DID SCHOOL ASBESTOS KILL HEAD?

exclusive By Phil ColemanChief reporterA CARLISLE primary school is at the centre of a health scare after its former headteacher died from an asbestos-related cancer.Governors at St Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic school have sought advice from Cumbria County Council on organising an asbestos survey after Ian White, 66, died from mesothelioma on Christmas Day.In the weeks since Mr White’s death, it is believed other staff at the school were concerned enough to arrange for medical tests.North-east Cumbria coroner David Osborne has alerted the Health & Safety Executive to Mr White’s death, and the potential presence of asbestos in the school.Mr White retired as school head nearly five years ago after working there for 18 years. A retired caretaker from the school has confirmed that ceilings in the school were made from asbestos tiles.Mr White’s widow Eileen said the only asbestos she knew that her husband could have been exposed to was that in St Cuthbert’s, in Victoria Road, Botcherby.The school, which has around 140 pupils, has refused to confirm or deny whether the tiles are still there. Cumbria County Council confirmed that governors recently sought advice on organising an asbestos survey. The tests, to include checks for airborne asbestos, were due to go ahead last month.Carlisle pensioner Paul Blackshaw worked as the school’s caretaker until September 1998.With the exception of recently built areas in St Cuthbert’s, the asbestos tiles were used throughout the school, said Mr Blackshaw.He recalled staff being advised to avoid using drawing pins in the ceiling for fear of releasing dust.Mr Blackshaw said safety experts who checked the tiles in the 1990s pronounced them safe because their underside was sealed with paint.“It’s an established fact that they were asbestos,” said Mr Blackshaw, 70.“The question of their safety was investigated by the building and design department of the education authority at the county council.“The tiles were given a clean bill of health. Provided they were not disturbed unduly, the asbestos dust which was presumably above shouldn’t have got into the building below.“One member of staff was particularly concerned, and as far as I know that’s why she left. I was caretaker there for eight years and knew that ceiling pretty intimately. In my time there, I actually removed the tiles at times and replaced them.“When the security system was being installed I helped the installer put the wires through the roof space.“The electrician and myself didn’t even use breathing masks. I’ve heard some school staff have been for tests, and I’m wondering whether I should.”A dedicated headteacher, Mr White regularly spent time in the school out of hours, when he would do simple jobs such as decorating.At her home in Stanwix, his widow Eileen told the News & Star: “Even if there is a slight possibility that the asbestos there was responsible for Ian’s illness, it should be removed.“Ian always put the safety and welfare of his staff and pupils first and it’s what he would have wanted.”An inquest into Mr White’s death has been opened and adjourned by north east Cumbria coroner David Osborne.The cause of death was confirmed as mesothelioma.A spokesman for Cumbria County Council said the authority has an agreement to give health and safety advice and information to all Cumbrian schools.He added: “Even though St Cuthbert’s School is not controlled by the local education authority, we were approached by them regarding an asbestos survey in the school and Cumbria County Council recommended they carry out a ‘level 2’ survey including air clearance tests, which we understand the school arranged for last month.”Between 1998 and 2000 ‘level 1’ checks were carried out throughout schools in Cumbria. This involved visual checks for items such as broken tiles.In 2004, following a change in the regulations covering asbestos at work, Type 2 asbestos surveys have been carried out in all schools across the country.The spokesman added: “It’s an ongoing programme and all but 18 schools in Cumbria have now been checked.“All schools carry an asbestos register detailing where there is asbestos in the school – so any contractors working in the schools are aware.”A Health & Safety Executive spokesman said: “HSE has been made aware by the coroner of the death of a former headmaster at St Cuthbert’s and the potential presence of a quantity of asbestos at the school.“HSE staff will be making enquiries to ensure that any asbestos material found is being properly managed and does not pose any health risks.”The News & Star invited the school to comment but chairman of the governors Doug Hulme declined. Current headteacher John Turner said today: “We feel it’s not appropriate to make any comment.”Last year, Dr Peter Mustchin, a consultant physician at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, warned that asbestos-related illness was “an epidemic in the making.”