The UK government has identified a further 17 schools and colleges where concrete is at risk of collapse, taking the overall tally to 231.
At the start of the school year, it was revealed that many educational facilities were found to have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete – known as RAAC. This type of concrete is deemed to be unsafe as once it’s absorbed moisture, it may lose its structural integrity.
After 214 schools and colleges were found to contain RAAC, an update from the Department for Education (DfE) said more had now been identified.
The news that some of these buildings may be extremely unsafe has thrown plans into disarray, with thousands of pupils facing school closures and delays to the term.
RAAC was used from the 1950s until the mid-90s and government ministers have said that hundreds of schools may be affected. The DfE also urged education leaders to return building surveys to the department to identify any suspected RAAC.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan told MPs on the education select committee that the buildings constructed in the target era have now submitted their responses.
“Now we do expect there will be some more because as we go back for follow-up survey work we will identify a few more,” she said.
“There will only be probably a handful more cases because it’s definitely massively slowed down.”
The latest additions to the list of potentially unsafe buildings include the following:
The new schools and colleges listed are:
• Abingdon and Witney College
• Barnet and Southgate College
• Bramhall High School
• Cheadle Hulme High School
• Fairfields School
• Featherstone High School
• Glade Academy
• Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School
• Hodge Hill College
• Pewley Down Infant School
• Royal School, Manchester
• Shadwell Primary School
• St James Academy
• St John Fisher Catholic Primary School
• St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School
• St Thomas’ Church of England Primary School Stockport
• Stour Valley Community School
• The Oldham College
Concrete Safety
News of more schools being at risk highlights the importance of concrete safety. Indeed, if you know of any structures made from this dangerous type of concrete then it’s essential that you inform local authorities who can take steps to have it replaced. Failure to do so may put the public at risk.
As well as replacing this dangerous type of concrete, it’s also crucial to repair a structure if it’s become damaged or cracked.
While some cracks obviously require more urgent attention than others, it’s still a good idea to tackle any signs of wear and tear while they’re still in their early stages before they get worse.
If you have any concrete repairs that need to be carried out, get in touch as our vast experience in this area can help restore your structure to its former glory.