Department for Education written question – answered at on 21 October 2019.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if will he take steps to ensure that all (a) school staff and (b) parents are informed about the (i) location and (ii) management plan for asbestos in school buildings.
The Department takes the health and safety of staff and pupils very seriously.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the regulator on managing asbestos and provides expert technical advice to the department on how the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR) and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) should apply to schools.
The Department has published guidance for schools and responsible bodies to help them understand their obligations and duties in relation to asbestos management in schools.
Employers are responsible under the HSWA to protect their employees at work. In schools and colleges, the HSWA also requires that pupils and visitors are protected from harm to their health and safety from known or foreseeable risks. HSWA also requires employers to consult with employees, including the trade union health and safety representative, on all matters that affect their health and safety, including asbestos management and the risks they may be exposed to.
The CAR also requires that there is an asbestos management plan for the school.
The Department is currently working with stakeholders – including the HSE and Joint Union Asbestos Committee – to update the current guidance for schools on effective management of asbestos, including how plans should be communicated. We plan to publish this guidance early next year.
Yes2 people think so
No0 people think not
Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.