John Spencer, director of Spencer's law firm in Derbyshire, says that children and staff in schools that contain asbestos could be at risk of a raft of asbestos-related diseases if the material is damaged or disturbed. There is, however, no risk if the materials remain undamaged or undisturbed.
Asbestos was used in buildings from the 1950s until 1999 when it was banned. Nevertheless, in February 2012 the Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health noted that an estimated 75 per cent of UK schools may contain asbestos, while Health and Safety figures show that 228 teachers died from asbestos-related diseases between 1991 and 2005.
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