17:00 - 19:30, International Conference Hall
Plenary Session 3
Empowerment of Victims and Their Families
Chairs: Natori Yuji and Annie Debaud-Mony
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 21 | Announcement of Construction by Principal |
| April | Inquiry about latent asbestos by parent. Ward said 'May exist but we do not touch'. |
| July 5 | Construction started |
| July 7 | Removal of Ceiling, Parent found Asbestos |
| July 8 | Removal of Wall |
| July 9 | Removal of Asbestos-contain boards in Pantry and Bathroom |
| July 10 | Removal of concrete block wall Scattered Sprayed Asbestos and Fine particles |
| July 14 | Conference with parents and ward 1 |
| July 15 | Sealed the Partition Removal of 17 points of sprayed asbestos |
| July 17 | Parents' association assigned investigator |
| July 19 | Ward approved asbestos exposure Construction stopped |
| July 21 | Moved infants and 1-year olds to 1st floor |
| July 28 | Conference 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 18 | Press revealed spray asbestos exposure |
| August 20 | Conference between parents and ward 3 Ward's apology for concealing |
| August 23 | Children moved to 1st floor or other nursery |
| September 8 | Lecture by asbestos specialists |
| October 25 | 1st meeting of Advisory Committee |
| November- May 2000 | Asbestos removal from building while all children moved to other nursery |
| June 2000 | Returned to the asbestos-free building |
| June 2001 | Questionnaire about children's Health by parents |
| March 10,11, 2002 | Interim reports by Advisory committee |
| August 29, 30, 2003 | Presentation of Final report draft by Advisory committee |
| March 7,9, 2004 | Presentation of measures for children's health |
| April 9 | 1st meeting of Specialists committee |