A freedom of information (FOI) request has uncovered that more than 300 buildings owned by Cardiff Council contain asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) obtained the data, which shows 307 buildings where the council is the duty holder or responsible for maintenance contain ACMs.
Breakdown of Affected Buildings
The affected properties include 120 educational establishments such as schools, colleges, and nurseries; 22 health or institutional buildings like hospitals, clinics, and residential care homes; 31 civic or administrative buildings, including council offices, town halls, depots, and fire or police stations; 62 leisure or cultural buildings, such as leisure centres, libraries, community centres, and museums; and 72 buildings that do not fall into the previous categories.
Claims and Settlements
The FOI also revealed that four current and former employees or users have pursued claims against Cardiff Council for asbestos exposure in buildings under its control. A total of £62,428.59 was paid in settlement of these claims, with or without acceptance of liability.
Council Response
In response to the findings, a council spokesman told the LDRS: “Asbestos was widely used in over 3,000 different construction materials in the UK from the post-war era up until it was banned in December 1999. The 307 buildings listed in our response were constructed during this time period and therefore asbestos containing materials were used in their construction.”
The spokesman added: “Asbestos containing materials only pose a risk to health when they are disturbed and the fibres within them are released and subsequently inhaled or ingested. In order to mitigate this risk the council employs a team of four experienced BOHS (British Occupational Hygiene Society) certified asbestos officers.”
Management and Training
According to the council, all buildings in its portfolio have received a full asbestos management survey, and further inspections are carried out by the asbestos team or an accredited asbestos consultant before any works that may affect the building fabric. Regular condition monitoring of all known ACMs is undertaken by building managers with support from the asbestos team. Asbestos awareness training is delivered annually to all building managers, and non-licensable works training is provided to council staff who may need to undertake maintenance tasks on ACMs.
Cardiff Council is accredited by the UK Asbestos Training Agency to deliver asbestos awareness training and non-licensable works with ACMs.
