Syracuse, NY 1/15/2008 12:46:23 AM
Asbestos Exposure Puts Children in Danger at Schools
Students, Staff May Be at Risk of Harmful Asbestos Exposures
The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center (MAAC) has determined, based on recent patterns, that asbestos exposure in schools is an increasingly significant problem in classrooms across the country.
Most recently, a Muncie, IN high school was found to have severe violations of federal asbestos code, leaving the students and staff at risk of potentially life-threatening exposures. According to a fine levied by the Indiana Department of Labor, there were gross violations of the Occupational Safety and Hazard Act during recent renovations at Central High School’s science buildings, all within the vicinity of students and staff.
The incident at Central HS however, is only one of many asbestos incidents within schools in recent years. New York City Schools have been entangled in asbestos complications for the past decade, due mostly to the age of the buildings and lack of regular maintenance on asbestos fixtures. In fact, the problem in NYC dates back to the early 1990’s when an incidental asbestos exposure was blamed on a City school building. An emergency inspection of all NYC schools in 1993 found that nearly all schools tested had at least some exposed asbestos. As more exposed asbestos is found however, it has necessitated the total evacuation of students and staff. At the onset of the 2004 school year, a Brooklyn school was forced to open its doors nearly two weeks late in order to ensure the safety of the building for students and staff.
Schools are regular sites of hazardous asbestos conditions because the majority of public and private school buildings are relatively older structures. However, recent studies have shown that nearly 80% of all buildings built before 1980 contain at least some asbestos within their construction. Asbestos was used primarily as an insulation and fireproofing material prior to its federal ban in the late 1970’s. As these buildings grow older and their fixtures begin to require maintenance, the likelihood of exposures is increasing. Disturbing even a small amount of asbestos material can release the harmful fibers into the air putting all within the vicinity at risk of inhalation.
Most asbestos use was discontinued because clear connections between asbestos exposures and the development of respiratory complications became evident. Asbestos, when inhaled or otherwise introduced into the body, may become lodged within the pleural lining of the lungs, laying the groundwork for mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused solely by asbestos exposure. Occupational exposures of asbestos have thus far been the most common. However, the emergence of potential exposures among children in schools is particularly disturbing.
The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center at www.maacenter.org has long been recognized as the web’s leading resource for accurate and up to date information concerning mesothelioma treatment, asbestos, and their health implications.
For further information please contact the Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center.
