Pupils ‘hosed down’ amid asbestos fears

March 23rd 2017

A former headteacher has told MPs how his pupils had to be “fumigated” and “hosed down” by the emergency services amid fears they had been exposed to lethal asbestos fibres.

Phil Keay, former head of Hetton School in Sunderland, said his students were forced to go through a “fumigation van” to be “de-dusted” after asbestos came loose in the school due to high winds.

Mr Keay gave the startling account when giving evidence to the Public Accounts Committee on the issue of deteriorating school buildings. It comes just weeks after a Government report found that asbestos in schools was still a “serious” problem, and a potential threat to children’s health.

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Eton Environmental Group has carried out 150 asbestos surveys at schools on behalf of the Education Funding Agency (EFA).

The EFA say 85 per cent of schools have asbestos of some sort. This is backed by a Government report which has found that a fifth of schools were “not fully compliant” with proper asbestos procedures, with around a million children at risk of exposure.

The report also found that 100 schools were considered to be a “significant cause for concern”.

If you are concerned your school may have asbestos please contact us to arrange a free, no-obligation quote.