An investigation is being conducted by WorkSafe B.C. into the Vernon School District, for asbestos management.
But the district insists staff and students are safe from the cancer causing (Health Canada) material.
“Absolutely no child, or teacher or CUPE employee is at risk,” said superintendent Joe Rogers.
WorkSafe regional prevention manager Shawn Mitton confirms that an officer did inspect the district in regards to its asbestos management program.
“A lot of schools have had management programs over the years but as time goes by they didn’t update them,” said Mitton, as the district needed to identify any potential risk areas, complete an exposure control plan and implement it.
“It’s about managing the risk. You’re dealing with a district-wide issue, it’s not necessarily one location.”
Mitton added that it’s mostly older facilities that will have asbestos materials.
Adrian Johnson, acting secretary-treasurer, said many homes and institutional buildings built prior to 1990 were constructed using some asbestos containing materials.
“The older schools in School District 22 are no different,” said Johnson. “The asbestos-containing materials pose no health risk if they are not disturbed through construction or similar activities.”
“We take the health and safety of our students and staff very, very seriously. To mitigate the risk, over the past 25 years the school district has removed much of the asbestos from our schools and put other preventive controls in place. We are working with WorksafeBC to ensure we have the best possible workplace practices to keep our staff and students safe.”
Rogers confirms that any areas that were potential contaminates were removed and other areas, like crawl spaces, have been taped off.
“They identify if it’s present, then they need to analyze the risk,” said Mitton. “Is it a risk to workers in its current condition? If so, remove, encapsulate and monitor. If no one goes to that area except maybe once a year, then they have a plan in place for when they do.”
But one anonymous maintenance worker says: “It’s all stuff they should have had 25 years ago.”
Asbestos inventory reports done in prior years have not been shared with staff, according to the worker, and proper training was only recently given in January 2015.
“Lack of due diligence has put employee’s health at risk,” said the worker, adding that according to WorkSafe B.C. asbestos is the No. 1 killer of workers.
“With employees unaware of areas containing asbestos, routine maintenance and renovations have released asbestos into the air.”
According to Health Canada, when inhaled in significant quantities, asbestos fibres can cause:
asbestosis – a scarring of the lungs that makes breathing difficult
mesothelioma – an otherwise rare cancer of the lining of the chest abdominal cavity
lung cancer
cancer of the larynx
ovarian cancer
“It causes carcinogenic properties of the lung,” said Mitton.
Mark Olsen, CUPE 5523 president, is awaiting a report on the situation, but in the meantime he says the union is concerned.
“We’re all about worker safety and I think the employer is too.”
