School in Merseyside in the 1970s.

Knowsley Council, which is responsible, said its thoughts were with the family.

In a landmark ruling, the High Court decided that Mrs Willmore was entitled to the cash because the council “knew or ought to have known that any more than minimal exposure to asbestos dust was foreseeably hazardous.”

‘Very courageous’

It is the first time a case relating to exposure in a school has been found in favour of a pupil.

Mrs Willmore, who was from Huyton and went to school there, later moved to Wrexham in north Wales.

The mother-of-two managed to attend much of the hearing in the High Court despite the severity of her condition.

Her solicitor, Ruth Davies, said: “She was a very courageous, bubbly woman who had to face a lot to find justice.

“I managed to contact her last night to tell her the good news, she was delighted. Obviously she was having problems speaking because breathing had become so hard for her.”

 She was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in 2007 and in July 2009 Liverpool High Court found Knowsley Council liable for damages for negligently exposing her to asbestos fibres while she was a pupil.

The local authority then appealed against this decision and it went to the Court of Appeal. The hearing was heard on Wednesday, where the judge said the council did not have a case to pursue.

She had told the court that she was exposed to asbestos fibres through the ceiling tiles in the school toilets.

They were disturbed by children who used to hide items up there, causing the leak.

Paul Rowan, MP for Rochdale who has campaigned on behalf of Mrs Willmore, welcomed the ruling, saying it was a case that could “affect many more people suffering from the disease”.

He said: “She was a brave, brave lady. In doing what she has done she has helped every member of staff and pupil who has been, or will be, exposed to asbestos in a school.”

A spokesman for Knowsley Council said: “We have always been extremely sympathetic towards Mrs Willmore’s condition and our thoughts are with her family at this time.

“Given the tragic circumstances, the council does not feel it is appropriate to comment any further at this stage.”

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8309809.stm

Proposed prison site in Caernarfon

DEVELOPERS insist asbestos contamination should not have halted the building of a prison in Caernarfon as they vow to develop a “jewel in the crown” housing and leisure project on the site.

The Ministry of Justice withdrew its interest in the former Ferodo site last month following a £200,000 due diligence exercise – stating the site was “unsuitable”.

Last week site owner Bluefield Caernarfon Ltd slammed the ministry over the decision and took the Daily Post on a tour of the site they now want to transform into local and holiday housing on the Menai Strait.

They said asbestos waste on the site is buried in capped clay pits away from the main site and that there was an offer on the table to clear the waste and accept liability if there were backdated compensation claims.

Gary Goodman, the company’s land and planning director, said: “The contamination was a smokescreen and we believe this was a political decision. We met every one of their concerns but they withdrew before ever trying to negotiate. We understand that price and liability for the asbestos were among their reasons for withdrawal but we never even got the chance to negotiate on this.

“The contaminated site is away from where the prison would have been sited and would have only been used as a land break between the prison and other housing.

“We believe that the enthusiasm for a prison in North Wales was lost once the Prisons minister David Hanson was replaced.”

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice said: “It was made clear in February that acquisition of the site would be subject to: Satisfactory negotiations with the owner, confirmation that contamination would not inhibit prison development, and a successful planning application.

“We were aware of potential contamination issues when we announced our interest in the site. “However we made it clear at the time we would follow our usual governance procedures to ensure the site is suitable for prison development.”

Mr Goodman says the prison plan has set their hopes to develop the site back nine months.

He said: “Things were going well when the Ministry came in and then it all went on hold. We feel we have wasted this time now when we could have been pushing on.“

“When they came in for the site we did not want to oppose it and stop the creation of 700 jobs but they have wasted our time.”

The company has already made its application for the housing and leisure scheme that will include 300 new homes.

He said: “The one good thing is that the phone has been red hot from people interested in working with us on our development here. This can be a jewel in the crown of the area. We will continue to remediate the site for development and everything we do is monitored by the Environment Agency.”

 http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2009/10/05/asbestos-was-no-reason-to-axe-caernarfon-prison-plan-55578-24852045/

ASA rules against a government agency, the Health and Safety Executive, after complaint about asbestos warning ads

A dispute over the number of people expected to die from exposure to asbestos fibres has led the Advertising Standards Authority to uphold a complaint against the Health and Safety Executive.

The highly unusual criticism of the government agency focused on a series of radio advertisements – “Asbestos: The Hidden Killer” – about the dangers for building workers and contractors.

The awareness campaign claimed that “Every year there are more people killed by asbestos than in road accidents.” It based its assertion partially on the number of death certificates that quoted mesothelioma (a form of cancer where the main cause is recognised as being inhalation of asbestos fibres) and partially on estimates of asbestos-related lung cancer.

Figures for fatalities, particularly among joiners, electricians and plumbers, have been rising recently. The HSE estimated that around 4,000 people in total died each year between 2004 and 2006.

But a complainant claimed the HSE ads exaggerated the danger to modern-day workers since most of the deaths had been due to exposure a long time ago from more dangerous types of asbestos that have since been banned.

The ASA concluded that “the ads could mislead by presenting as definitive figures which were, in part, based on estimates” and were therefore misleading. The agency was ordered not to broadcast the adverts again.

Responding to the ruling, Steve Coldrick, the HSE asbestos programme director, said: “We are obviously very disappointed with the decision by the ASA to uphold this sole complaint made against our award-winning campaign, but we do consider it to be only on a technicality.

“This campaign is clearly in the public interest and we are now looking to seek an independent review of the adjudication.

“HSE has made no deliberate attempt to mislead the public. Our advertising is based on the same robust statistical evidence and scientific understanding that underpins government policy on asbestos. Whatever the slight differences on interpretation of the figures, there are facts about risk from asbestos that workers should not be denied.

“Asbestos is Britain’s biggest work-related killer and significant exposure to asbestos fibres leads to illnesses that currently kill an estimated 4000 people every year – more than die in road accidents.

“Asbestos can be present in buildings built or refurbished up to the year 2000. There is no dispute that asbestos is dangerous to those workers, who are repeatedly exposed to airborne asbestos fibres from deliberate or accidental disturbance without taking proper precautions.”

The TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, also expressed dismay at the ruling. “The Hidden Killer campaign is one of the most successful information campaigns the HSE has ever run. It was developed with the input of a group of workers with direct knowledge of the hazardous nature of asbestos and the adverts have the full support of unions.

“The TUC is surprised by the ASA judgment as the HSE fatalities figures have always been regarded as overly cautious and if all premature deaths caused by asbestos are included the figure would almost certainly be much higher. We hope that the HSE will continue to run hard-hitting campaigns like this.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/sep/22/asbestos-ad-banned

Asbestos has been found at a County Durham quarry during an investigation into illegal waste dumping.

The discovery was made at Hangingstone Quarry, near Burnhope, after dawn raids by 150 police officers and 50 experts from the Environment Agency.

Twelve sites, including a scrap yard, farm and a planned caravan park, were searched.

Police said eight men were arrested on suspicion of environmental, arson and car scrapping offences.

The raids were part of a long-running inquiry and involved the use of specialist sniffer dogs.

Those arrested are aged between 30 and 45, said police. Six vehicles, including a low-loader and a 4×4 were also seized.

‘Major operation’

Test holes were drilled at the quarry site before mechanical diggers unearthed the asbestos, which was identified by Environment Agency experts.

An agency spokeswoman said: “Samples are being kept for evidence purposes and the remainder will be removed by a team of specialist contractors.

“This is a major operation and shows the extent to which organised criminal groups are involved in the illegal dumping of waste.”

Durham’s Deputy Chief Constable Mike Barton said: “This is the start of a concerted and relentless campaign to rid County Durham of an organised crime group whose seemingly respectable business front is a sham and operates outside the law.

“The people who control and run it reap the benefits of a lifestyle to which they are not entitled.”

Searches at the other sites at Burnhope and Chester-le-Street are continuing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/8272261.stm 

Thursday, 24 September 2009 12:07 UK

Its still not too late to register for your pair of open dated Alton Towers tickets.  Just send an email to newsletter@northerninsulation.com putting ‘Alton Towers’ in the subject column.  The draw will take place on 25.09.09 at 12 noon, all registrations must be received by 11.30am.

The world famous La Scala opera house in Milan has had to close a section of seating after deadly asbestos was found in the ceiling.

The opera house has blocked off a seating area in an upper gallery so that the asbestos can be safely removed.The work, expected to be finished by October, will be carried out during the night, so that rehearsals and performances can go ahead as scheduled. It comes as the opera house prepares to reopen after a summer break with the ballet “A Midsummer’s Night Dream,” with the first performance on Saturday.A spokesman said the asbestos was found in a “very limited” section of a lighting area near a ceiling cornice back in December, when it was immediately sealed.Health officials were monitoring the situation and had found no evidence that the asbestos fibres had spread, said Carlo Maria Cella.Around 270 seats in the opera theatre’s top loggia will be sealed off. Ticketholders will be offered “upgrades” to better seats or their money back.Commissioned by Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, La Scala opened in 1778 and has become one of the world’s best known opera houses.Many of the best known names in Italian opera have had their works performed there, including Bellini, Rossini and Verdi.La Scala’s official season begins on Dec 7 with a lavish gala night.  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/6123434/Asbestos-closes-La-Scala-opera-house.html By Nick Squires in Rome
Published: 7:00AM BST 02 Sep 2009

UNION chiefs are calling for more to be done to safeguard teachers and pupils from asbestos in schools.

 Eighty-eight per cent of the borough’s 69 schools have been found to have traces of the building material.The figures, gathered under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, show asbestos was found in 92 per cent of South Tyneside’s primary schools, 89 per cent of secondary schools, 80 per cent of special schools, and half of nursery schools.

 http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Asbestos-found-in-most-of.5640737.jp    

A fifty eight year old woman from Birmingham in the UK is thought to have contracted the asbestos related cancer, mesothelioma, as a result of hugging her father as a child and being exposed to asbestos fibers and dust from his work clothing and skin.The woman, Judith Tomlinson, is thought to have suffered secondary exposure to the deadly substance as a result of hugging her father when he came home from work. He worked with asbestos at the former Mason McCabe plant in the area.Judith stated in a recent interview: “My father would turn in his grave if he knew he may be responsible for giving me this cancer. I look at the happy picture of him giving me away at my wedding and think it’s terrible that he may be to blame for this cancer, but it’s his company’s fault, not his.”She added: “Dad was always dusty from work and would come in and sit, and have a rest and a cup of tea before having a bath. I was daddy’s girl as I was just like him, so when he got in from work, I wanted to be around him. I helped my mother with the chores, which included putting my dad’s work clothes in our old-fashioned twin tub washing machine. They were so filthy that they had to go through a wash on their own.”http://www.bloggernews.net/12200       Posted on August 27th, 2009