School students exposed to asbestos for four years

Teachers and students were exposed to asbestos at Castle Hill High School for four years after a 2016 report identified a fibrous material as asbestos but remediation work wasn’t completed until 2020 and 2021.

Teachers and students were exposed to asbestos at Castle Hill High School for four years after a 2016 report identified a fibrous material as asbestos but the Department of Education failed to complete remediation work until 2020 and 2021.

Counsellors were sent in to the school in April to provide support to aggrieved teachers and help break the news the substance collected there in 2016 was actually asbestos.

SafeWork NSW and the Department of Education have maintained there is no exposed asbestos currently in the school after remediation work was conducted in 2020.

Local state MP Ray Williams broke ranks with his boss Dominic Perrottet to go rogue and voice the concerns of teachers to the media on Tuesday.

How the asbestos concerns were handled is now being ­investigated by the department’s Professional and Ethical Standards Directorate.

Castle Hill MP Ray Williams pictured outside Castle Hill High school with an asbestos report. Picture: Damian Shaw

The directorate’s boss Daryl Currie wrote about the issue to an unknown staff member on May 20.

“I am aware that on day 1, Term 2, 2022 staff from the department, counsellors and an asbestos hygienist attended the school to inform staff of the positive asbestos ­sample and to provide appropriate support. Staff were provided with a copy of the 2016 asbestos report and advised the investigation was continuing,” the letter said.

NSW Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell. Picture: Christian Gilles

The Department said while the management of the asbestos investigation is ongoing there is no actual ­asbestos risk in the school.

“Remediation work at the school was completed in 2020 and 2021,” a spokesman said

That didn’t stop Mr Will­iams calling his own media conference on Tuesday.

“Teachers advised me last Thursday that Safe Work NSW indicated in tests that were undertaken throughout the school holidays, that the level of air monitoring and the level of asbestos in that air monitoring was six times higher than the acceptable levels than was there,” he said.

SafeWork NSW in a statement said they were “confident there are no current asbestos issues at the school” but Mr Williams said teachers had told him fibrous material was rife.

Students and teachers entering Castle Hill High School on Tuesday. Picture: Damian Shaw

“My understanding is that there is still fibre filament powder dropping from ceilings that teachers are still being asked to clean up books, workplaces, their desks … that fibrous asbestos powder has fallen onto carpets that haven’t been appropriately cleaned with children today sitting on that carpet,” he said.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the ­mismanagement of asbestos allegations was serious.

Parent Adam Dempsey with his daughter Addison, who is in year 7.

Castle Hill High school was operating normally on Tuesday. Picture: John Grainger

“I was made aware last month of ­allegations regarding mismanagement of asbestos in 2016 at Castle Hill High School. These are serious ­allegations that are the subject of investigation by both the Department of Education’s Professional and Ethical Standards unit and SafeWork NSW,” she said.

Dad Adam Dempsey whose daughter Addison, 12, attends the school wasn’t surprised buildings built in the 1960s had issues.

“This school is so ill-equipped, it is unbelievable how many kids go to this school,” he said.

Mr Dempsey said parents should find out about issues through the school not in the media.