BY SEAN MARTIN-IVERSON
PERTH — Parents, students, teachers and maintenance workers are furious that the state government has been hiding from them the possible health risks of asbestos in several state schools.
One school, East Beechboro Primary School, was closed on May 17 after asbestos was found in the ceiling, vents and roof cavity. A former employee of KBE Contracting, which removed the school's asbestos roof, warned WorkSafe in August of possible asbestos contamination. Later that year, air-conditioning contractors discovered asbestos in the school. Frustrated by the lack of action, the former employee notified the school principal of the problem.
The State School Teachers Union and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union have blamed the problem on the state government's contracting arrangements.
The education department initially claimed that nine other schools had their asbestos roofs removed by KBE Contracting, but this number was later changed to 20 "at risk" schools and up to 40 schools who have had asbestos roofs removed by the company.
After 10 schools (including East Beechboro) were inspected, further inspections were called off by education minister Alan Carpenter on May 22, who claimed that there was no health risk. Only the ten inspected schools have been identified.
The department's director-general, Paul Albert, has claimed that there is no asbestos risk for students — only for people who venture into the ceiling spaces.
From Green Left Weekly, May 29, 2002.
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