More than 75% of school buildings in Britain contain asbestos. Much of the asbestos is badly maintained, leaving children and staff in some schools exposed to the killer fibre.
Have you been told if there is asbestos in your school? Has your school told you what steps it is taking to keep you and the children safe?
UNISON is campaigning to ensure pupils and staff are kept safe and we need to know out what is happening in your school. Please take two minutes to fill in our anonymous survey so UNISON can establish a clear picture of how asbestos is being managed across the UK.
More than 140 school teachers have died from mesothelioma, a deadly lung disease caused by asbestos, in the last 10 years. An unknown number of cleaners, admin staff and caretakers have also died.
The number of children who have died as a result of exposure to asbestos while at school is unknown, but in the United States it has been estimated that for every teacher’s death nine children will die. That translates to more than 100 people dying every year in the UK as a result of exposure when they were at school.
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, schools must maintain and regularly update an asbestos register with the location and condition of materials containing asbestos in the school. So help UNISON keep you safe and tell us what’s happening in your school.
