Gov’t dismisses asbestos danger at CIFEC campus
(CNS): The potential threat posed by the discovery of asbestos at the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre during a pre-demolition inspection more than a year ago has been dismissed by officials despite the well-documented dangers of this material. Officials from the Ministry of Education and the Department of Education Services said in a release that technical experts had advised them “that the hazard only exists if asbestos particles become airborne through disturbance” and that “there is no health risk to anyone at CIFEC from asbestos exposure”.
The release issued on Friday said, “We want to reassure parents, students, staff and the general public that the safety of everyone at CIFEC remains our top priority.” However, the government has been aware since February last year of the presence of the hazardous material, which can cause asbestosis, cancer and mesothelioma.
Officials said that during a routine pre-demolition inspection in early 2023, the asbestos-containing materials were identified in certain sections of the existing CIFEC buildings.
“However, these materials were found to be in good condition and did not present an airborne hazard,” the release said. “Upon this discovery, we immediately consulted technical experts who advised the materials posed no immediate health risk as long as they remained undisturbed.”
The facility is due to be demolished as part of the redevelopment of the John Gray High School campus and the broader government school estates off Walkers Road. CIFEC will move to the old George Hicks school site, though that part of the project has been delayed. Students and staff have continued to attend classes in the old building since the worrying discovery. However, the final phase of the new JGHS campus is expected to be completed in July.
Because the building continues to be used, precautionary measures were taken, such as enhanced air quality protocols, including air scrubbing, dehumidification, deep cleaning of all occupied areas and a/c systems, and more rigorous cleaning across campus were implemented.
“We were fully transparent by promptly informing the principal, staff and parents about the findings and the preventative steps taken to ensure safety,” officials said in the first broader public release about the finding of asbestos. “The well-being of our students and staff is our paramount concern. We have diligently followed expert guidance to eliminate potential risks while CIFEC remains at the current premises. The planned relocation in July 2024 will permanently resolve this situation.”
Once CIFEC relocates, the asbestos materials will be removed under the supervision of the Department of Environmental Health before the old buildings are demolished
“We understand the public’s concerns about asbestos. However, technical experts advise that the hazard only exists if asbestos particles become airborne through disturbance. Based on this advice, we can confirm there is no health risk to anyone at CIFEC from asbestos exposure,” the officials added in the statement.
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Category: Education, Local News
I have worked at CIFEC and the old JGHS. The buildings are full of mold. The asbestos is the unsurprising cherry on top.
I have been ill due to this. Nausea, pounding headaches, and guess what? once I wasn’t there, my symptoms disappeared.
Yeah, they don’t really care.
If there’s no risk, why bother with the mitigation they listed?
I am a teacher at CIFEC. We were not made aware of these findings, nor of the results of other tests relating to mould. The main reason that we are so upset is that there have been a number of significant health concerns among the staff population that seem to be directly linked to the state of these buildings. They include –
Teachers passing out in certain classrooms, the room being ‘condemned’ and then a couple of years later being used again.
Teachers being off work due to respiratory illnesses, including young, healthy staff with no previous medical issues.
Teachers experiencing severe migraines when spending significant time in certain classrooms, that then cease completely when removed from that environment.
Teachers having to receive weekly respiratory testing as they have developed lung issues.
Pupils with asthma having sever attacks in certain buildings of the school and their timetables having to be adjusted accordingly.
As the majority of us are ex-pats, we know that there is a limit to the amount of fuss that we can make with regard to this. Perhaps as we are ex-pats the level of outrage at this issue will be reduced, but there are Caymanian kids who are exposed to the same health risks everyday.
We should be able to go to our jobs/school without being concerned about significant long term health risks.
My child attended CIFEC last year. No medical issues whatsoever until attending that school. During the year that she was there she collapsed twice and had multiple asthma attacks (her asthma had not been aggravated since she was around 6 years old – to the extent where we no longer had an inhaler and had to get a new prescription).
Going in for parents evenings/ open evenings you could see that the place is literally falling down, stinks of damp, termite dust everywhere.
They don’t care about the kids or the teachers at this school (or any of the others probably). So long as they get to spend tens of millions on new shiny buildings that they can say are their ‘legacy’.
Bunch of absolute jokers
They don’t care about the kids or the teachers at this school (or any of the others probably). So long as they get to spend tens of millions on new shiny buildings that they can say are their ‘legacy’.
Bunch of absolute jokers
My son went to CIFEC. One his teachers i think automotive was off school for a long time because he have breathing issues in the classroom he was supposed to use. I guess maybe it is mould rather than asbestos but still it isn’t right that they let our children go to this place.
i normally lambast cig for every nonsensical story on cns…but i can’t see anything here where they have done something wrong.
they have followed international protocols perfectly.
I’ve seen the insides of this place – there’s nothing ‘safe’ about it
You might not want them to go poking around the schools on the Brac too much. Just saying.
Asbestos was mostly used as blown-in fireproofing in large industrial buildings, sprayed-on accoustical ceiling (popcorn ceiling) and pipe lagging in places that required heating. To a lesser degree were asbestos-containing ceiling tiles, transite board (cooling towers), floor tile. linoleum tile backing, and other miscellaneous locations.
As I’ve already said, when the production of asbestos was banned, the SALE was not, and so there are likely some materials that were installed here in the 80s. Not likely the big scary friable ones.
People like to raise the asbestos specter and claim that various buildings are ‘contaminated’. I would seriously doubt that the Brac schools have any, unless it is floor tile. If it IS floor tile, it is bound up and not hazardous, unless some fool wanted to use a grinder to make it into powder. Even then, it was rare for floor tile to have more than 20% in it. It was used as a binder.
If you know something about the Brac Schools, I suggest you contact Mr. Mark with your concerns. He’s a good man and will do the right thing. Otherwise, I think you’re just jumping on the pretend in-the-know fearmongering wagon.
CNS, can we have a smartass button please.
You and Assbestos have something in common
When I was a kid we used to pull up the floor tiles in school, break them to pieces and throw them at each other.
I learned 10 years later they were asbestos tile. Rough school, good times.
You think it hurt you by touching it? Only when the fibers are very small and respirated is there a danger, and even then, it is by prolonged, long-term exposure.
Know what used to be the biggest offender? Clutch and brake linings, especially of big trucks. Floor tile? You would literally have to work at it with power tools to make it dangerous, and then intentionally breath it. … for a long time.
With this government, asbestos is the least of our worries.
When the health and safety issues surfaced at CHHS the response was that if only 0.02% of students and 0.06% of teachers complained – the issue must be of minimal importance. This shows that the authorities have little respect and are willing to fool us with meaningless statistics which are used to trivialize the issue. Question: who complains anyway because nobody listens?
I suspect that the same applies to CIFEC. Just waiting for Mickey Mouse to throw us some numbers as evidence that nothing is wrong.
of course! lol….like they dismissed mold in glass house as safe? ha ha ha…ZZZZZ
oh yeah …the glass house..whats the latest on that????
perfect representation of the failures of caymanian self governance.
huge derelict gov building left to rot beside their new building…laughable.
Intact asbestos materials (such as insulation) pose no risk while, for example, being situated between walls. It is only when being installed or broken about do microfibers enter the air. No need to be alarmist about this.
70% of the buildings in New York city have asbestos. Asbestos wasnt banned from new buildings in NYC until 1989. About one third of US schools have some asbestos materials.
What happens during the demolition? For the people in the surrounding homes? Should we be concerned?
You are mostly right. Insulation, is by definition ‘friable’, however if blown-in insulation is truly between walls, it is contained. We are talking about a situation in which demolition is involved. Therefore, if demolition involves these spaces, then it must be mitigated before that. Nothing ‘alarmist’ about that. Often blown-in insulation is in an air plenum. In that instance, it is a hazard, regardless of demolition.
Your statistics are incorrect. Asbestos production was banned in the U.S. in 1982. The installation of old existing materials was not banned, and therefore stocked asbestos materials continued to be installed. Asbestos was banned in new buildings in 1984. Federal. NESHAPS. OSHA. NIOSH overview and compliance.
AHERA — Asbestos Hazard Emergency REsponse Act — was created for mitigation of asbestos containing building materials. That was in 1986. ALL schools were sampled and mitigated.
Many U.S. government organizations got on board at that time, sensing the blood in the water. USPS, in particular, had ALL of their building — even those that were leased — sampled and mitigated, because they knew that when the regulation came down, if would be more expensive.
Asbestos is perfectly ok if stabilised in place properly so it does not release fibres. However I wouldn’t trust DoE to supervise the demolition or the trucking of the asbestos waste all through town safely to the dump where it can be properly laid to rest. I pity the people down wind when the demolition and removal starts. Hope for rainy days when it does.
They would have relied upon UK standards. I don’t think they would have run roughshod over this. We will see.
I guess you meant to say DoEH not DoE. The former has far better supervision capacity and credibility than the latter.
DoE isn’t the problem, it’s the cowboy Jamaican employees and contractors that will be the issue.
You tell them to do X by the rules? you better believe they are doing X by so far out of the rules that it’s probably a Y you are receiving. All whilst nodding and smiling to your face.
Prevention is better than cure.
Rubbers!
JuJu is abominable. Instead of addressing and fixing a real problem that endangers thousands of people, she is blowing 60 million bucks on an uneccesary and unwanted Brac school and temporary housing.
Thousands? An unknown quantity of asbestos in one school? Settle down Francis. Asbestos was a serious issue, but it is unlikely that it is much of an issue here. Even the worst case of incredibly friable material being just busted up without any mitigation efforts wouldn’t ‘endanger thousands’.
I get it. You are either scared or you like being angry. There is much these days to be angry about, but let us get our facts straight first before we go off all half-cocked* and feel like fools afterward. I don’t necessarily trust all facets of the government either, but I want to KNOW what is going on before I go crazy. Yes, I think $50M for a new high school on the Brac bluff is a LOT, not that it matters.
*much better to do our research and be ‘fully cocked’ 😀
First mold now asbestos!
What about those little ones, some with comprimised immune systems in the early intervention centre on that site?
What about staff and students who are asthmatic?
I understand staff first knew of the asbestos when they read the article in the Compass (since replaced).
The CIFEC site has been a tear down for a decade and conveniently overlooked for self grandising projects.
Message to the ministry
Take better care of your staff
and students, the country is watching.
Unless the asbestos is breaking down, there would be zero impact on immune systems or asthma. Look it up on Google.
Next moldy asbestos!
The term they are looking for is “friable”, which means able to crush with moderate hand pressure. If small amounts of asbestos-containing building (ACBM) material are present in rigid structures, such as floor tile, some cementitious board, etc. it is usually considered nonhazardous. However, in the U.S., Europe and many other areas, even those ‘bound-up’ ACBM would be required by regulations to be safely removed prior to demolition.
Often, a certified industrial hygienist would be required on-site to conduct air monitoring and analyse those samples. Phase Contrast Microscopy can be used on-site by a trained hygienist to ensure safe levels are met. For mitigation and final clearance of friable material removed, Transmission Electron Microscopy is used, which cannot be performed on site do to the size of the lab equipment. I don’t know, but would guess the nearest analytical laboratory is in Miami. Samples can certainly be air freighted.
A bit more detailed information from government would be useful in this case. Quite likely some or all of the above was done.
Maybe I’m not understanding why parents and teachers weren’t made aware… I would think all reports done for education would be available to them? So are students, teachers and parents not taking the time to read these reports or was it not provided to them?
Seems that ministry in particular have made it a habit to work in secrecy so I wouldn’t be surprised but if it affects them they should’ve received a copy of the inspection report and every report done….
Just off the cuff — and I am 8:20 above and very knowledgeable on the subject — I would guess that they brought in professionals from the U.S., much as they did with the mold specialists on the Brac after Hurricane Paloma, and they mitigated the problem. I would guess that they thought they could just assure the DEH that UK standards were met (we have none of our own), and life would go on.
However, once they story broke, they should have laid out in detail the measures taken, because most of us are already on the edge and more than willing to be angry.
FWIW, it is my belief, as an industry professional, that proper measures were taken, although I can’t certify that, as I was not involved.
Madame Premier is leading a well run ship, praises to her and the team!
CNS, can you add a “LOL” button please to the comments? I’m not sure which of the 2 to push with respect to this one.
We will see. I am hopeful.
“We understand the public’s concerns about asbestos. However, technical experts advise that the hazard only exists if asbestos particles become airborne through disturbance. Based on this advice, we can confirm there is no health risk to anyone at CIFEC from asbestos exposure,”
Thank Jah that we have some well-mannered, follow the rules, health and safety abiding Jamaicans running the project.
I wait to see the next CMR article about someone fly tipping this shit on some poor sods side street.
it’s good we have found it, just a shame that “Israel”, “Diesel” and “Bad man” will just dump it whatever they deem fit, right after they hang their shite and oxtail left overs on the native trees.
Welcome to Jamrock
Yeah man, dismiss it and itll go away like the rest of the mess right?
#worldclass.
Same reason the Glasshouse is still an eyesore, too afraid to deal with it.
it’s sad that our government won’t tell the truth about things like this.
DEH used to ensenerat formaldehyde in the 1990 and 2000 from clinical places that was expired?
Did you mean “incinerate”? If you mean to state that the DEH incinerated expired formaldehyde, you will have to provide a citation which demonstrates that isn’t a safe practice. To my knowledge, incineration in an approved waste treatment facility is acceptable, particularly if the formaldehyde has been neutralised.
The U.S. EPA has guidelines for such actions:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-04/documents/a_citizens_guide_to_incineration.pdf
Not everything that is burned results in a hazard. Compounds that are incinerated are often combined with other compounds to make them burn clean and up to 99% of purity. Some compounds, such as PCBs, should never be incinerated, because they become more hazardous. That is part of what makes PCBs so dangerous. Formaldehyde is an organic compound that is easily vaporised.
….have our blaoted “parlimentarians” meet there for a sitting or two, then……
If it’s of no concern then move the staff of the Ministry and the Department of Education Services in there. We’ll wait.
I want Juju to me my doctor as well as head of government. She is so smart and knows EVERYTHING.
Asbestos for the rest of us serenity now!
Another school that needs to be demolished and rebuilt? There’s a pattern here and it’s very worrying. Like government spending isn’t out of control already…
Remember, the CIREBA cartel convinced everyone that buildings have a 25 year shelf life.
Education ironies.
Whatever happened to the asbestos and mould problems at the Glass House?
If you ignore them long enough they go away all by themselves. Civil Service motto.