Concern grows about school asbestos risk

Concern grows about school asbestos risk

The deaths of more teachers from asbestos related cancers is leading to increased concern about exposures in schools. A Carlisle primary school is at the centre of the latest health scare after its former headteacher died from an asbestos-related cancer. Governors at St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic school have sought advice from Cumbria County Council on organising an asbestos survey after Ian White, 66, died from mesothelioma on Christmas Day. North-east Cumbria coroner David Osborne has alerted the Health and Safety Executive to Mr White's death, and the potential presence of asbestos in the school. A retired caretaker from the school, Paul Blackshaw, has confirmed that ceilings in the school were made from asbestos tiles. He recalled staff being advised to avoid using drawing pins in the ceiling for fear of releasing dust. Speaking at another asbestos inquest last week, coroner David Osborne said: 'At one time, we would get two or three a year, and perhaps not even that. But we seem to have been getting almost one every week at the moment and I gather that is a consequence of exposure which took place probably many years ago.' Michael Lees, whose wife Gina, an art teacher, died in 2000 from mesothelioma, is campaigning to highlight the school asbestos risks. Mr Lees, who lives near Hartland in North Devon, said that throughout her 30-year teaching career his wife would display pupils' artwork by hanging it from ceilings with asbestos tiles, which would have exposed her to the fibres. He said he did not want to spread panic among school staff, pupils and parents, but did want action taken to ensure the risk from asbestos fibres was halted. 'My aim is to stop teachers and everyone else being exposed to asbestos in schools,' he said. Local Tory MP Geoffrey Cox has raised the issue with education secretary Ruth Kelly. A Hazards magazine report last year on Britain's workplace cancer epidemic included a number of cases of teachers who had died from the asbestos cancer mesothelioma (Risks 234). Officials figures show more than 70 teachers died from the cancer between 1991 and 2000.

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