School Closed over Asbestos

[Chippiewill]

The 900-pupil secondary school was closed after workmen spotted the potentially hazardous material.

The school will partially reopen on Friday - a week after its sudden closure - with year 12 and 13 pupils told they should report to the school's performing arts centre at 08:30 BST.

Year 11 pupils will join them back in the school's new block on Monday.

A meeting will be held the following day to discuss options for the remainder of the pupils.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-19978369

Massive shame to hear that once again Asbestos has reared it's ugly head, the danger to pupil's health is very serious and now because of that their education prospects are being harmed also. Bit silly that the whole school got closed over a little bit of asbestos though.

[Inseriousity.]

I remember reading a story recently that teachers taught over twitter after their school got shut to asbestos so perhaps if it's the same school (i imagine it would be!) some learning was still able to take place. would be quite interesting to see how a twitter lesson would work lol. "when I call out your name, retweet this so I know you're here"

[Chippiewill]

Seems like a really ineffective place to do. Surprised it's allowed as well since Teacher's aren't really allowed to use social tools like twitter with their pupils.

[Inseriousity.]

There has been an increase of e-learning initatives introduced in schools. I think there's a 'if you can't beat them, join them' idea behind it. I think it'd be very possible to remain a professional teacher online although admittedly most of these e-learning ideas are based around things like second life where you can build environments to explore and learn about so using twitter seems new!

[Chippiewill]

Agreed, but when a teacher gets caught on twitter in an courting a student you can tell there's going to be some backlash.

[David]

sue for asbestos exposure

[GommeInc]

It's quite shocking how many materials contain asbestos. One type of wall texturing (name escapes me) contains traces of it, and was used frequently up until the 1970s. It's not as dangerous as the asbestos found in the school, because it was used as a binding compound, but there is still a hazard if the walls are damaged and crumble.

[xxMATTGxx]

Better to be safe than sorry really. Asbestos is nasty and would be found in many places like this due to when they were built.

[AlexJRiley]

Bit silly that the whole school got closed over a little bit of asbestos though.

not in the slightest, if its present in one part of the school its likely to be all over, it was used MASSIVELY. Quite frankly if I had a child at a school where asbestos was found i'd want the school closed due to the fact if they inhale it there is a large likelihood that they'll get asbestosis which will cause respiratory problems and possibly lead to cancer. It's good that they shut the school because they'll get rid of all of the asbestos. 2 months of a school being shut over pupils lives, lets be honest anybody would choose shutting the school.

---------- Post added 20-10-2012 at 10:59 AM ----------


It's quite shocking how many materials contain asbestos. One type of wall texturing (name escapes me) contains traces of it, and was used frequently up until the 1970s. It's not as dangerous as the asbestos found in the school, because it was used as a binding compound, but there is still a hazard if the walls are damaged and crumble.

Its called Artex :P And they still used it in the 80's if a building was built in the 80's or before that any builder will get an asbestos trained worker in to inspect the building before they even begin to think about working on it.

[GommeInc]

Its called Artex :P And they still used it in the 80's if a building was built in the 80's or before that any builder will get an asbestos trained worker in to inspect the building before they even begin to think about working on it.
That's the one :P In my mind I was thinking "If I owned an evil organisation I would call it..." over and over again but couldn't remember it :P There are a few walls with it in this house and a builder just told us to either plaster over it or paint over it with thick enough paint, because if it were to be removed it would cost a lot and we wouldn't have a home for a few weeks. It's funny how they continued to use it despite the evidence mounted against it, for the sake of continuity.

[Zak]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-19978369

Massive shame to hear that once again Asbestos has reared it's ugly head, the danger to pupil's health is very serious and now because of that their education prospects are being harmed also. Bit silly that the whole school got closed over a little bit of asbestos though.

We had panels at my old secondary school for years that said "contains asbestos". I only knew because I found the label behind rotting behind a bush. Seems they didn't know for years as they have only just recently been changed :P

[AlexJRiley]

That's the one :P In my mind I was thinking "If I owned an evil organisation I would call it..." over and over again but couldn't remember it :P There are a few walls with it in this house and a builder just told us to either plaster over it or paint over it with thick enough paint, because if it were to be removed it would cost a lot and we wouldn't have a home for a few weeks. It's funny how they continued to use it despite the evidence mounted against it, for the sake of continuity.

Thats bad advice either way from the builder, to plaster over it you'd have to knock off the high points which would get it airborne and painting over it would just hide it away for someone else to disturb. It is costly to get removed but well worth having done.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I know Christopher Booker has done a lot of work into this topic and it is indeed another one of those 'scare stories' whereby a lot of people make a lot of money out of the over the top government laws put in place for this. If I remember correctly, Booker pointed out that white asbestos (the most commonly used) isn't much of a threat (provided it is not smashed up) whereas the blue asbestos is a genuine threat.

I need to buy that book actually, 'Scared to Death' by Christopher Booker.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/8378450/The-Supreme-Court-has-given-the-asbestos-scam-a-great-big-hand.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1253022/The-Great-Asbestos-Hysteria-How-man-claims-BBC-profiteering-firms-politicians-grossly-exaggerated-dangers.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/9399656/Farmers-to-fight-a-6bn-asbestos-scam.html
http://www.asbestoswatchdog.co.uk/home