Posted By Chris Pope Ask the British Occupational Hygiene Society - they have a website

Posted By Chris Packham What paint was being used? If it was water-based check whether it contained a preservative. Many do, and these can often be isothiazolinones or formaldehyde releasers. Both of these are sensitisers and can trigger asthmatic reactions. In one study report in Contact Dermatitis it was found that isothiazolinones wre being released from a painted surface 240 hours after the paint was applied! Apparently the release tends to be higher in gloss paint, although I am not sure why.

Posted By Ron Hunter The Teacher does have a case. Regulation 9(2) and application of associated guidance from the Workplace Health, Safety & Welfare Regulations 1992 - good practice - suggests these blocks should be painted to enable the surfaces to be kept clean. I would expect any Teaching Union safety rep. to be aware of and seek compliance with this requirement.

Posted By Paul Leadbetter Following my posting of the original message on the UKOH Forum, I have received this reply: As a Mother of a son with a dust allergy, I think the staff at the school have every right to be concerned. Just because other institutions have used the same cost cutting building design, does not mean that it does not have its problems. Would a first year student in a hall of residence and suffering from a dust allergy have any voice in the matter? I also once stayed in a hotel with rough walls and made a mental not to stay there again as I considered it revolting to stay in a room with walls that are uncleanable. As a housewife, I know that even smooth walls collect a great deal of dust, and a rough wall is impossible to clean. Just because you can't see it, it doesn't mean to say the dust isn't there. As an occupational hygienist, most of the dust in the classroom I guess would be paper and skin, the skin portion, with the associated mites, fungi spores etc being the root of any problem. These are respiratory sensitisers and as such should be kept as far below any limit as is reasonably practicable and with walls you cannot clean this is patently not so. After some while, any settled dust will become airborne in draughts and when the children brush against it. With normal walls, the dust would fall to the floor and be swept up at the end of the day, the walls probably being cleaned at the end of term. It would be interesting to know if the staff have personal experience in the past of the walls' deficiencies or whether it is just 'gut feeling'. They may have read something in the teaching press which may mean that there is a traceable reference. Paul