Asbestos

Asbestos is a deadly threat and should be removed from schools, hospitals and all public sites as soon as possible

asbestos tape on building
Asbestos

A major public health issue

Asbestos causes 5000 deaths per year (HSE), making it the single biggest cause of occupational related deaths

Why is asbestos dangerous?

Asbestos in buildings can be disturbed by everyday activities, as well as by maintenance and renovation activities. Exposure to Asbestos can cause lung cancer and cancer of the lining of the lung (mesothelioma). These diseases can take 15 to 60 years to develop and there is no cure for mesothelioma. 

Deaths among school staff linked to asbestos exposure have risen sharply since records began in 1980. Between 1980 and 2021, 431 teachers under the age of 75 in Britain died from mesothelioma. Asbestos remains a serious risk in many school buildings, putting everyone who works or learns in them at risk. Children are especially vulnerable due to the long time it can take for asbestos-related diseases to develop.

The current situation 

Around 8 in 10 schools still contain asbestos materials, and there is growing concern about the increasing number of education workers being diagnosed with asbestos-related cancers.

The current Health and Safety Executive (HSE) policy of managing asbestos as “safe in situ” is not a sustainable long-term solution. Asbestos must be safely and professionally removed from our buildings as soon as practicable to properly protect staff, pupils and the public.

We urgently need a government-led strategy to make public buildings safer from the dangers of asbestos. This must include implementing the recommendations set out in the Work and Pensions Select Committee report.

What UNISON is calling for

Asbestos and the wider condition of the public estate, including the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), shows the need for a coordinated national building‑safety programme. RAAC failures in schools, hospitals and other public buildings highlight the consequences of decades of underinvestment and poor oversight. UNISON’s 5 top‑line points on RAAC and asbestos:
  • 1 Create a central record of asbestos in public buildings. Government should work with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to collect and share clear data on the extent, type and condition of asbestos in public buildings. This should include developing a central digital register of asbestos in all non-domestic buildings.
  • 2 Prioritise the highest-risk buildings. Buildings posing the greatest risk must be addressed first, and there should be public transparency about the presence of asbestos, including a publicly accessible record of where it exists.
  • 3 Develop a national removal programme. Government should introduce a phased programme to remove asbestos from all public service buildings, starting with the highest-risk sites. This must be backed by adequate capital funding and linked to wider plans to upgrade and improve the public estate.
  • 4 Support those responsible for managing asbestos. Duty holders should receive properly funded, mandatory training on asbestos risks and management, alongside clear information for stakeholders such as staff, parents and building users.
  • 5 Strengthen inspection and enforcement. There must be a sustained increase in asbestos inspections and enforcement activity, supported by appropriate long-term funding for regulation and enforcement.

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Asbestos

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