DEMOLITION work will continue this week at the old Altona West Primary School, after parents raised concerns for their children’s safety from asbestos exposure.

About 60 parents from Altona Prep-9 College signed a petition requesting demolition of the old Altona West Primary School be halted until the end of term, during the school holidays.

Altona College principal Nathan Chisholm said parents were informed on 12 July that asbestos had been removed, that the site was safe and the next stage would begin.

He said the school was aware that three children were absent due to the building works.

“Detailed environmental audits, clearance certificates and air monitoring results were all undertaken before the works begun,” he said.

He said asbestos had been removed from old buildings under the strictest of safety guidelines during the school holidays.

WorkSafe also visited the site on several occasions and found no safety issues involving asbestos.

“This demolition work now poses no risk to students, staff or community and the remaining asbestos in the ground will be removed when there are no students at school, on a weekend,” he said.

Maurice Blackburn Lawyers expressed concern after learning the work was set to begin on 14 July while children were attending the school.

Maurice Blackburn principal Andrew Dimsey said that asbestos was a known carcinogen with no safe level of exposure.

“It has a latency period of 15-50 years and the 35-year average means that we need to take even greater care with children,” he said.

“Even low risks should be avoided if possible and demolition works which may result in kids being exposed to deadly asbestos dust should be carried out outside term time to reduce or eliminate the risk.

“While the statistical risk of developing mesothelioma is low, it remains a risk.”