Caerphilly County Borough Council has been asked to consider demolishing Cwmcarn High School in the wake of airborne asbestos being found there.
The school was suddenly closed last Friday afternoon after a contractor discovered the material. Some pupils have been allowed to go back today and more are to follow Monday with the school fully re-opening after half-term on Monday November 5.
The report by contractors recommended closing access to the school immediately, although the risk to students and staff from fibres of damaged asbestos was said to be low.
The council has also said the contractors, in their report, told the authority to “look at the abatement/demolition of Cwmcarn High School, due to the implicated costs of continuing to operate without further risk of exposure.”
The council estimates it would cost millions to remove the asbestos, but says it is considering all options.
A council spokesman said: “Caerphilly County Borough Council has announced that all pupils from Cwmcarn High School will be able to resume their studies on Monday November 5 following the half term break.
“Details are currently being considered by the Governing Body and council and further information will follow in due course.
“Years 12 and 13 will return to the new block on the Cwmcarn site on Friday October 19, with Year 11 following on Monday October 22.
“We intend to organise a series of meetings with parents next week to provide further update on the situation, including arrangements for pupils on Monday November 5.”
The school was closed on Friday October 12 after contractors discovered asbestos levels measured within the school were in the range of 0.003 to 0.008 fibres/ml.
While the council said the potential health risk to pupils and staff was low, it defended its actions to close the school to “assess and reduce any potential future exposure to asbestos, thereby protecting the health and wellbeing of pupils and staff at the school.”
There is asbestos throughout the original school buildings apart from its music and drama block and languages wing. The council has said the majority of the substance is undisturbed and sealed and poses no safety issue. However, it has admitted that some debris was discovered and that some had been disturbed.
Education Minister Leighton Andrews announced on Tuesday that all councils in Wales had to deliver reports on asbestos levels in schools by next week.
The NASUWT teaching union has warned of “massive issues” around funding the removal of asbestos from schools especially at a time of cuts. It has also asked the Health and Safety Executive to look at the situation in Cwmcarn and has called for all schools to be tested for asbestos consistently.
That'll solve the over cpapacity problem.
"The council has said the majority of the substance is undisturbed and sealed and poses no safety issue. However, it has admitted that some debris was discovered and that some had been disturbed".
Any level of disturbed asbestos which causes ` dust` is a serious safety hazard, there is no lower safety limit of such a dangerous substance and of which there is any likely-hood of being inhaled.
The Caerphilly council should investigate how long, anyone, using the areas where the asbestos dust has been found,are likely to have been exposed to it. Someone, an ex pupil, now a parent of a child at this school, stated on these pages that she could remember dust in the air constantly when she was a pupil some years ago.
Caerphilly Council have to undertake a proper and robust enquiry, in public, so that former users of the building can be assured of its safety, now, and in the past, and if it is found that anyone has been exposed to asbestos dust at this school over whatever period, then proper future medical monitoring of those exposed to it should be undertaken.
Someone has taken their eye off the ball here, and the Council should ensure it is not happening in any other public buildings for which it has a public responsibility.
You cannot demolish the building. For starters this would cause high levels of asbestos to be released therefore contaminating everything around! Clever. Plus by law to demolish a building with asbestos you need to complete a refurbishment/demolition survey. You would think the government would contact an asbestos abatement company or asbestos surveying/analytical company for advice. Obviously I don't know who looks after Caerphilly councils asbestos management but obviously their not doing a very good job. I work as an asbestos analyst and find that the council as usual are covering their arses the best way they can due to the possibility of being prosecuted. The HSE should go down there and crucify their arse's over this for failing to manage the asbestos within their buildings. There are many schools in Wales that have either had the asbestos removed or managed due to a management survey being carried out. I know Caswell do most of Rhondda Cynon Taff's work but even then that shit council don't manage their council houses either. I know of many tenants who have not had an asbestos survey completed. Just shows the lack of intelligence of the councils yet again and the incompetence of their work ethic. Just think of the money that's all they do. Sod health and safety and lets kill off the decent people and give to the drug users and alcoholics. Countries gone to the dogs!!!