Cases highlight college asbestos dangers

Cases highlight college asbestos dangers

An asbestos related death in a college cleaner, a secretary in a university science department who also succumbed to an asbestos cancer and the prosecution last week of a university for criminal breaches of asbestos law prove education staff need better protection from the deadly fibre, the union UCU has said. An inquest this month ruled that former Grimsby College cleaner Brenda Waddell, 61, died of an 'industrially-related disease' (Risks 532). In a second case, the family of Valerie White, an Aston University biological sciences department secretary from 1974 and 1984, is pursuing a compensation claim after she died from mesothelioma aged 52. Her lawyers believed she was exposed to the fibre on regular visits to laboratories in the department. And on 16 November, Lincoln University was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £12,759 costs after putting staff, students and contractors at risk of exposure to asbestos. The failings came to light on 24 February 2010 when a lecturer became trapped in a room after a door lock broke. She enlisted the help of a colleague to release her and once freed, they noticed debris around the door handle. They notified the university's health and safety department which examined the door and others in the area, and discovered most were lined with asbestos insulating board (AIB), and that some were damaged. UCU said it was essential that institutions meet their legal duties and carry out thorough risk assessments of buildings and classrooms. The union's general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Around 5,000 people a year die because of asbestos-related diseases. The health of staff and students must be a priority for institutions. Even low-level exposure to asbestos over a short period of time can lead to cases of cancer.' She added: 'Employers must take their legal duties more seriously and carry out the necessary safety checks. It is really important that institutions consult and work with trade unions to develop plans for safely managing asbestos levels.'

UCU news release. HSE news release. Sunday Mercury.