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Stephen Duller
Member - 3 posts
I am an Asbestos removal contractor and I have been in this industry for over 27 years. Believe me the Education System thinks they only need to apply the Safety Laws & Regulations when they can afford it. Teachers, especially Heads, who are not used to being told what to do often ignore the advice I have given to them. The level of teachers lack of knowledge and I have to say sometimes common sence is staggering. I've often been told, particulary by Heads of Primary Schools that " I am not sending the kids home or out of that room, on your say so, we have been working here years and were alright" Unbelivable but sadly true, I had this occur again as recent as December 2007. I think every head of schools should be made to go on an Asbestos awareness training course so they can they can plead no ignorence in fulfiling their obligations of ensureing the safety of the staff and the childrens safety which must be paramount with no excuses or exceptions.
Stephen Duller.
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Craig Stuart
Member - 59 posts
I fully agree. The people with responsibilities are playing russian roulette with the lives of not only staff but pupils. I'm not a prarent myself but I could well imagine the horror felt by those reading your comments. The GMB union that I work for, has been rigorously recruiting in schools and we have had many enquries on this subject and of legionella. Heads of schools need to know that they are the culpable person in all this and demand the awareness training if none is forthcoming. Treating asbestos seriously is not a game; certainly not one that children should be a part of.
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sheena farenden
Member - 52 posts
This is not only schools but all Public Sector in fact the Civil Service are worse because they have Crown Immunity and therefore only ever get a slap on the wrist.
Also lets be hoinest HSE and Local Health & S Inspectors are paid by the Government and therefore are targeted away from Public Service.
In all my time I have only ever known HSE become involved if a union rep or member of staff have pushed a situation big time or something so serious has happened and the press have got hold of it so they cannot cover it up. This is not only Asbestos but all problems.
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Linda Westrupp
Member - 4 posts
I can assure you that HSE are definitely not targeted away from public services. In fact they seem to target Public Sector as they tend to be a sitting duck - just check their enforcement pages.
Getting back to the schools/asbestos issue, most Local Authorities do provide asbestos awareness and management courses, unfortuantely since the government gave schools so much independance Head Teachers do not have to attend or, in many cases, even listen to their Department. If there was a problem, even though the local authority Director has no powers to force schools to follow H&S procedures, it is them who would be named in action not necessarily the Head Teacher. Hopefully with the next Government led change (which will make them more fuly independant) a few Head Teachers will be prosecuted and the whole profession will wake up to their responsibilities as well as their targets.
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Kevin Brown
Member - 73 posts
Sheena, I work in Facilities in a very large Civil Service Department. If you were to go into any one of the hundreds of buildings we occupy I guarantee that you would find a detailed Health & Safety file containing, amongst other things, a thorough Asbestos Survey report. As well as fulfilling my employer's Duty of Care by conducting a rigorous risk assessment programme, I'm also a Trade Union Health and Safety rep, so I wear both hats on occasion. I think I do a pretty good job, but just to make sure the Department carries out regular audits of my records.
Linda's comment about the autonomy many Headteachers exercise is a valid one. I'm a governor of a Secondary School and the Head, quite rightly, puts most of her effort into her core business i.e. education. She's not a Facilities professional, nor is she IOSH or NEBOSH qualified but she knows enough to consult the likes of me if she has any major concerns.
Central to the issue of ignorance or wilful disregard of the rules and safeguards is the accountability of the Headteacher and the Board of Governors. To me, there is a striking parallel between the position taken by a subborn Headteacher to that which (my private sector colleagues tell me) prevails in many a boardroom throughout these sceptred isles.
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