Asbestos scare at Brisbane school: Contaminated tiles to stay until end of year

Hundreds of students have been affected by an asbestos find at a Brisbane school after contaminated ceiling tiles were found in 12 classrooms, with claims the government ‘abandoned’ monthly testing.

Hundreds of students have been affected by an asbestos outbreak at a large Brisbane school after contaminated ceiling tiles were found in 12 classrooms, and cannot be removed until the end of the year.

The discovery of asbestos in perforated ceiling tiles in blocks D and E at Rochedale State School has sparked outrage among parents, who have questioned the school’s poor communication and the safety measures implemented.

Rochedale State School. (AAP/Image Sarah Marshall)

The school first became aware of the outbreak on March 11 when a teacher raised concerns about dust on windowsills.

Sample testing of carpets, windowsills, walls, lights and classroom equipment like projectors confirmed asbestos containing material in the rooms.

Classrooms housing students in Years 1-3 were promptly relocated to alternative spaces as a temporary measure while a thorough cleaning process was initiated.

A Department of Education spokeswoman confirmed asbestos dust had been identified and was being “actively managed”.

“The school acted immediately to ensure the safety of its community following the identification of dust from a classroom ceiling made from perforated cement-based sheeting,” she said.

Two school blocks at Rochedale State School were cleared after asbestos containing dust was found in the ceiling tiles.

“Access to the affected area was immediately restricted, and parents and caregivers of impacted students were notified in accordance with the Department’s Asbestos Incident Management Procedure.

“Under this procedure, the requirement is to “make safe” affected areas until asbestos containing material can be permanently removed.

“Make-safe activities have been carried out in all classrooms containing confirmed perforated asbestos ceilings at Rochedale State School to ensure the safety of students, staff and members of the school community.”

The student drop-off and pick-up area at Rochedale State School. Picture: Richard Walker

Rooms were stripped bare and carpets removed, but the contaminated ceiling sheets will remain for another eight months, with removal works slated over the Christmas holidays.

Asbestos cement sheets are considered far less hazardous than the alternative low density boards, which are more friable or crumbly.

The school says the large scale works can only be undertaken from December to ensure the safety of students and teachers.

“All classrooms have since received a clearance from a licensed occupational hygienist for reoccupation, and are safe for staff and students to return,” the department spokeswoman said.

“The department will undertake air monitoring each term to provide ongoing assurances regarding the safety of the classrooms until the removal is undertaken.

Twelve classrooms were affected.

“The commencement of the removal of the asbestos is scheduled for the December/January holidays, with completion anticipated by the beginning of term 1 2025.

“This timing will minimise disruption to the school and allow an adequate timeframe for all work to be safely completed while students and staff are not present.”

Opposition Education spokesman Dr Christian Rowan claimed the government had “quietly abandoned” monthly asbestos testing.

“The health and safety of students and staff should be paramount, but alarmingly, the Palaszczuk-Miles Government has dropped the ball on asbestos management and quietly abandoned monthly reporting on asbestos testing results to dodge accountability,” Dr Rowan said.

“Students, staff and families deserve better transparency around asbestos exposure in our schools, and shouldn’t be forced to wait six months for updates buried in an excel spreadsheet with more than half a million lines of data, because of Labor’s chaos and crisis.”

Opposition Education spokesman Dr Christian Rowan accused the government of dropping the ball on its asbestos management. Picture: Amaani Siddeek

Parents of children from the 12 classrooms were notified of the outbreak on March 11 and an emergency briefing was held last Tuesday, March 19, where an occupational health expert and the Chief Health Advisor of the Education Department answered questions.

Queensland Work Health and Safety regulations require asbestos testing every five years, with Rochedale last conducting testing in January 2020.

It is unknown whether parents and guardians of students who were housed in the rooms in previous years have been notified by the school.

Parents were informed their children would be placed on the federal asbestos exposure list and that sealant had been placed over the infected ceiling tiles.

But a large group of parents remained concerned that the sealant will not exacerbate the risk of exposure over the next nine months before removal works begin.

“It’s a lot of trust,” one parent told The Courier-Mail.

“They’re also putting a lot on us to determine what risk we’re comfortable with.

“They have told us it’s not the small stuff that gets into lungs, but how do we know it’s not been left as residue if it was on carpets?

“Were the young kids sitting on the floor, touching their mouths? And if you’re leaving the roof tiles there, what happens if there’s a storm or wind gust?”

The ceiling tiles cannot be removed until the end of the year, to reduce risk to students and teachers and minimise disruption.

All rooms were retested and cleared to be reinhabited on March 15, with Rochedale planning to return students back to classrooms on Monday, March 25 however, following backlash from parents, the school delayed the return until after the Easter holiday break.

Distressed parents have reported children arriving home “in tears” after being told by fellow students, “you’re in the dusty classroom you’re going to die now”, raising further concerns about a lack of internal communication by the school.

“They’re so young for that information,” one parent told The Courier-Mail.

“They are scared to go back into the classroom.”

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said the school had adequately communicated with parents and guardians.

“The Department has continued to communicate with the school community to provide updates and advice on the incident,” she said.

“This includes information sessions on 19 March 2024 with an occupational health expert and the Department’s Chief Health Advisor.”