Keble College has today confirmed that its vacation storage units are safe for students and staff to use, after conducting an asbestos survey earlier this week.
Keble College Bursar, Roger Boden, has emphasised that the dangerous building material was properly managed at all times and never posed any risk to students. Use of the units for storage purposes will now continue as normal.
Speaking to Cherwell, Mr Boden said, “As a routine part of this risk management we have commissioned surveys for the presence of asbestos of the units that are used for vacation storage. I am entirely satisfied that these areas are safe, both for our students and our staff. Managing the asbestos risk in buildings is a major long-term task that most owners of buildings face. There are comprehensive rules as to how the risk is to be managed.”
A Freedom of Information request submitted this week by Cherwell has also revealed that at least four other colleges have asbestos or asbestos containing materials (ACMs) on site, at no risk to staff or students. These include Exeter, St Johns and St Edmund Hall, who confirmed that they have 31, 23 and 130 student rooms containing asbestos respectively. Queen’s College also said that they were aware of low risk asbestos sheeting within college property. All other colleges either confirmed that they have no asbestos on-site, or have yet to respond to the request.
Like many 20th century buildings, asbestos was used in the construction of the storage space as a fireproofing and insulation material. Asbestos related risks on University and College property are managed by the Estates Service, which develops individual Asbestos Management Plans for individual colleges, as required by law. The University Administration and Services department also keeps a comprehensive asbestos register for all asbestos and asbestos containing materials (ACM).
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website, “Asbestos materials in good condition are safe unless asbestos fibres become airborne, which happens when materials are damaged.” Most colleges carry out annual surveys of asbestos in consultation with specialist companies who provide expert asbestos removal services. Students moving into rooms containing asbestos must be legally be informed of this fact in writing. Since undisturbed asbestos poses no health risk, the presence of the material cannot be used by students as grounds to request new accommodation.
One second-year Keble student, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “It isn’t really a problem that I worry about. Builders and workmen are the ones most at risk. It’s a case of out of sight, out of mind.”
