This message has just come in, it contains information about Artex from a Wikipedia site. The Gurn has already linked to that site but we are happy to publish the message and the wikipedia info. Artex is the material at the centre of the present incident at the Academy.
'For the benefit of anonymous who seems to be stoutly defending the council. Would he/she allow their child or staff at the school to be subject to such risk. The very fact the council has closed off this part of the schools tells its own story. if anyone needs to wake up to themselves it is not the parents but the council. Families with children going through their education at Nairn Academy now face weeks of disruption. We all wish the staff well and hope people are supportive towards them in what must be difficult circumstances.
ACADEMY PARENT'
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Artex is a surface coating used for interior decorating, most often found on ceilings, which allows the decorator to add a texture to it. The name Artex is a trademark of Artex Ltd., a company based in the UK. Since 1985, the company has belonged to France's Saint-Gobain group.[1]
[edit] Artex and health risks
Until the mid-1980s, the Artex coating was made with white asbestos to strengthen it.[2] Inhaling microscopic asbestos fibres can cause asbestosis and mesothelioma - defined by the World Health Organization as cancers - so anyone removing the coating or working with a surface covered with it should wear protective clothing and masks – and the area being worked on should be sealed off. Professional advice is advisable[3] and removal of the coating by experts may be necessary.[4] Removal of Artex is covered by the UK’s Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 2006, which make it illegal for a contractor not licensed by the country’s Health and Safety Commission to work on asbestos coatings.[5] In the UK, once removed, Artex and any other substance containing asbestos must be disposed of as hazardous waste. If the coating is left alone and coated with paint and undamaged, it may be safe to leave the coating in place and managed 'in situ' by annual inspection.[6]Plastering over the coating may ensure it is safely encapsulated. [7]
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Opinion Poll
What do you think? Do you feel that the Academy is a safe building? You can vote over on the Gurn on Sunday Opinion Poll - you'll find it in the side-bar on the right hand side at the top of the page
What do you think? Do you feel that the Academy is a safe building? You can vote over on the Gurn on Sunday Opinion Poll - you'll find it in the side-bar on the right hand side at the top of the page
Here is a link to Northern Asbestos the company who have been named as the contractor for Nairn Academy and what they have to say about asbestos
ReplyDeletehttp://www.northernasbestos.co.uk/asbestos_facts.php
ReplyDeleteAsbestos kills over 3000 people each year in the UK and this figure is expected to rise to over 10,000 in the next ten years. Breathing in the fibres cause disease such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
ReplyDeleteSymptoms can occur from 15 to 60 years after exposure and there is no treatment for asbestos related disease. It is known that high level exposure will cause disease, however the consequences of low level exposure are not fully understood.
Facts above are from the Northern Asbestos site Nairnlass mentions
In other words,they really haven't got a clue.
ReplyDelete