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One of the factors that suggests possible health-related hazards for South Carolina school students and faculties is how old their school buildings happen to be. In another state, the answer seems to be, “very old” in general, with the average public school building standing 50 years or longer. This places everyone who enters such buildings at great risk for asbestos exposure.

When the Baby Boomer generation “boomed,” various consequences occurred, one being that it prompted a need for more school buildings to house the ever-growing population at the time. The problem is that many states still operate such schools, which have been standing for decades and often contain dangerous microscopic particles that can make people extremely ill. Back then, it was quite common for floor tiles, insulation and other building products to be heavily laden with asbestos.

Since then, laws have changed as awareness of asbestos-related dangers has risen. Even though regulations regarding use or removal of asbestos are very strict, it doesn’t negate the fact that the older buildings containing asbestos are not only still standing but still being used, thus posing health hazards to all who enter them. In New Jersey, in fact, classes had to be canceled recently due to grave concerns regarding possible asbestos danger.

The fallout from asbestos exposure is well known nowadays. Many people who worked in steel mills, coal mines, shipyards and other factories and buildings in the 1960s and 1970s now suffer debilitating illnesses related to their work because they ingested microscopic asbestos particles into their lungs without knowing. If a South Carolina employer was (or is) negligent in his or her duties to provide appropriate information, training and safety equipment to avoid asbestos danger, an injured worker may seek legal accountability and compensation for damages in court.

Source: courierpostonline.com, “Legacy of asbestos in NJ’s aging schools“, Marie Blistan, Dan Fatton, Oct. 27, 2017