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Plenary Session 3
Friday 19, November, 2004
17:00 - 19:30, International Conference Hall

Plenary Session 3
Empowerment of Victims and Their Families
Chairs: Natori Yuji and Annie Debaud-Mony

9. Parental Anti-Asbestos Activity and its Empowerment
The guardian of S nursery school , Japan


ABSTRACT:

In1999, more than 100 children (Age 0-5) were exposed to asbestos in a ward nursing school for 2 weeks. The local government missed asbestos on the blueprint and forced school building renovation during nursery in spite of misgivings by parents about latent asbestos. When nursing rooms were full of dust and asbestos, the officer@neither stopped it nor let the children escaped.
Since the disaster became known, parents took lead in stopping construction, moving children into safe place, disclosing the truth, and taking care of the children and their parents.



Empowermentto Parental activity
(1) Participation of Parents
    -Communication
    -Sympathy in Anxiety Anger and Catharsis
    -Variety of Talent
(2) Specialists
    -Knowledge and Advices
    -Support Parental activity
(3) Supports by the Outsiders
(4) Technology and Environment
    -Internet
    -Nursing
    -Parents' association and Name lists
    -Short and Efficiency

Barriers to the Parental activity
(1) Harm to children
(2) Incompatible with Child Care
(3) Ignorance or Too much fear of Asbestos
(3) Lack of Understanding by family, co-worker,etc.

1999@
April 21Announcement of Construction by Principal
AprilInquiry about latent asbestos by parent. Ward said 'May exist but we do not touch'.
July 5Construction started
July 7Removal of Ceiling, Parent found Asbestos
July 8Removal of Wall
July 9 Removal of Asbestos-contain boards in Pantry and Bathroom
July 10Removal of concrete block wall
Scattered Sprayed Asbestos and Fine particles
July 14Conference with parents and ward 1
July 15Sealed the Partition
Removal of 17 points of sprayed asbestos
July 17Parents' association assigned investigator
July 19Ward approved asbestos exposure
Construction stopped
July 21 Moved infants and 1-year olds to 1st floor
July 28Conference with parents and ward 2
Ward concealed sprayed asbestos exposure
Parents requested to cover the asbestos, to move to safe building, to invite specialists and to removal of asbestos.
August 18Press revealed spray asbestos exposure
August 20Conference between parents and ward 3
Ward's apology for concealing
August 23Children moved to 1st floor or other nursery
September 8Lecture by asbestos specialists
October 251st meeting of Advisory Committee
November-
May 2000
Asbestos removal from building while all children moved to other nursery
June 2000Returned to the asbestos-free building
June 2001Questionnaire about children's Health by parents
March 10,11, 2002Interim reports by Advisory committee
August 29, 30, 2003Presentation of Final report draft by Advisory committee
March 7,9, 2004Presentation of measures for children's health
April 91st meeting of Specialists committee