RESIDENTS of Taranty Road have spoken out about their health concerns following our report last week of asbestos at Langlands Primary School.
Serious health concerns were raised regarding children breaking into the now empty school building and exposing themselves to the asbestos.
Members of Forfar Community Council heard the youngsters were breaking into what is now a building site, s
mashing the windows at the school and gaining entry.
The article prompted residents to contact the Dispatch to ask why none of the residents had been informed about the asbestos situation at the school.
They asked if those living in close proximity to the school were being put at risk if any of the asbestos spores escaped from the site.
They also pointed out the building has not been kept airtight as "there is hardly a whole window at the back of the school which can be seen from the cul-de-sac at Taranty Road."
One resident commented: "If Robertson Eastern can't or won't give an answer to this, then surely the council or education department who own the ground must."
In response to reports of children breaking into the school, a spokesman from Robertson Eastern said last week: "Following the decant of the children from the existing school buildings, we were required to carry-out an invasive asbestos level three survey.
"This survey identified areas of asbestos within the ceiling void and under the building which we are required to remove before demolition.
"Work is ongoing and we expect this work to take a further two weeks from today (Tuesday, April 22) before we can safely enter the demolition phase of the project.
"Despite creating ambient conditions within the building to facilitate asbestos removal, the operation is being hampered by children throwing stones at the building and breaking windows.
"A construction site is an extremely hazardous place by its very nature and although we have taken all reasonable steps to secure the site, we would request that parents assist us with keeping their children safe by discouraging them from vandalising the building and staying away from the site."
When contacted again regarding the local residents' concerns about their health from the asbestos, he added: "We have engaged a specialist contractor to control the removal of asbestos.
"The contractor carries appropriate qualifications and the work will be executed in a safe manner, under licence from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), to ensure risk to the public is minimised."
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