Anyone who thinks that asbestos surveys are no longer required will be shocked to hear that close to 700 council buildings in Worcestershire are reportedly contaminated. This was recently admitted by Worcestershire County Council, which added that close to half of its 1,500 sites were affected.
Those properties include schools, public libraries, smallholdings and offices, and findings have led many to criticise the authority for failing to act. Leaders claim that even removing the asbestos would be unsafe, insisting instead that the best response is to cover it up and contain the danger.
Of course, the true consequences of this revelation will not be known for some time. Asbestos kills close to 1,800 people across the UK each year, but symptoms take decades to manifest and doctors warn that the number of cases is yet to peak. Those affected may only begin to develop their deadly conditions 25 to 50 years after becoming exposed.
As underlined by Councillor Peter McDonald, Labour group leader at the county council: “Asbestos is not a problem of the past, it’s a problem of the present. Six hundred and ninety-nine is a heck of a large figure, it should be a priority to remove asbestos from these buildings to reduce the number of people dying.”
Speaking during a full council meeting, McDonald challenged the Conservative leadership on their handling of the situation, adding that the figure included 160 academies across Worcestershire.
Unfortunately, asbestos was commonly used as pipe insulation right up until mid 1980s, so numerous properties throughout the country are hiding it. Such a problem only draws attention to the grave and ongoing importance of conducting thorough asbestos surveys.
An estimated 14 million houses were built during the period in which asbestos was still popular, with the deadly fibres also still present in many other public and private buildings across the UK.
Here at Salvum, we can provide assistance. Our trained professionals will carry out a survey, then provide management advice if any asbestos is found. For further information, just contact one of our team members today.
