Absestos Alert In Houses Of Parliament

According to a recent report The government has failed to act on advice to address a “significant” threat to visitors and MPs from asbestos in the Houses of Parliament,

The Guardian has exposed an investigation into the service shafts and piping ducts in the building, that reportedly warns of dangers to public health from exposure to asbestos fibres.

The study from health and safety experts Goddard Consulting was produced earlier this year and is said to warn of “significant dangers” to “all persons” in the Palace of Westminster.

All over the buildings contaminated ventilation ducts were not sealed or even locked but were left open so staff could get to light switches or were used for storing vacuum cleaners and other items. In the kitchens there was a particular problem with a ventilation shaft which was so contaminated that it should only be entered by asbestos teams wearing full protective clothing and breathing masks.

A House of Commons spokesman said last night: "The letter from Goddard Consulting quite understandably drew our attention to the fact that we had not implemented all the recommendations within their 2005 report. That is correct. However, this is a complex area where professional opinions may differ. There are a number of recommendations where we felt that alternative ways of managing the hazard would be equally effective and the problems were addressed accordingly."