Monday's Investigation: Killer in the classroom
On Monday's Morning Extra Ken MacDonald investigates the legacy of asbestos in our schools — and I'll be taking your calls on the subject.
The reality is that many parents are sending their children to school every day, unaware of the potential danger that lurks in school buildings. A legacy of the post-war 'build 'em quick' era, asbestos is found in two-thirds of schools across the UK and it's condition is rapidly deteriorating.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) still deny that the risk is high. However, the most recent HSE statistics show that between 1980 and 2000 asbestos caused 182 deaths of workers in education, including 114 teachers. And if asbestos fibres have caused that many deaths in adults, how many of the UK's 9 million school children have been, and will be affected in the decades to come?
Is this something which has concerned you? Teacher, parent or former pupil, do send me your thoughts over the weekend by clicking here. Or, better still, call me from 8 on Monday morning: 0500 92 95 00.
Links:
- The Health and Safety Executive on
- Professor Julian Peto's
- British Lung Foundation action on
- ATL campaign on
- The website of
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