PALATINATE Durham’s Official Student Newspaper celebrating 75 years
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Thursday 12th January 2023 | No. 857
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Profile interview Sunday Telegraph editorAllister Heath
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Indigo preview exciting Epiphany events p3
Students criticise Universty for lack of support during recent rail strikes Waseem Mohamed and Emily Doughty News Editors Over three-quarters of students polled by Palatinate said that Durham University should have taken action to reduce the impact of the recent rail strikes, which have caused widespread disruption to many students who were travelling to make it back to Durham in time for the start of Epiphany term. 77% of the some 1,112 participants of Palatinate’s poll agreed with the statement that the University should take action to reduce the impact of rail strikes on students, such as by putting lectures online or delaying the start of term. It comes as a separate poll of 1,164 students revealed that just over half of students “definitely” had their journeys impacted due to the strikes. Multiple students have criticised the University for its lack of action during the rail strikes. One thirdyear student commented that they “massively think that the University should’ve put in support and mitigations”, while another student said that a “hybrid” system of Continued on Page 4
Students arrive late to Durham train station at the start of Epiphany term due to extensive train strikes (Thomas Tomlinson)
Over 1264 incidents of asbestos found in College owned accommodation buildings Emily Doughty and Nicole Wu News Editor and Editor-in-Chief An investigation conducted by Palatinate has found that Durham University accommodation contains over 1264 incidents of asbestos. 74 accommodation buildings across 10 different colleges were found to contain asbestos during audits conducted in 2016 and again in 2021. Freedom of Information data from Durham University revealed of the recorded incidents, 214 of the incidents of asbestos were given a material score of 10 or above - this accounts for 19% of all the asbestos recorded in college accommodation buildings. The UK Government’s Health and
Safety Executive (HSE) regulation marks the material score of asbestos out of 12. The material score assesses the condition of the asbestos, between 10 and 12 is considered “as having a high potential to release fibres and therefore hazardous”. The UK registered charity, Asthma and Lung UK, state on their website that: “If asbestos inside buildings remains intact, it poses very little risk. It’s only when it’s damaged or disturbed that tiny asbestos fibres can be released into the air and enter your lungs when breathing. Breathing in asbestos fibres can damage your lungs and their lining.” It is estimated by HSE that 5000 deaths a year in the UK are caused by asbestos. In a statement to Palatinate, a
Durham University spokesperson said: “We recognise and act on our responsibilities under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and have full confidence in the asbestos safety of our accommodation buildings.” The University has also recently been given a 5* rating in an audit by the British Safety Council. In analysis of the data, it was found that Trevelyan College contained the most incidents of asbestos, with 318 cases of asbestos recorded within the college’s main building. Van Mildert College’s main building contained the second most, with the college’s main building containing 89 cases of asbestos. Van Mildert College also contained the block with the highest
proportion of asbestos considered “hazardous”. Derwent Building contains 36 incidents of asbestos, with 26 of these cases having a material score of over 10. College of St Hild and St Bede contained the second most cases of asbestos, with 215 incidents across the accommodation buildings on the main site. This was followed by Van Mildert College which contained 149 cases and University (Castle) College which contained 104 cases. St Mary’s College contained 99 cases, St Cuthbert’s Society contained 95 cases and Collingwood College, with the third least incidents of asbestos at 88. St Aidan’s College had the second least amount with 78
incidents, with Hatfield containing only 21 cases. The audits received by Palatinate through the Freedom of Information request contained assessments of the material score of almost all recorded asbestos. Not including data which did not have a material score, in 2016 27% of asbestos was ranked as between 1 and 3, 42% was ranked between 4 and 6. Only 8% of cases were ranked as between 7 and 9, while 23% were ranked between 10 and 12 and therefore have a “high potential to release fibres” and “hazardous”. In 2021, while the cases of asbestos ranked as 1 to 3 rose to 29%, the amount between 4 and 6 Continued on Page 3