An official health and safety report issued earlier this week has revealed that the service shafts at the 170-year-old Palace of Westminster in London, home to England’s Parliament, pose “significant dangers to all persons” due to the presence of asbestos.

According to an article in The Telegraph, the investigation revealed 200 places throughout the palace where asbestos contamination was present, and heath and safety experts Goddard Consulting said the problem is not being dealt with properly.

“We became aware of significant dangers and risks to the health and safety of persons not only gaining access and working in the risers [service shafts] and ducts but generally to all persons within the Palace of Westminster,” the report said.

Examples of asbestos concerns included an access door from a Commons kitchen to an asbestos-contaminated shaft which was often left open when the room became overheated, allowing asbestos particles to make their way into the kitchen.

“On opening this door cold air rushes in and it was like standing in a wind tunnel,” the report states. “Asbestos fibers would be readily dispersed in the kitchen areas if the dust and debris was disturbed in the riser in any way.”

The report makes it clear that palace authorities have been ignoring previous reports as to the presence of asbestos throughout the building. Over half of 20 samples taken from four service shafts last August showed presence of “amosite”, or brown asbestos, the article points out. Amosite is the most toxic form of the mineral.

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