Management of Asbestos in Schools
Among the many obligations facing duty holders in the education sector, one of the most overlooked is asbestos management in schools. Any section of a building erected before 2000 is at risk of containing asbestos, and failure to comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations (2012) represents a criminal offence under UK law.
That’s why schools and colleges in St Helens, Warrington, Liverpool, Manchester and the surrounding areas are turning to DACT Contractors, the North West’s premier specialist in all aspects of asbestos management, from site asbestos testing to guidance-compliant removal and disposal.
Asbestos management in schools is a requirement
In its updated requirements for managing asbestos in schools and colleges across England and Wales, the Health and Safety Executive put forward five steps for day-to-day mitigation of the potential harms that could be caused if the substance is left undiscovered or untreated.
This involves a comprehensive process of surveys, risk assessments and reports, all of which can be provided by our experienced team at DACT Contractors. Following an on-site risk assessment by one of our qualified surveyors, the team will then perform a full test of your school premises, identifying any traces of asbestos or airborne fibres that may be found in nooks and crannies where the untrained eye wouldn’t know to look.
Asbestos in schools puts your child at risk
While these regulations are, of course, applicable to all public buildings, there is particular sensitivity around the presence of asbestos in schools. To hear that their children are at risk of exposure to such a well-known hazardous material can be a source of tremendous anxiety for parents.
In an age where information flows faster and further than ever before, asbestos management in schools has never been more important for dutyholders whose reputations depend on their ability to provide a safe environment for all students, teachers and visitors in what are not only one of the busiest, most congested workplaces around, but also the most heavily scrutinised.
Is your school compliant with government guidelines?
According to HSE guidance, the most common locations for asbestos in schools are systems buildings and columns, i.e. structures built using prefabricated timber or lightweight steel structures, or those with a flat roof.
There are many steps to ensuring compliance with government guidelines on asbestos management in schools and colleges, and so considering the range of severe penalties to be faced by those occupying positions of authority within education settings that meet the above criteria – this is especially true of areas where construction took place between the 1940s and 1980s – it makes sense to leave the responsibility of identifying and treating dangerous materials to the experts.
Do you need DACT Contractors?
For a free, no-obligation consultation with a member of our dedicated team, contact DACT Contractors directly today.
We will be happy to talk you through the processes that have made us the go-to firm for safe asbestos removal in Liverpool, Manchester, St Helens, Warrington and beyond. Call us on 01744 353 640 or drop us an email at sales@dactcontractors.com and take the first steps towards ensuring that your institution is fully compliant with the HSE’s updated checklist for asbestos management in schools and colleges.
