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School teachers reportedly in danger of asbestos exposure

Throughout South Carolina and the rest of the nation, parents and teachers are scrambling to gather supplies for a new school year. Children are enjoying their last hurrahs of summer vacation and soon classrooms will once again be bustling with academic activity; in fact, those that have start dates early in August are already in full swing. At this time of year, many parents have to send to the kids to school with allergy medications; however, many are unaware that their children are at risk for more than just seasonal allergies as some schools are high risk zones for asbestos exposure.

Teachers in the United States are apparently two times likelier to die of asbestos-related diseases than others in their communities. There are more than 100,000 primary and secondary schools in the nation, and most of them are thought to contain asbestos-laden items. The older school buildings are at greatest risk for the dangers of asbestos exposure.

All school employees and students are protected under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, which states that public and some private schools owe a duty to teachers, students and other workers to keep them safe from asbestos exposure. School administrators are obligated to provide parents all known information concerning asbestos risks to which their children may be exposed during school hours. Parents are also cautioned to pay close attention to the items children use at school and in their free time, such as toys, cosmetics and many art supplies that contain asbestos.

Asbestos exposure often leads to very serious illnesses, including many that adversely affect the heart and lungs. Any parent concerned with a particular situation in South Carolina may request a meeting with an attorney in the area experienced in such matters. This is a good means for seeking clarification of the asbestos laws and regulations and for obtaining assistance to file a claim if warranted.

Source: The Huffington Post, “3 Key Steps to Protecting Your Kids from Asbestos at School“, Linda Reinstein, Aug. 11, 2017

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