RAAC IN RAILWAY BUILDINGS

Our ref: HSR/2/1

Head Office Circular: NP/191/23

27^th October 2023

To: The Secretary

ALL BRANCHES

REGIONAL COUNCILS

 

 

Dear Colleague,

 

RAAC IN RAILWAY BUILDINGS

 

Your Leicestershire and Rutland Branch submitted the following resolution: 

 

This branch notes with concern and sudden reports in the media of RAAC found in some schools and acknowledged to be present in some public buildings.

 

Branch members also note that the presence of RAAC in a building may render it to be unstable and liable, in some cases to sudden collapse without warning as has already happened at Singlewell Primary School in Kent. In a HSE statement, it has been reported that RAAC may be present in a number of public buildings constructed between the mid-1950s to 1990s.

 

This branch calls on the General Secretary to find the most efficient, fastest and effective means to secure accurate, precise and current information on the identification of any railway buildings found to contain RAAC.  Further that the General Secretary request an urgent Risk Assessment of their safety for Railway Employees and members of the Public.

 

All of this to be done as soon as possible and with urgency.

 

Your National Executive Committee, at its meeting on 24^th October 2023, noted and adopted the following report from its Health and Safety Sub-committee

 

We note the dreadful situation that the UK Government have allowed to develop regarding RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete), letting this get to a stage where last September, the Office for Government Property (OGP) issued a safety briefing notice to all property leaders warning RAAC is “now life expired and liable to collapse”.

 

We note the work already done by RMT in relation to Network Rail and TfL and ascertaining their RAAC registers and actions taken to address the problem.  

 

We instruct the General Secretary to write to write to the Secretary of State for Transport to demand that they must follow steps taken by Department of Education, which is to compile an asset register of buildings where RAAC is present, advise on controls taken to address this issue and provide timetable for doing the work - and the General Secretary to demand that this information is shared with RMT.

 

I am acting in line with these instructions. Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of relevant members. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary