. 4 Fears are growing the crumbling concrete could release asbestos fibres (file image) Credit: Getty 4 Dozens of school buildings have been identified with concrete prone to crumbling It's thought council buildings, police stations, leisure centres and offices could also contain the substance. Experts now fear the presence of RAAC also increases the danger of exposure to asbestos , which kills 5,000 people a year in the UK. The president of the Institution of Structural Engineers, Matt Byatt, said: 'There are two real risk-to-life elements to this: if RAAC collapses it puts life at risk in an instantaneous manner; and asbestos can be deadly if it's inhaled. ''These are not lightweight issues — they are very serious, and they should be treated as such.' RAA and asbestos are often found in the same buildings as both materials were used extensively in the postwar building boom, The Sunday Times reports. While asbestos is safe when stable, if it is disturbed, as in a building collapse, it could release fibres that, if inhaled, can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. It emerged in July at that thousands of kids were still being taught in schools which contained asbestos, even though a ban being imposed on the material by 1999. Around 10,000 teachers, pupils and staff are estimated to have died from asbestos exposure at school in the last four decades. Asbestos is also a serious problem for the NHS. A total of 156 schools were told last week their buildings contained the crumbling concrete. SCHOOLS FORCED TO CLOSE Of those, 104 will have to partially or completely close meaning the start of term will be delayed for thousands){kind=link}
FEARS are growing that the crumbling concrete in schools and hospitals could release deadly asbestos fibres
Emergency measures in England are underway to shore up public sector buildings over fears they could be structurally unsound due to deteriorating reinforce autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
It’s thought council buildings, police stations, leisure centres and offices could also contain the substance.
Experts now fear the presence of RAAC also increases the danger of exposure to asbestos, which kills 5,000 people a year in the UK.
The president of the Institution of Structural Engineers, Matt Byatt, said: “There are two real risk-to-life elements to this: if RAAC collapses it puts life at risk in an instantaneous manner; and asbestos can be deadly if it’s inhaled.