AIBU to keep my child off school whilst they remove asbestos?

[deendon]

So I'll keep it short school plans to spend 11 weeks during term time renovating and doing what sounds like major asbestos removal, then another 6 ish weeks later in the year (might turn into 11 they haven't decided how much to do) doing the same thing in other classrooms.

School is small primary, child will I think be in same building although some asbestos may be on outside.

we live round the corner and along a bit and as far as I am concerned I am concerned about even being at home whilst this is going on, never mind child at school.

So WWYD?

As others have said you are overreacting
I work in construction and have been involved in several projects where asbestos removal or encapsulation has been needed (believe me it's endemic in british building stock you will be near it pretty much wherever you go and probably never know) - the regulations with regards to handling and work with it are very comprehensive and involve oversight by the HSE & loads of risk assessments, with the added complication of working within a working school and the risks will have been examined in minute detail (don't envy that persons job)
There are also different types of asbestos some is more dangerous than others and requires different precautions, so in some situations you would close a building in others you can quite safely take precautions and work in a building.
My dad had a lot removed as part of some fairly comprehensive insurance repair job. I was quite happy that he stayed in the house while they did it.
It would be entirely reasonable to ask the school what the safety procedures will be, if you are still not sure ask to see the risk assessments & comment if you feel they aren't up to scratch. It is not reasonable to withhold you child's education for 11wks because you are scared of something you know very little about.

I would entirely hope that proper precautions are being taken, because the adults doing it matter just as much as the kids in the school.

countingkids123 - do you know which rooms the asbestos was in? The insurance company's definition of 'not suitable for habitation' will probably have included a house with no working kitchen/bathroom. So if the asbestos removal meant that one or both of those were unavailable then they would have offered alternative accommodation because of that, rather than because of the risk from the asbestos itself.

I didn't say otherwise special subject and I have a lot of sympathy for them, lets face it they are likely to be low paid etc etc

wonky I didn't say I was going to withhold education, I do know a bit about asbestos, I know the danger is when it is being worked on/broken up etc, I know the effects take decades to show.

I also know my job as a parent is to deal with the risks I know about and can deal with I can't control how much the drink driver drinks but I can make my kid wear a seatbelt IYSWIM

deedon you are not being unreasonable.

I would ask the school to see what the plan is, where the asbestos is etc etc.

www.hse.gov.uk/services/education/asbestos-faqs.htm

"HSE expects schools to manage the risks from asbestos containing materials (ACMs) on an on-going basis. Temporary closure of a building may be needed where building work has created unforeseen problems – or perhaps led to structural damage. What is important is that the focus is on preventing exposure in the first place. Anyone with responsibility for maintenance and repair in schools, or any other work premises, has a legal duty to manage the risks arising from asbestos. This means taking steps to identify whether asbestos is present in buildings, assessing its condition and managing the risks to ensure that people are not exposed to asbestos fibres. The school should have sensible plans that are kept up to date and acted upon."

Dumbo412 "I do want to warn you, you will be a bit of a nuisance." Oh those pesky parents concerned about their children!

Yes, they do monitoring in the area outside the removal area, which is a pump across a filter... filter is examined to see if particles are detected, but that is a reactive measure... people may have already been exposed.

And I know they are licensed contractors, and there is seals, negative pressure etc etc, but human error and accidents are possible, and I wasn't comfortable having my child in an adjacent room.

As an aside, surely it won't take the whole 11w to remove the asbestos? Our year long building program had 2 phases of asbestos removal, each 3-4 days, from memory.

thanks for the links guys
I am out for a bit now but will check back later

Jenny you're right I will check that with the school I just wanted to see what had happened if others had experienced this

I would also start by asking to see the risk assessment. One of our sites at work has just relocated everyone specifically to remove asbestos. I assumed this would be standard, however I know nothing about the removal or asbestos or the layout of our site offices.

I don't think your overreacting for wanting more information but I think you would be if all the proper measures have been taken and HSE have agreed it is safe for the children to be there.

Dh is trained in removing asbestoes you are over reacting the removers won't put anybody at risk.

Op it would be unauthorised absence and you would likely be fined or even lose your school place nit to mention the disruption to your child's education

Do you honestly think they 'll just be wafting around asbestos over the heads of little kids?

I wouldn't trust them not to unless I was shown a detailed plan on just how they planned to keep the children safe during this.
I have no trust that people in general are sensible and will do nothing that's completely bonkers. If I lived in the UK, I would have even less trust in that. Since you are Spartacus, I suppose you know why.

Would likely remove the child from school, too.
The fact they're doing it during term time would hint to the fact that the safety of the children is not prioritized.

I don't know how they would keep the workers safe other than with safety gear, which the children obviously won't wear.

I work in a hospital which has stayed open through asbestos removal. They have monitors on the ward which funnily enough doesn't reassure me. It's all sheeted off but there's been two incidents where stuff has come through the ceiling onto people and they've had to shower and hand over clothes and shoes for incineration. We all joke we're going to get great compensation in a few years.

Speak to the school you can't be the only person concerned about this. I'd be nervous about removing them. Can't the school arrange for teaching to take place somewhere else (community centres or something) for the time of the works?

About not removing them.

Yanbu and Im quite shocked that people have such faith that procdeures are always followed.

I worked in a legal department of a large local authority. We paid out on numerous claims for asbestos exposure. Including recent cock ups.

Wake up people.

I have worked in the Asbestos industry and there are extremely strict guidelines for how to proceed, which include constant fibre monitoring (and negative pressure tents, so if there is a hole air goes in not out).
Most Asbestos left in schools is in concrete or solid board, which will not release fibres unless broken. Lagging has long been removed.
If you have concerns go to the school and ask for some detailed information on what and how it is all going to be done.

In my experience the only lax aspect was that the ones who removed Asbestos tended to smoke - despite knowing how massively this increased their risk of lung cancer.

OP, I work in a place that deals with asbestos. The schools have to receive a complete safety outline of the work being done. Infact, schools and hospitals have the strictest rules.
I understand your concerned , but you don't need to be x

Re absence
I would expect them to consider it is an unauthorised abscence.
They can't accept thatbthe fact they are removing absestos is a reason good enough otherwise it would be accepting that they are doing something potentially dangerous for the children, dangerous enough that it would be OK for a parent not to take the child to school.
It's not going to happen.
So yes I would expect fines and visit from the LA etc etc about it.
Unless you decide to homeschool until the next no of the work but you might loose your DC place at that school.

And yes please listen to those posters who WORK in that industry. They will know what are the potential danger more than anyone else.

I sue to be involved but haven't been for a while so my knowledge is a bit outdated. I would though trust the company doing that work.

also please keep the risk in perspective. If you drive them to school then the chances of them being in a serious rta during the time period is much greater than the risk of an asbestos related disease even if they are exposed to the odd fibre or two.

If people/procedures weren't negligent/not adhered to then there wouldnt be a compensation claims industry.

I would keep my kids off personally. I just wouldn't have enough faith having seen numerous successful claims.

I've certainly not seen evidence of multiple successful asbestos injuries in recent years... health and safety has come a long way. Asbestos removal was Carried out in the hospital I work at with no need to close any areas. Asbestos was removed from our garage and we didn't vacate the house. Our local school had asbestos removal with no reason to close the school. The school where my husband works had asbestos removal, the floor work took place in school holiday time due to the practical aspects rather than a safety risk. Procedures for this type of work are incredibly tight if there is any risk or a change in circumstances then the work changes to comply. If you keep your child off school it will be logged as unauthorised absence. Yabu

Wow. Lots of pretty insulting comments about the people who carry out this work.

Sorry, not lots; some. I'm trying to follow the news bulletins and mumsnet at the same time and it's making me unreasonable!

It's just sad to see how little faith some people have in professionals with highly risky and responsible jobs.