Education union leaders have welcomed a recent shift in policy on the removal of asbestos from public buildings, including schools.

Speaking to a recent meeting of the Work and Pensions Committee, Sarah Albon, chief executive of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), answered a question on the response to date to the findings and recommendations of the committee’s 2022 report into HSE’s approach to asbestos management.

The probe, led by Sir Stephen Timms, called for more research to better understand the current exposure of asbestos levels; the introduction of a 40-year deadline for removing asbestos from non-domestic buildings; and the creation of a register of asbestos in public buildings.

Albon said: “I think we found the investigation into asbestos, and the challenge back to us, very helpful. It made us requestion what we are doing: are we doing enough?

I think there is an absolute agreement that ultimately we need to work towards a place where asbestos is fully removed from the UK environment

“We have significantly increased our overall activity, both in information campaigns and trying to make sure that the new generation of workers coming through—who will not have necessarily grown up thinking about asbestos in the way that perhaps previous generations did—are aware of the risks and the importance of them protecting themselves if they are working in buildings that might have asbestos.”

She added: “Although we have not had any direct conversations about the specific timeframe in which we should be looking to see asbestos removed entirely from the built environment, I think there is an absolute agreement between us and Sir Stephen Timms, as our responsible minister, that ultimately we need to work towards a place where asbestos is fully removed from the UK environment.”

Welcoming her stance, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “For decades there has been no acknowledgement by either HSE or Government that removal of asbestos should be the goal.

“The ambition to remove it entirely from all public buildings is very welcome.

“[But} this is only a start, and there is a long way to go.

“We need to see a timeframe and much-firmer commitments.”

It is estimated that 15% of UK schools have asbestos, mainly ‘blue’ and ‘white’ types, which were used for insulation and fire protection.

And HSE inspections have revealed that most of this material is damaged, releasing harmful fibres into the air and increasing health risks like lung disease and cancer.

Inspections have also reported that schools often lack effective asbestos removal plans and there is insufficient capital funding available for renovations.

In addition, deaths of school staff have been increasing steeply since records began in 1980.

The NEU will continue to make the case for a phased removal of asbestos from all our education buildings to begin as soon as possible

Between 1980-2020, 418 teachers aged under 75 died in Great Britain from mesothelioma.

“Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer caused by exposure to asbestos and it is totally unacceptable that education staff and children should be put at risk of developing this terrible disease because of the condition of the buildings in which they work and learn,” Kebede added.

“Most schools still contain asbestos and every day that passes means that children and staff remain at risk of developing asbestos-related disease.

“The 2022 report that was published by the Work and Pensions Committee, while he was chair, examining the HSE’s approach to asbestos management, has laid the groundwork for this apparent shift.

“The NEU will continue to make the case for a phased removal of asbestos from all our education buildings to begin as soon as possible.”