More Concerns Over Presence Of Material In Public Buildings

By Rob Dixon

Asbestos lawyers have backed concerns raised by a Cardiff MP, after it was revealed that the city’s university is housing students in rooms containing the deadly material.

According to figures from the Guardian, around 1,500 student rooms at Cardiff University contained asbestos, despite exposure to the material being linked to a number of conditions including the cancer of the lining of the lung, mesothelioma.

Liberal Democrat MP Jenny Willott has now reportedly written to the university to ask them about the presence of the material in accommodation. The education institution stated that all students are responsible for reporting any damage or maintenance to its members of staff.

It is believed that asbestos may be present in a number of universities across the UK.

Commenting on the issue, Kim Barrett, an asbestos lawyer at Irwin Mitchell who lives in Wales, said: “While we deal with a huge number of cases where people are seeking justice over exposure to asbestos in industrial settings, we also regularly see scenarios when people have come into contact with the material in public buildings such as schools, universities and hospitals.

“All asbestos present in such buildings needs to be properly managed to ensure risks are mitigated, but we have stated on numerous occasions that the safest step to take would be the removal of all of the material from such buildings.

“The consequences of exposure are so large that action is vital, particularly in buildings such as universities and schools where young people are at a risk of exposure. This is an issue which needs to be handled quickly and comprehensively.”

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in relation to Asbestos claims