The TUC is calling on the government to publish a national risk register for all public buildings in the wake of the Raac crisis.
The union organisation warned that the issue in schools is likely to be the “tip of the iceberg”, with hospitals, libraries, community centres and other public buildings also at risk.
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “The school buildings fiasco has been a disaster years in the making.
The government has repeatedly blocked school leaders, teachers, support staff and their unions’ requests for information on the safety of school buildings— Paul Nowak, TUC
“Unions have consistently warned about the danger of crumbling classrooms but have been dismissed and ignored.
“It shouldn’t have taken another roof collapsing for the government to act.
“Across our public estate, including in our hospitals, libraries, community centres and courts, we have buildings at risk from Raac, asbestos and other severe structural problems.
“That is why today we are calling on the government to urgently publish a national risk register for all public buildings.”
Mr Nowak said people deserve to know the buildings they work in and use are safe, claiming that a “culture of secrecy” has prevented good decision-making and put lives at risk.
He added: “The government has repeatedly blocked school leaders, teachers, support staff and their unions’ requests for information on the safety of school buildings.
“We need the government to commit to a programme of capital investment that repairs and rebuilds our public estate.”
