Council cannot find gas safety certificate for Balmuildy Primary School after carbon monoxide leak

East Dunbartonshire Council has reported itself to the Health and Safety Executive after it admitted it could not find a gas safety certificate for a Bishopbriggs school at the centre of a carbon monoxide leak.
10.12.12 Photograph Jamie Forbes.  BISHOPBRIGGS. Balmuildy Primary School.10.12.12 Photograph Jamie Forbes.  BISHOPBRIGGS. Balmuildy Primary School.
10.12.12 Photograph Jamie Forbes. BISHOPBRIGGS. Balmuildy Primary School.

Emergency services rushed to Balmuildy Primary School last Thursday and Almost 400 children and their teachers had to be evacuated.

The council said today that it has been unable to locate the paperwork for an inspection that took place in May 2019.

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Thomas Glen, Depute Chief Executive for Place Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets said: “The last inspections of the backup gas boiler at Balmuildy

Primary School took place in May 2019 and June 2018 as part of our asset inspection for our wider insurance programme.

“The Council has been unable to locate a copy of the current gas safety certificate for Balmuildy Primary school, despite extensive searches.

“The Council’s gas safety inspections are carried out by independent third party contractors. The Council is currently liaising with the relevant

contractor with a view to securing a copy.

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“However, as a result of being unable to locate a copy internally, further investigations are ongoing and the Council has made contact with the Health & Safety Executive given the seriousness of this matter.

“In addition the Council would confirm that the gas boiler at Balmuildy Primary School was decommissioned on Saturday 22 February and monitoring

has been underway at the school since that point. All monitors remain clear.”

The school, which had been closed while an investigation was carried out after the leak, was deemed safe and reopened on Tuesday.

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However, it is understood a number of parents have complained that their children are still suffering from sickness and dizziness.

Some have kept their children away from school.

Ann Davie, Depute Chief Executive for Education, People & Business said: “We are listening to parents concerns and have given a commitment to

provide them with regular updates and the information that they have requested in relation to the school.

“Carbon Monoxide monitors are already in place in Balmuildy Primary and have been operating since Saturday 22 February, showing no traces of the

gas.

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“Additional monitors were installed across the school when it reopened on Tuesday 25 February and all monitor readings remain clear. We are aware

that some children were reporting that they had felt unwell on Tuesday, but there have been no reports of sickness in school since then.

“Myself and other senior officers have visited the school daily since it reopened and are working with the Head Teacher and school staff to provide

reassurance and support to the school community.

“The Council has given a commitment to review our policy on carbon monoxide monitors in schools. Current regulations require schools built after 2013

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to have CO monitors fitted but this does not apply to older buildings.

“We are beginning a programme to install monitors in all schools and hope that this will provide some reassurance for everyone working and learning

there. Given the situation at Balmuildy Primary School we are of course ensuring that documentation is in place in all schools.”