Page 20 - A National Asbestos Strategy

IMPLEMENT THE AIC
Testing and Review
Given that younger individuals are at higher risk of developing asbestos-related diseases, the initial
focus should be on locations frequented by the youngest, starting with schools.13 The proposal
is to begin in a few selected regions, where asbestos data from schools will be reviewed and
converted into the AIC format. This review will be undertaken only by approved organisations and
personnel. This methodology will provide the first opportunity to test the artificial intelligence,
machine learning and natural language processing tools developed to produce the AIC’s. Once
finalised, the approach should roll out to all schools and premises used by young people.
Asbestos Information CIC will review the outcome and, where necessary, amend the assessment
methodology and the developed tools. During this period, work would also be undertaken to
integrate data from the Ordnance Survey into the systems.
Implementation
Following pilot work, historical asbestos data from schools will be reviewed, added to the database,
and flagged for review during the next annual re-inspection. Data from UK schools will then be
thoroughly assessed, allowing for revised AIC’s and a strategic review of asbestos risk management
in schools. Asbestos products will be classified based on risk, location, and condition, with national-
level input from the government, school leaders, trade unions, and industry experts.
This data will help identify sites containing the highest-risk materials, allowing work to be prioritised
and a national remediation strategy to be developed. The data will guide funding allocation and
assess the cost impact of asbestos on Net Zero projects within the education sector.
Once completed, a national strategy for asbestos removal in schools can be
developed, similar to the government’s plan for Energy Performance Certificates,
which focuses on buildings rated F and G.
While costs are challenging to estimate due to varying data quality, Asbestos Information CIC
projects that forming and populating the database for schools, along with issuing AIC’s, could be
completed for between £15 and £23 million, similar to the cost of school condition audits.
13 UK Health and Safety Executive. Relative Vulnerability of Children to Asbestos Compared to Adults. UK Government, 25 Feb. 2019,
www.gov.uk/government/publications/relative-vulnerability-of-children-to-asbestos-compared-to-adults
www.asbestosinformation.org.uk
20