Health and Safety Executive
Health and Safety Executive
Asbestos in Schools
Andrew Kingscott
Public Administration,
Education & Volunteers
Sector - (PAEV)
Engagement and Policy Directorate
(EPD)
Background
Mesothelioma deaths among
school staff 1980 – 2016
Background
• 2007/08: system-built
• 2010/11: outside LA control
• 2013/14: outside LA control
• 2018/19: range of school
governance models
• 2019/20: targeted
• 2020/21: LA employers
(S35)?
High profile
• 700 English schools
reported over asbestos
safety concerns (jul19)
• 24 Apr 2018:
Whitehaven Academy
closed after asbestos
discovery
• April 2018: School
accused of asbestos
'cover up' as parents fear
for children's health
• 5 June 2018: Asbestos-
stricken Northfield
School in Oxford could
close
Asbestos in buildings
• Raise profile
• Robust assessment and validation
• Building on other work
• Inform future interventions
• Wider scrutiny
Briefing: School specific issues
• Fragmented education provision
• Clarity of roles / duty holder
• Construction / control
Findings
• Awareness
• AMAP
• Showstoppers?
• Diminishing profile of ACMs
• Refurbishment / upgrades
• Good practice
• Diminishing profile of ACMs
Findings - survey
Survey – need to review /
understand
• Qualification?
• Aim & Scope?
• Structure implications (CLASP)?
• Limitations understood?
• the location, quantity, type and condition of the
ACMs – what it looks like?
• Inaccessible, hidden, assumed, foreseeable and
cannot be ruled out (trigger for additional
surveys)
• “Active” Update / current / relevant
Findings - Assessment
• Material assessment x priority
assessment
• Valid / accurate?
• Updated?
• “Active” review
Register
• Key document?
• Purpose?
• Summary – working
document
• Positive location ACMS
• Areas where asbestos
assumed, or could not be
ruled out?
• Does it reflect the limitations
of the survey?
• “Active” – updated
Asbestos Management Plan - AMP
• Accurately reflect governance
arrangements
• Role & responsibilities (named)
• Focus on managing the risk
• Training (business continuity)
• Managing contractors
• “Active” monitoring effectiveness
Findings: Duty Holder
• Who is the duty holder and what is the
extent of their duty?
• Training (business continuity)
• Emergency arrangements
Findings – condition monitoring
• “Active” Condition Monitoring
• Risk led / frequency
• Recorded / Audited
• Judgement / re-evaluation
Findings: Management of
contractors
• “Active” control
• Pre-start information / checks
• Permit to work?
• Segregated
• Monitored?
• Safe to reoccupy?
Asbestos in schools
• Survey
• Assessment
• Register
• AMP
• Condition monitoring
• Managing contractors
• Review / Auditing / monitoring
effectiveness of controls
Priority Health Topics / issues
• LODs - asbestos
• WRS
• MSDs – early years / agile working
• Transport
• E-bulletin
Questions
