Personal Injury Wales
PARENTS at a Cynon Valley primary claim they have been left in the dark after contractors started removing asbestos from the school as children studied inside.
Angry mums and dads, who thought the removal work at Penywaun Primary School would only be undertaken once the school had broken up for the holidays, are demanding answers from the headteacher and the council as to why they were not told about the changes.
The harmful substance, which is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK, is thought to have been contained in the boiler room of the school, far away from the lesson areas.
But parents Kay and Robert Morgan have decided to take drastic action and remove their daughter, Caitlin, from the school before the end of term.
Mrs Morgan said: “I stood outside the school and watched parents walking past, completely oblivious to the work that’s going on. One parent got very upset when I told her they were removing asbestos.
“It is appalling that no letters were given out and no warning was issued to the parents to make an informed decision.
“They have chosen to keep this a secret so they wouldn’t have to explain what was going on.
“The way they have handled this is disgusting.”
The couple, who were keen to praise the teachers for their hard work and dedication towards their autistic daughter, decided to contact the press to alert parents.
Father Robert has previously worked in the construction industry and knows the long-term dangers of asbestos.
He spotted the equipment outside the school and immediately made inquiries.
He said: “I am really concerned for the children and I’m aware of what the implications are.
“There may come a time 20 years down the line when their health might deteriorate, and who will take the blame for it?
“I first spotted the decontamination unit two weeks ago, but most people wouldn’t know what it was.”
Asbestos fibres are present in the environment in Britain, so people are exposed to very low levels of fibres in every day life.
But working on or near damaged asbestos-containing materials or breathing in high levels of asbestos fibres, which may be many hundreds of times that of environmental levels, could increase people’s chances of getting an asbestos-related illness.
It can cause serious diseases and is responsible for around 4,000 deaths a year.
The Morgan family have spoken to the Local Education Authority about the incident and have queried why the removal work was moved forward.
Cynon Valley Labour Assembly Member Christine Chapman said: “I have been in touch with RCT Cabinet Office who tell me that all the necessary safety measures are in place and that temporary classrooms are being used.
“However, it is understandable if parents are concerned and it is vital that RCT Council keeps parents informed.”
Penywaun Primary School broke up on Tuesday, July 19 – two days earlier than scheduled.
A spokesperson for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council said: “Construction is well advanced on the new school facilities at Penywaun to establish a brand new state-of-the-art learning facility for pupils.
“As part of the project programme it was necessary to re-house pupils in temporary classrooms to enable the current infant building to be demolished during the summer holidays.
“Under stringent construction and legal procedure, a survey was carried out into the building which identified some asbestos that require removal prior to demolition.
“The council has followed the legislative requirements for asbestos removal and appointed a licensed contractor to undertake the removal under controlled conditions. The contractors are being supervised by a specialised Asbestos Consultant and as art of the legislation the Health and Safety Executive have been notified of our actions and received a risk assessment, together with plans of work in place. In addition air quality monitoring is in place to alleviate concerns on the site.
“The programme of works has ensured all possible risks have been identified and actions put in place to mitigate any risks to pupils and staff of Penywaun Primary School.
“We would like to assure parents that we are managing the project safely and in accordance with legislation in all cases, we err on the side of caution to ensure that any potential risks are mitigated to ensure the safe wellbeing of pupils and staff.”
source: walesonline.co.uk
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