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YORK VISION YORK VISION
Tuesday October 27th, 2009 Tuesday October 27th, 2009
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VISION INVESTIGATES: CAMPUS' TOXIC SECRETS
A SUMMER OF SECRETS For FOUR MONTHS, Uni top dogs have supressed campus asbestos data. They have denied a lack of transparency but emails from the University suggest otherwise...
July 31st FOI request sent asking for details on asbestos in student bedrooms.
August 13th Uni break Freedom of Information laws by refusing to give Vision data. An email stated they did “not feel that it is appropriate” because it “could lead to possible inflammatory reactions.”
September 16th Uni receives a fresh request, this time to access asbestos database. Although they previously admitted Vision was allowed to see this info, they failed to give the data or give any explanation.
August-October Vision repeatedly made requests for ANY statistics on asbestos installations on campus. Uni staff failed to provide any documents, arguing it would “depend on how Vision would use it.”
October 5th Uni fails to show up at a meeting with Vision.
October 6th Damning investigation report sent to University.
October 7th Emergency meeting called. After Vision accuse Uni of breaching FOI laws, top bosses agree to accept a new inquiry but do not explain their secrecy.
October 9th University pressure Vision to drop asbestos reports for Freshers’ Week edition.
October 23rd Uni issues a statement refuting secrecy over asbestos. They do not apologise for breaking laws or denying asbestos info.
How Uni bosses kept silent over asbestos "THE UNIVERSITY HAS ACTED IMPROPERLY... STUDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW." Coordinator of Freedom of Information Centre, Mark Watts
BY MARTIN WILLIAMS TOXIC ASBESTOS information is being suppressed by the University, Vision can exclusively reveal. The University has repeatedly failed to give details about the lethal substance, even breaching the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to prevent the data from going public.
FAILURE
The persistent failure to provide information accompanies an asbestos policy which is leaving students in the dark over campus’ toxic dangers. Coordinator of the FOIA Centre, Mark Watts, has slammed Uni secrecy. He told Vision: "They have no choice but to answer these requests. By not responding, the University has acted improperly." He added: "Clearly it's a student issue and they have the right to know. In the end, students want an answer." But when asked to provide students with more information on asbestos, Uni top dogs have continually suppressed statistics. Countless requests to see documents have been ignored and denied, even though students legally have the right to know details on asbestos. In total, 3 out of 4 separate inquiries have been turned down since the summer. In August, the University turned down a Freedom of Information request. A blunt email response stated: “the University does not feel that it is appropriate (to report asbestos statistics)... Asbestos is an extremely emotive subject.”
UNINFORMED
Widespread unawareness of asbestos is making it unlikely for students to report potentially toxic hazards. Resistance by the University to release information may be damaging to its asbestos management. The substance only becomes lethal when broken, meaning that on campus it is vital for all damage to be reported. Investigations by Vision began after finding a broken ceiling tile that was speculated to contain as-
"In the end, students want an answer" bestos. Although it later turned out to be safe, dozens of students and staff have gone months without reporting the potential threat because they were completely unaware about asbestos risks at the University.
DENIAL
Director of Facilities Management Keith Lilley has since admitted that everyone should be entitled to the information. However, no explanation or apology has been given for the apparent secrecy or neglect of Freedom of Information laws. The University denied accusations of secrecy, claiming: “We have always been open that there is asbestos on campus. Indeed, the University has a website dedicated to the issue.” But Government rules in the Freedom of Information Act state: "public authorities must comply with your request promptly, and should provide the information to you within 20 working days."
CLUELESS
Uni secrecy is leaving students with no idea about the York's hidden dangers. According to a poll by Vision, 67% admitted they had no idea about where asbestos might be and how it can become a threat. A further 82% said they would not report any damage unless they were certain it contained asbestos. Given the apparent lack of transparency within the University, very few hazards are likely to be reported by students quickly. One 1st-year student told Vision: “I would feel a lot safer on campus if I knew where the asbestos was.”
She added: “I’m sure the Uni have it under control, but it’s really bad that students are never told much about it. They really shouldn’t keep so quiet about it.”
SILENCED
Before Vision's Freshers’ Week edition, Uni bosses pressurised the paper to drop an asbestos article in a last-ditch attempt to prevent damning reports reaching York's new students. Without any backing, the newspaper was forced to withdraw articles from the publication. York’s silence over asbestos is particularly worrying for students given the levels of the substance on campus. A statement from the University claimed: “The health of students and staff at the University is not at risk from asbestos.”
LEGACY
Asbestos use in the construction industry peaked in the late 1960s when much of the University was built. Uni bosses have since admitted that campus has been left with a “legacy of asbestos installations to manage.” Data obtained by Vision in 2003 showed that areas worst plagued by the substance include the main blocks of Langwith, James, Vanbrugh and Derwent colleges. Buildings including the infamous 'Cell Block C' in James College, Fairfax and Hes Hall are largely free from asbestos.
THE VOICE OF
F
our months ago we started emailing the University about the asbestos situation on campus. When we did this, one thing became immediately obvious - they didn't want us to know. If the University start acting secretly about such serious issues, we're in a very worrying situation. Most people presume that this place is riddled with asbestos, but the truth is, most of us really have no idea. When you break something in your student bedroom, are you sparking a potentially lethal hazard? Will the University health and safety team come to the rescue straight away, or should we go and report it? These are questions most of us don't have answers to. But we should! It is understandable that the University want to keep its students calm, but emotions can't be prioritised above health. Whilst it is true that most asbestos is only a danger when it is broken, wouldn't it make sense to know where it is so we can report it when it gets damaged? The University's confidence that they are doing a good job to manage the substance will do little to brush away the fact that they repeatedly refused to give out the details on campus' dangers. Vision is still awaiting an explanation or apology from the University for its stubborn refusal to grant students the right to get this information.
"We have always been open that there is asbestos" "Buildings across the University campus do contain asbestos but this is inevitable given the widespread use of asbestos as a building material for much of the 20th Century. Any building, including homes, schools and
hospitals, constructed before 2000 can contain asbestos. It is not the presence, but the management of asbestos which is the key to safety and we have a comprehensive strategy in place to meet our legal duties and the duty of
care we have to our staff and students. The health of students and staff at the University is not at risk from asbestos. We have always been open that there is asbestos on campus. Indeed, the Uni-
versity has a website dedicated to the issue that contains substantial amounts of information and contact details for anyone with asbestos-related concerns."
From the Uni's offical statement.
CENTRE OF THE STORM:
Director of Facilities Management, Keith Lilley