News source: JusticeNewsFlash.com Mesothelioma News Engine – Steel valley, Pennsylvania: An elementary school at Munhall was closed second time in a row due to the presence of asbestos at its roof. Both the teachers and parents met with the asbestos supervisor Don Horgan of Allegheny County Health Department and the director of Environment Safety and Trainings Joseph Grad at Park Elementary School to talk about eight samples of roof taken from the Park Elementary School building.
The quiet talks soon turned into chaos when it was established that six out of eight roof samples were positive for asbestos. The main cause of ire among parents was the fact that the school took eight days to inform about the asbestos contamination. In addition, the district did not inform the health department until 11 September.
What was even more frightening was the fact that William Kinavey, the Superintendent of the school reopened the school even when the asbestos results were negative. The testing for the presence of asbestos was conducted only in two rooms of the Park Elementary School. When Pam Terrick, the president of Acting Board asked school administrators to write to the parents at 9 September, Dr. Kinavey refrained from making correspondence to the Park parents, as he did not wish to create panic amongst them. The reason behind this was the assurance by the officials of the health department where the asbestos found in the roof material was not airborne thereby causing no side effect. However, if the asbestos is disrupted, it would certainly lead to health hazards among children. According officials at the school, they are uncertain about number of days the school is closed. There will be a re-examination of the roof for the presence of any asbestos in the school building or air. This step will be taken in order to reassure the parents about the nil presence of asbestos at the Park Elementary School.
