Fears Manchester teachers and nurses being exposed to asbestos
Almost two in three government employees including teachers and nurses were not informed about the presence of the material in their workplaces
It's feared teachers and nurses may develop potentially life threatening illnesses unless more is done to remove asbestos from schools and hospitals.
It comes as a new study has revealed 63% government employees including teachers, nurses and office workers, were not informed about the presence of asbestos in their workplaces
The research also found that almost half (46%) now feeling concerned about past exposure..
The study was carried out by Jordan Bell who is a specialist in Industrial Disease in Manchester.
He tells us that despite being banned the material is still widespread: "That Department for Education study found that 81% of schools in England still do contain asbestos, and estimates in relation to hospitals put the estimate for those buildings at 90%.
"So this is something that's not a problem of the past.
"I think primarily the reason it's still in these buildings is the issue of cost of removing the asbestos.
"And so instead of the removal of asbestos, which is the only surefire way to remove the risk of exposure, we have programmes of management."
He added that he feels more should be done to speed up the removal of asbestos: "They deserve better, but anyone going to work, earning a living to provide for family deserves better.
"Everyone deserves to have their health and safety not just taken seriously, but looked after completely by their employers.
"That's all that we're asking for. No more, no less."
The NHS highlights how shortness of breath, persistent cough, extreme tiredness (fatigue) are all symptoms of asbestos exposure that could indicate serious health problems.
However, almost 1 in 5 (19%) of people who have worked in a government building would wait more than a month and possibly up to 2 months after experiencing symptoms before seeking medical help and a fifth (20%) believe that it takes 10 years for symptoms to arise from asbestos exposure.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Raising school standards is at the heart of this government’s mission to improve children’s life chances, and ensuring schools have high-quality and sustainable buildings is a key part of that.
“That is why we are increasing investment next year to £2.1bn to improve the condition of school buildings, and provide tools and support to ensure schools have robust plans in place to manage asbestos.”