What does Selfridges, a London department store, closing its window display have to do with asbestos and who cares?
Well, think of Macy’s. Or Saks. In the US, both have very prominent display windows and it would be noticed if they were closed indefinitely. Selfridges has closed the window display in its flagship London department store for a month after the discovery of asbestos.
Here’s the unique part. The company has taken steps to ensure that the asbestos found in the five main windows at the front of its Oxford Street store was dealt with safely and that there was no risk to public health. The store was not shut while the asbestos panels were removed.
If disturbed, asbestos can release fibers that can cause cancer. More than 4,000 people a year die from diseases related to asbestos – that is more than the annual death toll on the UK’s roads.
An article in the Independent reports that Selfridges’ communications director, Christine Watts, said the asbestos paneling was discovered about three weeks ago by experts who are currently carrying out a full survey of the building. “It was found at the top of the window frames of five out of the 26 windows. They were sealed immediately and the HSE [Health and Safety Executive] was informed. Everything was done according to HSE guidelines, with approved contractors and so on,” she said.
So calm. So orderly. If all companies acted so responsibly, we might not be facing the increasing numbers of people dying of asbestos diseases today.
The asbestos panels were removed while the store remained open. “The windows were sealed up straight away,” Ms Watts said. “The removal has been completed and now the next stage is obviously to rebuild the window frames. It’s an old building and we always check for asbestos whenever we do a refurbishment. On the occasions that it’s found, it is dealt with absolutely in line with HSE requirements.”
She declined to elaborate on the ongoing building survey: “I cannot tell you whether it may or may not be found in the future. What I can tell you is we are going beyond what’s required by doing this full and intrusive survey of the entire building. This is a business behaving with absolute propriety and with every care for people who shop and work at Selfridges.”
Corporate responsibility.
The survey should be finished by the end of November. Ms Watts said the paneling was made from brown asbestos, also known as amosite, and most commonly used in thermal insulation.
Gordon Selfridge, the founder of the store, which was built in 1909, is credited with turning the window display into an art form. Notable displays have1 featured 8,000 bath sponges, celebrations of the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 and the peace treaty which ended the First World War.
The news comes as the HSE is launching a campaign to alert tradesmen to the potential dangers of asbestos, which was widely used as insulation throughout much of the last century and any building built or refurbished before 2000 could contain it.
“It is in over 500,000 buildings in the UK; there is asbestos in Buckingham Palace, in the Houses of Parliament, everywhere. The thing to know about asbestos is if it is undisturbed, it is absolutely fine.
If it is removed and handled responsibly, it is also fine. Well done.
