Asbestos News

An independent all-boys school in Moor Park, England, was recently ordered to upgrade its procedures for handling dangerous asbestos-containing materials, reports the Watford Observer.

According to the news source, the Health and Safety Executive gave two notices to Northwood Preparatory School telling it to improve staff training and its management system. The school has said that the notices related to administrative issues that had been resolved.

Geoff Cox, the head of the public services sector for the Health and Safety Executive explained that advice was offered to more than 100 schools in the region.

"Most schools were able to demonstrate good levels of awareness and compliance with the asbestos regulations and that’s encouraging," Cox said. "But this inspection initiative did highlight that there is still confusion in some schools over roles and responsibilities."

Ensuring that asbestos is properly handled is critical as exposure to the carcinogenic substance can lead to the development of lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that attacks the tissues surrounding a majority of the body's internal organs.