Government Decree on the Safety of Asbestos Work (798/2015) and the Government Decree on the amendment to the Government Decree on the Safety of Asbestos Work (886/2025). Comes into force on 21 December 2025 and partially on 21 December 2026.

Contents

Section 1 Scope of application | Section 2 Definitions | Section 3 Assessing and limiting exposure | Section 3 a Limit values and measurement of exposure | Section 4 Enclosure of the exposure area and working in the area | Section 5 Service space | Section 6 Specific instruction and guidance | Section 6 a Qualifications of an asbestos removal worker | Section 7 Asbestos surveys | Section 8 Safety plan in writing | Section 9 Advance notice | Section 10 Management and supervision of asbestos removal work | Section 11 Principles of safe asbestos removal work | Section 12 Working methods for asbestos removal work | Section 13 Additional requirements concerning the use of enclosures | Section 14 Use of personal protective equipment and testing their operation | Section 14 a Use of work equipment and testing their operation | Section 15 Ensuring the cleanliness of the exposure area and its safe use later | Section 16 Asbestos survey on a ship | Section 17 Asbestos work carried out on a foreign shipyard

Section 31, subsection 3 enters into force on 21 December 2026: When assessing a worker's exposure to asbestos, only such fibrous asbestos particles are taken into account whose length is five micrometres at the minimum and whose diameter is three micrometres at the maximum, and where the relation between the length and the diameter is 3:1 or more.

Until the entry into force of section 3a, subsection 3, the requirements of section 3 of the previous Decree (798/2015) are applied: When assessing a worker's exposure to asbestos, only such fibrous particles are taken into account whose length is five micrometres at the minimum and whose diameter is three micrometres at the maximum, and where the relation between the length and the diameter is 3:1 or more. The concentration of asbestos fibres in the breathing air inside the respirator may not exceed 0.01 fibres per cm3.

Section 31, subsection 4 enters into force on 21 December 2026: The asbestos fibres in the air shall be measured using electron microscopy or any other method brought about by technological development that guarantees the equivalent analytical accuracy.

Section 14, subsection 4 enters into force on 21 December 2026: All asbestos work where compliance with the limit value laid down in section 3a, subsection 1 of the Decree requires the use of a respirator that seals to the face, the sealing and fit to the face must be tested before first use, whenever operating conditions change, and at least once per year thereafter. The fit test is performed while the worker is wearing the respirator using a quantitative method, either controlled negative pressure (CNP) or ambient particle counting (APC) or other method brought about by technological development that can produce an equally reliable test result. The test results must be documented.

Until sections 3a(4) and 14(4) enter into force, section 14(3) of the previous Decree (798/2015) shall be applied: The respiratory protective equipment must be fit tested before use. In addition, the fit of the respiratory protective equipment must be checked at least once a year by testing the worker's breathing air inside the respirator.

Until section 6a of the Decree enters into force on 1 January 2026, the requirements of section 2 of the Act on Certain Requirements Concerning Asbestos Removal Work (684/2015) in regard to the qualifications of asbestos removal workers shall be complied with.

Section 1 Scope of application

This Decree applies to asbestos work.

Separate provisions shall be issued on licences required for asbestos work, competence of asbestos workers, and worker health examinations.

Separate provisions shall be issued on treatment of asbestos containing waste.

Guideline

The Decree applies to work that is carried out on the basis of an employment contract or to other work within the scope of application of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

At a shared workplace, the employers and other operators on the site are responsible for ensuring compliance with regulations. Therefore, at a shared workplace or worksite as those referred to in the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the regulations apply e.g. to the employer exercising the main authority (section 51), self-employed persons (section 53), and employers in the position of a general contractor (section 52). The designer (section 57) must also take into account the provisions of the Act and Decree in their planning.

In addition, the holder of a building, the port operator, or the shipowner referred to in the Occupational Safety and Health Act (sections 61 and 62) is, for their part, obliged to comply with the provisions of the Decree.

Under section 32 of the Government Decree on Waste (978/2021), the waste holder must ensure that the asbestos waste that is created during the work is collected and transported to a processing plant without delay separately from other waste.

The storage and transport of asbestos waste must be carried out using tightly sealed, durable containers with labelling that indicates that the package contains asbestos.

Containers containing asbestos waste must be handled with care in order to prevent them from breaking.

The handling of asbestos waste at landfills is regulated by the Government Decree on landfills.

The provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Waste Act apply to any handling of asbestos waste at a site different than where asbestos work / asbestos removal is carried out.

Section 2 Definitions

For the purposes of this Decree:

1) asbestos means the following fibrous silicates:
a) asbestos actinolite, CAS No 77536-66-4;
b) asbestos grunerite (amosite), CAS No 12172-73-5;
c) asbestos anthophyllite, CAS No 77536-67-5;
d) chrysotile, CAS No 12001-29-5;
e) crocidolite, CAS No 12001-28-4;
f) asbestos tremolite, CAS No 77536-68-6;
​​​​​​​g) erionite, CAS No 12150-42-8;

2) asbestos work means asbestos removal work or other handling of asbestos-containing product or substance in a way that can cause exposure to asbestos dust;

3) asbestos removal work means demolition or removal of asbestos-containing structures or technical systems, protection of such structures to be left undisturbed, asbestos demolition site clearance and other such work directly connected with demolition and removal of asbestos-containing structures that involves a risk of exposure to asbestos dust.

The provisions of this Decree concerning asbestos removal work also apply to such work in maintenance and service of asbestos containing structures and equipment in buildings and on ships where asbestos dust is created.

Guideline

Asbestos removal is the most common form of asbestos work and usually falls under construction work. Asbestos removal involves dismantling and removing structures and technical systems, protecting structures that will be kept intact, cleaning the worksite, and other work directly connected to the dismantling and removal of structures, such as installing protective shielding and handling asbestos waste.

Asbestos removal does not include the dismantling of the protective enclosure structures after the removal work concludes and the cleanliness of the site has been approved in accordance with section 15 of the Decree.

The provisions on asbestos removal work apply to the maintenance of any building or vessel where asbestos dust is created.

Asbestos removal requires a licence granted by the occupational safety and health authority. This requirement is laid down in section 3 of the Act on Certain Requirements Concerning Asbestos Removal Work (684/2015).

Under the Act, an asbestos removal licence is not required for short-term maintenance work during which friable asbestos materials or other structures are not handled in such a way that would lead to releasing asbestos fibres, nor is a licence required for work during which intact asbestos-containing materials are encapsulated or coated.

In addition, the licence is not required for asbestos surveys or other sampling activities. The scope of the survey or the number of samples does not impact the requirement for a licence.

The handling of an asbestos-containing item or material that may expose the worker to asbestos dust is considered other asbestos work. This type of work does not require an asbestos removal licence.

Asbestos work is performed, among other sites, in mines and on further processing sites where natural stone is mined and processed. The level of asbestos fibres may be high in dust generated in mining and enrichment activities.

To some extent, asbestos work is also performed during the maintenance of the vehicles of the Finnish Defence Forces and historic cars in museums.

Asbestos work is carried out when removing and scrapping acetylene gas cylinders. This work usually requires acquiring an environmental permit, and the removal is carried out in a closed process.

Asbestos work carries the risk of asbestos exposure, therefore sufficient measures to avoid exposure and comply with the requirements of the Decree must be taken.

Section 3 Assessing and limiting exposure

​​​​​​​Section 10(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002) lays down provisions on employers' duty to analyse and assess whether their employees are at risk of exposure to asbestos dust.

The employer shall ensure that asbestos work is carried out in a way where the employees' risk of exposure to asbestos is kept to a minimum and the number of workers that will or likely will experience exposure is as small as possible.

As a rule, asbestos work must be performed in a manner that does not create asbestos dust. In case this not possible due to the nature of the work, the work must be performed in a manner that releases the minimum amount of asbestos dust. In order to prevent and reduce the creation of dust, methods such as dust suppression, local exhaust ventilation, or continuous sedimentation shall be utilised.

In case of a justified suspicion that asbestos dust may be released during works where asbestos was not identified before the work commenced, the work shall be discontinued in the affected area. The work may continue only after the employer has investigated the risk of exposure and taken any necessary measures to protect workers.

Guideline

The employer must investigate the risks arising from the work and, if necessary, evaluate the residual risk to the safety and health of workers. The investigation and evaluation must be carried out in accordance with section 10 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The employer must ensure that the workers’ exposure to asbestos during the work is kept at a minimum. The employer must make sure that the risk of exposure or the likely risk of exposure affects as few workers as possible. It is also possible that a failure in protective measures, equipment failure, or other issues create a risk of exposure and affect workers in other tasks.

The employer must plan and take measures that serve to prevent and minimise the release of asbestos during the work. Work and removal methods that minimise damage to asbestos-containing materials or structures must be used in order to prevent and reduce the release of asbestos. In order to prevent the spread of any released asbestos, dust control methods or equipment such as local exhaust ventilation, sprinkling or irrigation, glove bags or other suitable methods must be used.

This section states a requirement to investigate the risk of exposure during the work and an obligation to discontinue the work. These requirements are applied if previously unidentified asbestos materials are discovered during removal or other work, during which a justified suspicion arises of the presence of asbestos in materials, structures, or soil and bedrock, and the intention is to handle these items in a manner that may release asbestos. This requirement also stipulates the obligation to report discovered asbestos to the contractor -> adding to the asbestos survey. The requirement of section 12 of the Decree still applies to materials whose asbestos concentration cannot be reliably confirmed despite conducted surveys. Such material must be considered and treated as if containing asbestos and removed using enclosures. In case it is impossible to fully ascertain the asbestos risk from the required bedrock surveys (e.g. in mines, construction of tunnels, and further processing sites), the employer must decide on monitoring and on the procedures to identify the presence of asbestos.

At shared sites, the general contractor is, for their part, responsible for ensuring the safety of the work environment in a manner that also accounts for the safe removal of structures that contain harmful materials and the risks related to their removal. The general contractor must continuously monitor the activities of the employers and self-employed persons at the workplace and their coordination, meeting of obligations, state of occupational safety and health, and the safety of work methods. This means that the general contractor must monitor the impact of the measures taken on the safety and health of the work and when necessary, take more effective action to ensure safety and health. Referring to the above, when there is a reasonable suspicion that asbestos dust has been released into the air during work in which asbestos was not identified before the start of the work, the general contractor must stop work in the affected area. In addition to the general contractor, the obligation to discontinue work under the above-listed conditions lies with individual employers.

Section 3 a Limit values and measurement of exposure

On the basis of the risk assessment and the different stages of the work, the employer must determine the need for regular measurements of air quality at the site and take the necessary action to ensure that the asbestos content in workers' breathing air does not exceed 0.01 fibres per cubic centimetre as a time weighted average over a period of eight hours.

The measurements shall be carried out in such a way that the samples represent employees' personal exposure to asbestos dust. The person carrying out the measurements must have the necessary vocational skills to take the samples needed and to assess them. The measurements shall be documented.

When assessing an employees' exposure to asbestos, only such fibrous asbestos particles are taken into account whose length is five micrometres at the minimum and whose diameter is three micrometres at the maximum, and where the relation between the length and the diameter is 3:1 or more.

The asbestos fibres in the air shall be measured using electron microscopy or any other method brought about by technological development that guarantees the equivalent analytical accuracy.

Guideline

The maximum asbestos fibre concentration (fibre content) allowed in breathing air during asbestos work is 0.01 fibres per cubic centimetre as a time weighted average over a period of eight hours.

The employer has the obligation to ensure that the risk management / protection measures to prevent exposure, such as dust control and personal protection, are sufficient. The evaluation of the sufficiency of control methods must be based on documented measurements. The employer is obliged to take the measures necessary to reduce the level of asbestos fibre to ensure that workers are not exposed to it. The employer must have measured data on the asbestos fibre concentrations that are generated in the use of the employer’s methods in the removal of different materials / handling of materials that release asbestos fibre, based on which the need for regular measurements and the necessary measures to reduce the amount of fibre must be determined. The closer to the limit value the results are, the more frequently should measurements be taken. No absolute minimum requirement has been set for the frequency of measurements. Factors that must be taken into account when determining the appropriate test frequency include newly introduced working methods and their impact on the risk of exposure. The measurements must be taken from the workplace air in the exposure area and, if necessary, outside it. Measurements should be taken from other work areas if there is a justified reason for this, such as when there is a suspicion that asbestos has spread due to equipment failure, a power outage, damaged protective equipment, or other valid reason. The assessment of the necessary frequency of measurements, which is determined on the basis of the test results, must be prepared also for work that is not carried out in isolated atmospheres. When assessing exposure, the ratio between the results of the measurement and the performance of the fit tested respirator is taken into account. The measurement obligation also applies to the removal of friable asbestos, although separate requirements for their removal are also in place. In these types of works, the measured test results can be used to assess the need for improved dust control measures or to determine appropriate break intervals in the use of respirators.

When assessing exposure, the ratio between the results of the measurement and the performance of the fit tested respirator is taken into account. The respirator must protect the worker from exposure at all times during work. The exposure is calculated as an average concentration of asbestos fibre in the air during ongoing work over a period of eight hours. Under conditions where the protection factor of the respirator is not sufficient to prevent exposure, it should be ensured that the worker does not perform continuous / back-to-back shifts at the site, and at sites with high concentrations of fibre, sufficient breaks must be ensured. Examples of maximum fibre concentration levels in the air at the workplace vs. the protection factor of the respirator below.

The employer must present measurement data that shows that the asbestos concentration in workers' breathing air does not exceed 0.01 fibres per cubic centimetre as a time weighted average over a period of eight hours. The asbestos concentration of the air inside the respirator may not exceed 0.01 fibres/cm3, meaning that the concentration in the work area may not exceed 2 fibres/cm3 when the worker is wearing a respirator with a protection factor of 200. (2 fibres/cm3: 200 = 0.01 fibres/cm3).

The asbestos concentration of the air inside the respirator may not exceed 0.01 fibres/cm3. If the air in the work area contains 6 fibres/cm3 and the worker is wearing a respirator with a protection factor of 500 (6 fibres/cm3: 500 = 0.012 fibres/cm3), the limit value has been exceeded and therefore a compressed air breathing apparatus is necessary.

The actual protection factors for different types of protective equipment are available from different sources (e.g. manufacturer information). The occupational safety and health authority recommend using the protection factors given by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health or opting for respiratory protection with the higher protection factor.

The measurements must be taken from the air in the work area while the work that releases asbestos fibres is ongoing in a manner that the measurement represents the exposure to asbestos of an individual worker. The measurement is used to determine the amount of asbestos fibres released into the air in the work area while work is ongoing, which represents the asbestos exposure of an individual worker in work where the same materials are removed using the same methods. The individual exposure to asbestos is determined by the fibre concentration of the air in the work area and the protection factor of the worker’s respirator.

The qualifications of the person taking the measurements may be based on e.g. an AHA certification (asbestos and hazardous substance competence in Finland) or sufficient vocational competence and knowledge of legislation. The documentation of the measurements consists of the measurement’s analysis statement. The analysis statement must include at least the following information: results of the measurement (type of asbestos), measurement method, measurement location, measuring area/point, time of the measurement, stage of work, structures being removed, contact details of the person taking the measurements, and proof of the competence of the person taking the measurement.

Subsection 3 comes into force on 21 December 2026. Until the entry into force, the current definition of fibres is followed in fibre measurements: When assessing an employees' exposure to asbestos, only such fibrous particles are taken into account whose length is five micrometres at the minimum and whose diameter is three micrometres at the maximum, and where the relation between the length and the diameter is 3:1 or more. The concentration of asbestos fibres in the breathing air inside the respirator may not exceed 0.01 fibres per cm3.

Subsection 4 enters into force on 21 December 2026. Until the entry into force, the current requirements for the analysis must be complied with, meaning that the analysis must always be carried out using the method that provides the most reliable result, which does not exclude light microscopy for material analysis. Material analyses should also be performed using the method that provides the most accurate results.

Section 4 Enclosure of the exposure area and working in the area

The zone where a worker can be exposed to asbestos must be clearly enclosed and marked with warning signs. No other persons than those necessary for the asbestos work may enter the zone.

In the exposure zone, the workers need to use protective clothing and personal protective equipment that is required for asbestos work.

Asbestos shall be prevented from spreading outside the exposure zone. Asbestos-containing substances and equipment shall be labelled and packed in such a way that they do not cause hazard when transported from the exposure zone. Workers shall clean themselves up from asbestos dust before they leave the exposure zone.

Suitable spaces with appropriate equipment shall be available for personal decontamination from asbestos.

Guideline

The exposure area (exposure zone) must have clear limits and be marked with warnings. Details of the work must be made visible outside the exposure area. The exposure area must be detailed in the asbestos removal safety plan and itemised in the advance notice of asbestos removal work.

Persons other than those who need access for their work tasks must be prevented from accessing the exposure area. Workers must be provided with facilities where they can eat or drink without becoming exposed to asbestos dust.

The employer must ensure that workers wear the personal protective equipment and protective clothing required for the work.

In asbestos work, the respiratory protection equipment must always undergo fit testing and meet the requirements of the work. The obligation applies to the fit testing of respirators (half face and full face masks) required for asbestos work.

• a full face mask fitted with a filter where breathing air is supplied through a filter with a blower, a class P3 filter, or
• a full face mask where breathing air is supplied from or produced by a compressed air apparatus or e.g. an oxygen tank.
• a half face mask fitted with a P3 class filter / when the work allows it, at least a P2 filter. The employer must ensure that the protective equipment and filter are suitable for asbestos work.

Other personal protective equipment:

• Single-use, hooded, dust-proof and dust-repellent coveralls without pockets or folds; multiple pieces must be reserved for each worker for each day of work
• disposable protective gloves
• rubber boots or similarly easy-clean footwear with no platform, and when necessary, steel-enforced soles and toes
• eye protection, if not attached to the respirator
• safety helmet
• reflective clothing
• hearing protection when necessary
• other personal protective equipment depending on the risks of the work

It must be ensured that asbestos never spreads outside the exposure area. Workers must always decontaminate themselves after finishing asbestos removal work. Facilities, tools, and equipment needed for cleaning must be made available

• disposable protective clothing must always be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner before leaving the exposure area (in the enclosure or at the edge of the exposure area) and removed, placed in a lidded waste container, and disposed of as asbestos waste.
• The surfaces of respirators and footwear must be cleaned by washing. The filters on the respirators must be plugged before leaving the exposure area.
• Asbestos-containing materials, tools, and equipment must be put into containers separately from other materials immediately after asbestos removal work ends. The containers must be clearly labelled to be containing asbestos before they are moved out of the exposure area.

Section 5 Service space

​​​​​​​A separate service space shall be available for safe maintenance and servicing of dusty working equipment used for asbestos work.

The service spaces shall be cleaned always after use.

Guideline

The maintenance and cleaning of tools and equipment used in such asbestos removal work that creates dust is necessary work that is directly related to asbestos removal and must be carried out in a space reserved for this purpose. The service space is also a prerequisite for granting an asbestos removal licence. If the company has a service space agreement, the service space must always be available. It is also possible to conclude a service contract on the maintenance of tools and equipment.

The space must meet the following requirements:

• The space must be warm and sturdy (walls made of panels, not plastic).
• The floor and wall panels must have coating that allows them to be washed with water. Wash-resistant coating must extend at least 1.5 metres from the floor (splash height).
• The space must have a water point and a drain. The drain must be equipped with a coarse mesh filter for handling asbestos residue in the wash water. The coarse mesh filter must be replaced after each time cleaning and maintenance is carried out in the space. The filtered wash water in the enclosure’s sink can be drained through the drain in the service space or collected in a separate container in the enclosure.
• The facilities must be marked with asbestos warning signs.
• Access to the facilities must take place through an enclosure structure that is partitioned into three sections.
• The wall structures of the enclosure have to be sturdy. The flap doors between enclosures may be made of plastic. Make-up air coming from the enclosure must not be completely blocked, even if the service space is equipped with a separate make-up air vent.
• The doors of the enclosure must be such that they close tightly during any failure in the negative pressure to prevent the release of asbestos fibres through the enclosure.
• The inner part of the enclosure should be equipped with a vacuum cleaner for clothing and a lidded waste container. It must be possible to operate the vacuum cleaner as well as turn it on or off in the innermost section of the enclosure.
• The middle section of the enclosure must have a washing point which should include at least a sink with running water or another fixed water point.
• The outermost section of the enclosure must have a coat rack for storing regular work clothes.
• It must be possible to bring machinery and equipment into the space for cleaning and maintenance purposes through the enclosure if there is no separate door to the space for this purpose. Each section of the enclosure must be large enough to enable any operations that need to take place in the enclosure.
• The negative pressure in the service space is set to at least 5 Pascals in relation to the surrounding spaces.
• A vacuum cleaner must be available for cleaning the equipment. For this purpose, a central vacuum cleaner that is used as the clothes vacuum cleaner meets the requirements. It must be possible to operate the vacuum cleaner as well as turn it on or off independently from both spaces.
• Other doors to the service space must be tightly sealed and lockable from the service space side. The other doors must be locked when the space is contaminated.
• The air handling equipment in the service space must be removable for maintenance and service purposes. The service space must be equipped with make-up air handling equipment that can be used during the maintenance and cleaning of the space’s own air handling equipment, which must be taken into account in equipment installation.

The air handling equipment in the service space must be plugged after the work ends. The service space, enclosure, the air in the service space, and any surfaces must always be decontaminated after maintenance and cleaning work carried out there. Cleanliness is confirmed with a visual inspection and documented in e.g. the maintenance log.

The air handling equipment in the service space must be suitable for asbestos removal work. The proper functioning of the air handling equipment in the service space has to be ensured by taking measurements before the equipment is first used, when the fine mesh filter is replaced, during any other changes that might affect filtration performance, and at least once a year. Maintenance logs must be kept for the air handling equipment in the service space.

It is prohibited to perform maintenance on respirators in the service space if the space has not been decontaminated. When leaving the enclosure, the respirator must always have a clean surface and its filters must be plugged. Plugged filters are removed in order to perform other maintenance and clean the respirator, and the filters are sorted as asbestos waste.

Persons working in the service space must be qualified to perform asbestos removal work and their respirators and protective clothing must comply with the requirements for work done using the enclosure method.

Section 6 Specific instruction and guidance

Taking into account the work tasks and methods, the employer shall give sufficient instruction and guidance to the asbestos worker both on the theory and practice regarding legislation on exposure to asbestos and on the following matters:

1) the properties and health effects of asbestos;
2) the limit value set for exposure to asbestos as referred to in section 3a(1), the follow-up to ensure that the limit value is not exceeded, and the use of the measurement equipment;
3) the types of products or materials which are likely to contain asbestos;
4) activities exposing to asbestos, and the significance of preventive measures to reduce the exposure;
5) safe work practices, measures and protective equipment;
6) protective clothing, its use, and decontamination;
7) how to select, use and clean up respiratory protective equipment and ensure that the equipment functions well;
8) the use of machinery and other technical equipment to prevent the release and spread of asbestos dust;
9) treatment of asbestos-containing waste;
​​​​​​​10) emergency procedures;
11) health examinations.

The instruction and guidance given to the employees shall be complemented, when necessary. Instruction and guidance must be provided again at least once every three years.

The provider of instruction and guidance shall have appropriate training and sufficient knowledge of the occupational safety and health issues referred to in subsection 1.

The employer must ensure that the employee receives or has received a written and dated certificate of the instruction and guidance that indicates the following:

1) the content, duration and language of instruction and guidance;
2) the name, qualifications and contact details of the person who provided instruction and guidance.

Guideline

The obligation to provide special instruction and guidance applies to both asbestos work and asbestos removal work. The requirement for instruction and guidance entered into force on 21 December 2025. No transition period has been set for the instruction and guidance requirement. The instruction and guidance must comply with the requirements of the Decree.

Instruction and guidance and a certificate of completed training must be issued to the employee when the Decree enters into force. Instruction and guidance, as well as the certificate, must be reissued at least once every 3 years.

Where necessary, further instruction and guidance must be provided if actions that deviate from the instructions and put safety at risk are observed or a change in work tasks requires further training. The date on the certificate determines the date of the next instruction and guidance session.

If prior instruction and guidance is supplemented regarding one sub-topic, the date of the next training does not change. Additional training sessions are recorded with a separate certificate.

Instruction and guidance must involve contact teaching (e.g. training on the use of equipment and other operation and practices). The training is not acceptable if it has been provided fully remotely.

The training provider must have appropriate training and sufficient knowledge of the occupational safety and health issues referred to in subsection 1. Qualifications of the provider of instruction and guidance in each area of the training can include the titles of AHA expert, occupational hygiene technician, engineer with expertise in the occupational safety of asbestos work, or health care professional. The competence of the training provider can also come from vocational experience if the provider has acquired sufficient competence in the points referred to in the Decree through experience. Each training provider’s qualifications must be recorded in the certificate.

The employer must ensure that the worker receives or has received a written and dated certificate of the instruction and guidance that indicates the following: 1) the content, duration and language of instruction and guidance;
2) the name, qualifications and contact details of the person who provided instruction and guidance. The requirement is unambiguous.

The worker and the employer must keep the certificate for proof of having received the instruction and guidance. The certificate must be kept for the duration of its validity.

The date and time of the training must be reported in the advance notice of asbestos removal work (section 9).

Teaching and guidance may be provided by an employer’s representative who has sufficient qualifications for providing training on the sub-topic, or it may be provided by an external expert. Competence is also supervised through the details recorded on the certificate.

Section 6 a Qualifications of an asbestos removal worker

The required professional qualification for asbestos removal workers is the qualification “Asbestos work”, which is a part of the vocational qualification in house construction.

Comes into force on 1 January 2026. No change; in addition to the Act, now also regulated by the Decree. The qualification requirement is unambiguous and required for the registration of workers qualified for asbestos removal work.

Asbestos removal work may only be performed and managed by qualified workers who are in the register of persons qualified to perform asbestos removal work.

Section 7 Asbestos surveys

​​​​​​​The developer or other party steering or controlling a construction project that can include asbestos removal work shall ensure that an asbestos survey is carried out.

The asbestos survey shall include the following:

1) identification of any asbestos in the structure to be demolished;
​​​​​​​2) examination of the quality and amount of asbestos and material containing asbestos;
3) examination of whether the asbestos and asbestos-containing material in the structures will create dust when they are handled or demolished.

The person carrying out the asbestos survey shall be well enough acquainted with asbestos, its occurrence and demolition of structures and vocationally competent to carry out the planned survey with regard to the quality and extent required of the survey.

The asbestos survey shall be documented and the document shall be given to the employer or self-employed person who is going to carry out the asbestos removal work.

The provisions in this section regarding the developer or other party steering and controlling the construction project shall also apply to the employer exercising the main authority in a shared workplace referred to in section 49 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002).

Guideline

During the asbestos survey, the surveyor must make a statement on whether the material might create dust or crumble. An amendment to the Health Protection Act, which will come into force at a later date, will also comment on the qualifications and tasks of the surveyor. During the asbestos survey stage, other harmful materials must also be investigated, unless this has already been done as a separate survey (AHA survey).

Failure to perform an asbestos survey does not grant permission for removing structures. The requirement for an asbestos survey is unambiguous. If no asbestos survey has been carried out, the obligation to investigate the risks and hazards related to the work lies with the employer commencing the work, the employer exercising the main authority at a shared work site, the general contractor at a shared work site, and the self-employed person. These required reports on the risks and hazards of the work do not remove the obligation to carry out a survey, nor do they revoke the regulations on the negligence of the provisions on failing to carry out a survey.

The asbestos survey is used in the cost estimation and invitation to tender as well as in work contracts. An appropriately conducted and up-to-date asbestos survey is also, above all, a key part of investigating the safety and the safety planning of asbestos removal work. Provisions on asbestos surveys aboard vessels are laid down separately in section 17 of the Decree.

The contractor (developer) or another person guiding and supervising the construction project must ensure that an asbestos survey is carried out for asbestos removal work. The obligation applies to the person or organisation initiating a construction project, or other similar operator that directs and supervises a construction project, or, where none of the above exist, the client.

As part of the safety planning of construction work, the developer and the general contractor must consider during all work phases i.e. dust prevention and reduction as well as the prevention of its spread, procedures for occupational hygiene assessments, removal work, and the reconciliation of different works and work stages also in terms of harmful substances. The risks of work that involves exposure to asbestos and other chemical agents must be specifically surveyed and assessed in the safety plan.

In case of a renovation project, it must be investigated whether the structures to be demolished or renovated contain harmful or hazardous substances, the most common of which is asbestos. The survey must be sufficiently systematic and reliable so that appropriate conclusions can be drawn on the nature of the work. Usually, the basis for the survey is knowledge of the use of asbestos-containing materials in construction. If the asbestos concentration of the materials cannot be verified in any other way, the asbestos concentration is assessed through a laboratory analysis. If the results of the survey leave uncertainty on the presence of asbestos in structures that are to be demolished, handled, or removed, the work must be carried out as asbestos removal work using enclosures.

The asbestos survey aims to identify any asbestos present at the site and determine the type and amount of asbestos. During the survey, the location of asbestos is investigated and it is marked in state diagrams and construction drawings as well as work descriptions as unambiguously as possible i.e. in writing and with images.

When determining the type of asbestos, crocidolite must be distinguished from other types of asbestos. In addition, the amount of dust that will be created in the handling or removal of the asbestos-containing materials must be investigated in the asbestos survey. The survey needs to determine the locations of the asbestos materials and distinguish any friable asbestos. The survey must indicate how the asbestos concentration of the material was determined.

The asbestos survey must be carried out by a person with sufficient vocational knowledge of asbestos, its presence, and the removal of structures, who has the professional competence required for the type and scope of the survey. The qualifications of the person performing the survey may be based on e.g. building health expertise, an AHA certification, or sufficient vocational competence and knowledge of legislation.

The key basic competence of asbestos surveyors includes identifying asbestos materials in existing structures, discarded structural materials, and machinery and equipment related to buildings.

The asbestos surveyor should have knowledge of the following factors:

• current asbestos legislation
• the health effects of asbestos and risks associated with exposure to it
• the most common uses of asbestos, taking into account the age of the buildings, their intended use and, in addition to basic structures, certain special uses of asbestos related to fire safety and architectural solutions
• methods of identifying asbestos, restrictions, and practices on where to find analysis services and how to take samples.

The asbestos survey is documented. The asbestos survey must be given to the responsibility of the general contractor, employer initiating asbestos removal work, or self-employed person in order for them to plan and carry out the work safely. In practice, in construction work, this mainly means that the contractor includes an asbestos survey in the safety document for the planning and preparation of construction. The obligation also applies to employers exercising the main authority at a shared work site as referred to in section 49 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This ensures that asbestos surveys are also carried out in such asbestos removal work which does not constitute actual construction work, such as machine demolition work and property maintenance

Section 8 Safety plan in writing

The employer initiating asbestos removal work shall draw up a plan in writing for the asbestos removal work. The plan shall be based on the asbestos survey referred to in section 7 and on the analysis and assessment of the risks of the work referred to in section 10(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The safety plan shall, to the extent necessary, indicate any measures required to assess, reduce and follow-up the exposure in order to ensure that the work and working environment are safe.

The safety plan shall be made known to the workers participating in the asbestos removal work and the entrepreneurs and their workers in the area affected by the work.

In a shared workplace referred to in section 49 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, a self-employed person shall observe the provisions laid down in subsections 1–3.

Guideline

The starting point for planning is the identification and assessment of risks involving the work as referred to in section 10, subsection 1 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act as well as the data from the asbestos survey.

Friable asbestos must be considered in the planning.

The employer must, taking the nature of the work and activities into account, systematically and adequately analyse and identify the hazards and risk factors caused by the work, the working hours, the premises where work is carried out, and other aspects of the working environment.

The contractor’s asbestos survey provides basic information for the planning which serves as the basis of planning for the employer and the self-employed person.

The safety plan for asbestos work must include the following information:

Section 9 Advance notice

Employers and self-employed persons shall in advance notify the regional competent occupational safety and health authority of asbestos removal work that requires a licence. The notification shall be issued in writing seven days before starting the work at the latest, if possible. In addition to the provisions laid down in section 48, subsection 2 of the Act on Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement and Cooperation on Occupational Safety and Health at Workplaces (44/2006), the notification must contain the necessary details on the following matters:

1) nature, start date and probable duration of the work;

2) the location and specific areas where the work is carried out;

3) contractor's name and contact information;

4) the employer of any temporary agency workers;

5) central observations made during the asbestos survey, date of the survey and name of the person who carried out the survey;

6) principles of limiting exposure to asbestos and safe asbestos work as well as the methods to be used for removal work;

7) air handling equipment for the protection and cleaning of workers and the prevention of the spread of asbestos dust as an itemised list, their features, and the date of the latest filtration performance test;

8) waste management and the name of the landfill site where the waste is to be delivered;

9) name and contact information of the person making the notification.

The notification to the occupational safety and health authority shall be renewed if such a change occurs in working conditions that significantly increases the exposure to dust from asbestos or asbestos-containing material. In addition, the notification shall be complemented if another worker starts to carry out asbestos work than the worker mentioned in the prior notification.

Before the work is started, a notice shall be fastened outside the exposure zone to indicate the information referred to in subsection 2, paragraphs 1–2 and 11 of this section.

Guideline

The obligation to file an advance notice (notification) applies to asbestos removal work carried out by employers and self-employed persons initiating asbestos removal work that is subject to an asbestos removal licence. The notice must be submitted to the occupational safety and health authority seven days before the asbestos removal work starts. If it is not possible to submit the notice at least seven days in advance, it must be filed as soon as possible. 
The details that must be included in the notice are the following:

1) the nature of the work, the start date and the estimated duration of the work; the nature of the work is also stated in terms of work conditions. The start date of the work must be the actual start date. The duration must be notified as an estimate of the actual duration.

2) the location and specific work areas where work is carried out: Address, apartment and site name, e.g. Kaivokatu 1 A, 00100 Mikkeli, apartment A 6, bathroom and kitchen.

3) the name and contact information of the client: the company/private person/other client, the client’s contact person and their contact details must be provided.

4) the employer of the temporary agency worker: the employer of the temporary agency worker is the company providing the temporary agency worker. 

5) the central observations made during the asbestos survey, date of the survey and name of the person who carried out the survey. If a survey has not been carried out, the section where the date of survey and the surveyor would be entered are left blank. The notice must include the details of the structures to be removed as asbestos work as well as the quantities, types, and locations of asbestos.

6) the principles of limiting exposure to asbestos and safe asbestos work as well as the methods to be used for removal work, where the following are recorded: the method used, the details of respirators, the procedure for dismantling/removing structures, the procedure for dust control and removal, and other measures to ensure safety at work.

7) air handling equipment for the protection and cleaning of workers and the prevention of the spread of asbestos dust as an itemised list, their features, and the date of the latest filtration performance test. The trade name, performance, and serial number of each device must be entered. In addition, the date of the last filtration performance test of each individually itemised air handling device must be reported.

8) waste management and the name of the landfill where the waste is to be delivered. The steps taken to prevent the spread of asbestos are presented as details on the treatment, packing, transfers, transport, and labelling on the waste and waste containers. The landfill where the asbestos waste is taken must be indicated.

9) name and contact information of the person filing the notice: The name and contact details of the person filing the notice must be given. 
In addition, section 48 of the Act on Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement and Cooperation on Occupational Safety and Health at Workplaces (44/2006) states the information that must be provided in the advance notice.
In addition, the following information must be provided in the advance notice:

1. the names of the workers carrying out the work.
2. the suitability of the workers’ health for asbestos work
3. the date of the last health examination performed as well as details of its validity
4. the date of the last fit test of the respirators
5. the professional qualifications of the workers
6. the date of the certificate of special instruction and training.
7. information other than the required details referred to in paragraphs 1 to 6.

Sections 2 and 3: workers’ suitability for asbestos removal work is confirmed with an entry on the medical statement, “suitable for asbestos removal work”. The date of the health examination is the date on the medical statement. The health examination is valid for a maximum of 3 years, unless the medical statement requires conducting a new health examination / follow-up examination at an earlier date.

Sections 5 and 6: verification of professional qualifications: Through verifying the entry in the register of persons qualified to perform asbestos removal work and the verification of training from the certificate given to the worker. Verification of registration with the occupational safety and health authority that maintains the register by e-mail or telephone.

Works that are necessary to minimise losses or danger in the event of breaks in asbestos-containing materials or pipes can be commenced immediately. In this case, the work must only focus on measures that aim to avoid/prevent damage or danger. In this case, the notice must be given as soon as possible. In such cases, the occupational safety and health authorities can also accept a verbal notice of the works. However, written notice must also be given as soon as possible.

The fitness of asbestos removers must be checked pursuant to the Finnish Government Decree on medical examinations in work that presents a special risk of illness (1485/2001). The medical certificate issued to each worker must specify that the worker is fit to work with asbestos.

A new notice must be submitted if there are any changes in the working conditions that lead to a considerable increase in the workers’ exposure to dust released by asbestos or asbestos-containing materials. The occupational safety and health authorities also need to be notified if workers other than those listed in the original notice are to be involved in the works.

In accordance with what is stipulated on the content of the advance notice, the notice must be supplemented if the air handling equipment which was originally listed in the notice changes.

An advance notice of asbestos removal must be posted in a visible place just outside the exposure area as referred to in section 4. It must contain information about the nature of the works, the start date of the works and their estimated duration, the address where the works are to be carried out, and the name and contact information of the author of the notice.

Section 10 Management and supervision of asbestos removal work

The employer shall designate a site manager for the asbestos removal work.

The site manager shall continuously monitor and assess whether the safety plan referred to in section 8 is followed and ensure that the asbestos removal work is carried out in accordance with the safety plan.

Guideline

The employer must designate a site manager for the asbestos removal work. The site manager of the asbestos removal work must continuously monitor and make sure that the asbestos removal work is carried out in accordance with the safety plan.

The site manager must have sufficient authority to make the decisions required for the safe performance of the asbestos removal work.

The site manager must have completed a relevant vocational qualification or a suitable part thereof, as must other workers participating in asbestos removal.

Section 11 Principles of safe asbestos removal work

Asbestos removal work shall be carried out in a way that creates as little dust as possible and any dust created shall be removed at its origin.

Asbestos must be primarily removed from the structures fully. If this is not possible, as much asbestos shall be removed from the structures as is adequate and appropriate for a safe use of the premises. Any asbestos that will be left undisturbed in the structures shall be covered and, where necessary, appropriately labelled.

When demolishing asbestos-containing structures, any asbestos and asbestos-containing materials shall be removed before other parts of the structures are demolished if the demolition of asbestos does not expose the workers to asbestos more than leaving the asbestos undisturbed.

Guideline

Dust generated in asbestos removal work must be controlled and removed at the source. The removal and other handling of asbestos-containing materials that may cause the creation of asbestos dust, e.g. opening a housing structure that contains asbestos insulation, must be performed indoors using enclosures.

Work methods and tools that minimise the creation of asbestos dust must be used in asbestos removal work. Dust generated during asbestos removal must be reduced and removed in enclosures using e.g. local exhaust ventilation, sprinkling or irrigation, glove bags, or other suitable dust control methods.

Asbestos-containing materials must primarily be removed fully from the removal area. Broken asbestos-containing materials must be removed from the work site. Intact asbestos structures may only be left in place at the removal site if they cannot be removed, and this is allowed only in locations where they do not cause any risk to the safety and health in further works at the site or to future users.

Asbestos-containing structures must be removed from the work site before any other structures or equipment are dismantled or removed. Asbestos structures must also be removed when the removal, handling, or installation of other structures could cause such damage to asbestos-containing structures that asbestos would be released.

Section 12 Working methods for asbestos removal work

When selecting a suitable method for asbestos removal work, the extent of the demolition work and the conditions at the demolition site shall be taken into account in addition to the principles referred to in section 11.

Asbestos removal work can be carried out by:

1) using the enclosure method where the demolition work is carried out in the exposure zone whose atmosphere is isolated from surrounding spaces by an air-tight enclosure;

2) using bags manufactured for that particular purpose to isolate a rather small structure or technical system containing asbestos from the surrounding spaces under negative pressure. The structure or technical system shall then be demolished inside the bag and the bag containing asbestos waste shall be removed from the demolition site;

3) removing the whole asbestos-containing part from the structure or equipment in one piece and transporting it from the site covered in material that prevents any dust from spreading;

4) sinking the detached structure or equipment part containing asbestos into a basin where asbestos is removed under water to prevent the spread of dust;

5) using wet stripping method where the asbestos-containing structure is thoroughly wetted before its removal to prevent any dust, or where the face coating of a building is removed by wet sand blasting;

6) using any other method than those referred to in sections 1–5 if the method guarantees the same safety level.

When removing crocidolite, the method shall always be the enclosure method referred to in subsection 2(1).
When there is no certainty about the asbestos content of the material to be demolished, the demolition work shall be carried out by using the enclosure method referred to in subsection 2(1).

Guideline

When removing friable asbestos (crocidolite etc.), the enclosure method referred to in subsection 2, paragraph 1 must always be used as the work method. Friable asbestos refer to asbestos materials that can be crumbled into dust / powder by hand or material that behaves similarly. Friable asbestos include screed, pipe insulation, magnesite, and crocidolite / spray-on asbestos.
 
When removing friable asbestos, workers must wear a full-face respirator equipped with a compressed air breathing apparatus. When using a compressed air breathing apparatus, the compatibility of the respirators and other equipment must be checked and safe exit from the removal area in case of e.g. a power cut must be considered. All equipment must be compliant with regulations.  When compressed air breathing equipment is in use, the hoses are fed through the enclosures, in which case the tight sealing of the enclosed areas must be ensured. The employer must make sure that compressed air equipment and other equipment and protective gear are used and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The employer must also make sure that workers are trained in the correct use of compressed air breathing equipment as well as the related equipment and respirators. The training must be based on the manufacturer’s instructions and the employer’s risk assessment and equipment survey. The employer must systematically analyse and evaluate the safety of the work equipment. 

In particular, this must be done whenever changes in production and working methods take place. When carrying out the evaluation, attention must be paid to the hazards and risks caused by the work equipment and its moving parts, external structure, physical and chemical properties, automatic functions, electricity, and other hazards and risks caused by the work and working conditions.

The use of glove bags is an acceptable method in the removal of pipe insulation if the renovation work targets an individual valve. For example, repairing a valve may require the removal of pipe insulation from the area of the pipe or valve that is being repaired. In this case, the use of glove bags is possible. Glove bags can only be used as the sole method of removing pipe insulation in locations where the specially manufactured bag can tightly seal the structure to be removed in the bag completely/on both sides. In this case, no enclosures need to be installed at the work site.

When using enclosures, the spread of asbestos can be prevented by e.g. local extraction of dust at the source, sprinkling or irrigation, injection of wetting agents, glove bags, removing structures in one piece, and other methods of dust control.
Friable asbestos material does not include e.g. façade paint, tiles, heavy-duty joint mortar etc. materials which break by cracking rather than crumbling and which release minimum amounts of dust when breaking.

The following must be ensured at every asbestos removal work site:

An advance notice of asbestos removal must always be submitted to the occupational health and safety authorities for works that require an asbestos removal licence. A written safety plan must be drawn up for each asbestos removal and it must be ensured that the work follows the prepared safety plan. Any time asbestos removal work is done, there must be preparations for deviations that endanger safety. The work and the safety measures required by the work must be planned to a sufficient level.  The limits of the asbestos removal area must always be clearly marked and equipped with asbestos warning signs and any necessary information. It must be ensured that protective equipment and structures as well as machinery and ventilation equipment function properly before the work commences. Persons other than those performing asbestos removal work must be prevented from accessing the area in a reliable manner.

Workers must be provided with the tools and equipment necessary for cleaning themselves up. A fit tested respirator and disposable protective clothing must always be used during asbestos removal work. The respirator’s filters must always be plugged before moving from the exposure area to a clean space.

Asbestos removal work must always be carried out in a manner that releases the minimum possible amount of asbestos fibres, and the necessary dust removal at the source must be ensured.

Air handling equipment that is intended for asbestos removal work, that has been checked using measurements and that has been maintained and cleaned since the last use must always be used in asbestos removal work.

Asbestos waste must always be packed and labelled with asbestos warning labels. Asbestos waste must be transferred immediately into a lidded skip bin or container.

The work area is always handed over to the client with a handover document, and the protective structures must not be dismantled before the space has been cleaned.

Enclosure method

The enclosure method is always the primary working method for asbestos removal. The enclosure method is used whenever asbestos-containing structures are removed by breaking or when they will break when they are removed. The requirement to use enclosures is not dependant on the location of the work site, e.g. outdoor space.

When using the enclosure method, the atmosphere of the removal area must be isolated from the rest of the space. At the work site, the enclosures can be built from sufficiently durable plastic walls and wooden frames or similar materials. Structures, surfaces or e.g. machinery that will not be dismantled or removed must be protected in the enclosure. Protection reduces the need for cleaning and prevents unnecessary contamination.

The enclosure must have negative pressure and be equipped with a device for monitoring it. Negative pressure must be monitored using a device that registers and alerts if it detects a harmful change in pressure. The worker must be able to detect the alert for the loss of negative pressure through an alarm light, an alarm sound, or in another reliable way.

When removing non-friable asbestos materials, the pressure difference between the enclosures and the surrounding spaces must be at least 5 pascal. When removing friable asbestos materials, the pressure difference between the enclosures and the surrounding spaces must be at least 10 pascal.

The negative pressure unit and other air handling equipment used in asbestos work must process and clean the exhaust air sufficiently so that the asbestos fibre concentration does not exceed 0.01 fibres per cubic centimetre (filtration performance 99.97% of the fibres in the filter’s air flow). The condition of the air handling equipment must always be checked with measurements. The operational condition is checked using ambient particle counting. It is not possible to check that the air handling equipment is functioning properly by measuring asbestos fibres.

Make-up air is always directed primarily through the enclosure. Make-up air coming from the enclosure must not be completely blocked, even if the sections were equipped with a separate make-up air lock.

The structure and outfitting of the enclosed space and enclosures must be designed in a way that the spread of asbestos fibres from the enclosure with air, waste, workers' clothing, work equipment, or other means is prevented in all situations. The protective flaps in the enclosure’s entryways must close tightly in the event of a pressure failure, for example if there is a power outage. The flaps must be installed on the enclosure side, meaning that the flap will not prevent the flow of make-up air through the enclosures. If the negative pressure disappears, a correctly installed flap settles against the structure and closes the airway in order to prevent contaminated air from the enclosure from spreading into the clean area. Access to the enclosed area is only possible through an enclosure divided into three sections. The use of other possible entryways (other doors into the enclosed room) must be prevented.

The innermost section of the enclosure, which is closest to the enclosed area, must be equipped with a lidded waste container and a vacuum cleaner for clothing. A worker must be able to operate the vacuum cleaner while being in the innermost section. This refers to using the cleaner hose and turning the vacuum cleaner on and off. The hose must not be pulled between the enclosure’s flaps. The middle section of the enclosure must be equipped with tools for washing/cleaning. The wash water must be filtered before it can be disposed of in the drain or into the soil. The washcloths and filters used for cleaning are asbestos waste.

The outermost part of the enclosure is a clean space and must be equipped with a coat rack for clothes and other personal protective equipment. Only respirators where the filters have been plugged can be stored in the outermost section. The sections of the enclosure must be sufficiently spacious for the worker to decontaminate themselves and dress up as well as for removing waste from the enclosure.

This procedure is always followed when leaving the exposure area / enclosure. In the inner section (first section after leaving the enclosed area), workers use the vacuum to clean their protective clothing, then they take the protective clothing off and leave it in the lidded waste container in the enclosure. In the middle section, which is still a contaminated / exposure area, workers wash the exterior surfaces of protective equipment and the surfaces of footwear. In the outermost section, which is a clean space, workers plug the respirator filters and take off the respirator. In this outermost section, the workers also put on their regular protective clothing required at the construction site.

The enclosures must be kept in good order and tidy during the removal work. Due to the negative pressure in the enclosure, fresh air flows through the sections, decontaminating the air in the enclosures and transporting any asbestos fibres to the negative pressure unit. The functionality and cleanliness of the enclosure is an important part of the safety of asbestos removal work. The enclosures must also always be cleaned when cleaning the asbestos removal site. The cleaning of the enclosed area starts from the enclosure’s middle section, moving towards the enclosed area and its surfaces.

If a structure in the enclosure differs from the permitted methods, the method must be approved by the occupational safety and health authority supervising the workplace. In this case, sufficient justification must be provided for the use of a different protection method, as well as a report or plan on the method used and its protection factor. The work may be carried out using a method that differs from the permitted methods with the consent of an occupational safety and health authority granted for that specific site.

In the enclosure method, the air handling equipment consists of local exhaust ventilation with a pre-separator, a vacuum cleaner for clothing, and a negative pressure unit. Air handling units used in asbestos work can also be placed outside the enclosure. In this case, it is important to ensure the preconditions for the use of the vacuum cleaner and the tightness of the feedthroughs for the hoses. The exhaust air from the negative pressure unit is led outside whenever possible.

When the enclosure method is used in the removal of non-friable asbestos, the worker must always wear a full face, air powered mask with a class P3 filter. When removing friable asbestos, workers must wear a full face respirator equipped with a compressed air breathing apparatus that produces clean air from the clean space or an oxygen tank. Single-use, hooded, dust-proof and dust-repellent protective clothing must be worn when using the enclosure method, similarly to asbestos removal carried out using any other method. Protective clothing must not have pockets or folds that could collect dust.

Disposable gloves must be worn while working. Footwear used in the work must not have folds or straps that could collect dust. The other protective properties of footwear must be selected on the basis of the risks of the construction project in question, e.g. enforced soles and toes. It must be possible to reliably wash the footwear in the middle section of the enclosure when leaving the enclosed area. Openings on the legs and sleeves must be sealed tightly during the work, for example with tape.

Enclosures are used in the removal of asbestos-containing material if it is not possible to fully remove the material or feedthroughs will be led through the material. The enclosure method must be used in the removal of e.g. nail-mounted plates, tiles, seaming materials, carpets, etc. Removing a structure in one piece requires that it is fastened with screws or that it is fully unfastened. When removing friable asbestos, enclosures must be used.

When the work requires opening structures indoors, enclosures must be used if the materials behind the structure contain asbestos or the survey was not able to confirm the absence of asbestos in the materials, e.g. when opening riser housing, housing of roof structures, etc.

After the removal work, the cleanliness of the enclosure is always ensured by aggressive air sampling. The enclosure may only be dismantled once the cleanliness of the space has been verified by means of an air quality measurement and the client’s inspection. A joint report must be drawn up to confirm the cleanliness of each asbestos removal site with details of the cleanliness of the space and the safety of its further use.

Glove bag

The use of a glove bag is only possible in small-scale work, such as dismantling an individual valve where repairing a leaking pipe requires the removal of insulation from the area of the pipe or valve.

The glove bag cannot be used alone without enclosures if the removal location of pipe insulation is in connection with a structure. 

Glove bags can only be used as the sole removal method in an individual location where the specially manufactured bag can tightly seal the structure or the part of the structure to be removed in the bag completely/on both sides. In this case, no enclosures need to be installed at the work site.
When both pipes and insulation are removed, the locations where the pipes were cut have to be in the enclosed space (removal of friable asbestos). The glove bag can be used inside an enclosure for dust control.

The same requirements apply to the use of the glove bag method as to other asbestos removal work. Requirements, as in other asbestos removal, include delimiting and marking the work area, use of personal protective equipment, use of air handling equipment, ensuring the cleanliness of the removal site, waste treatment, cleaning procedures, etc.

Workers using the glove bag method must wear at least a half face mask equipped with a P2 class filter and disposable protective clothing. The employer must ensure that the protective equipment is suitable for asbestos work. The glove bag must be equipped with local exhaust ventilation and removal tools. Only a specially manufactured glove bag intended for the purpose may be used in the work.

The glove bag may only be removed after the parts of the pipe insulation that work was performed on have been treated in a way that prevents the spread of dust.
Sampling is not required to ensure the cleanliness of the space after using the glove bag method but cleanliness must still be checked and a joint report drawn up.

Removal of asbestos-containing material in one piece indoors without isolated atmosphere

A non-friable structure or its part that can be removed indoors intact and in one piece can be removed without isolating the atmosphere of the work site as long as all dust generated during the work can be removed at the source using a vacuum cleaner suitable for asbestos work. Intact removal requires that the structure has been fastened with screws or that it is not mechanically fastened, such as a ceiling panel.

Removal of asbestos in one piece must comply with the general asbestos removal regulations regarding the delimitations of the work site, labels and markings, personal protective equipment, air handling equipment, decontamination, etc.

Workers must wear at least a half-face mask equipped with a P2 class filter and disposable protective clothing. The employer must ensure that the protective equipment is suitable for asbestos work. The work requires using a vacuum cleaner intended for asbestos work that has been tested to be in working order using measurements. 

The fastening points must be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner before removing the fasteners. The vacuum cleaner must also be used while unfastening. After the removal, the fastening points and surfaces must be vacuumed.

Detaching a structure or its part that is fastened with nails, rivets or other fasteners than screws must be done using enclosures. If a structure that was fastened with screws breaks during removal, the method must be changed to the use of enclosures.

Finnflex slab and asbestos-containing bitumen adhesive can be removed without atmospheric isolation as long as the undercoating does not contain asbestos. Tiles must be removed in one piece. A vacuum cleaner suitable for asbestos work and low-pressure dust extraction created using a negative pressure unit must be used in the work. Workers must wear at least a half face mask equipped with a P2 class filter and disposable protective clothing. The employer must ensure that the protective equipment is suitable for asbestos work. If the undercoating is magnesite or other asbestos-containing filler, the work must be done in enclosures in compliance with the requirements for removing friable asbestos. If tiles are removed using machinery, the work must be carried out using enclosures.

When removing a pipe whose insulation contains asbestos in one piece from a section without any asbestos-containing insulation, the removal work must be carried out by a licensed party. Structures that have been removed intact must be packed in a durable container and marked as asbestos waste. Asbestos-containing parts that have been removed intact must be delivered to the landfill at the designated site.

If a structure that has been removed in one piece is transported to another location for the removal of the insulation, such as a service space or a location where the immersion method can be used, a separate advance notice of this must be submitted to the authority supervising the workplace at least seven days before the work begins. When asbestos-containing materials are handled in the service space, the regulations on asbestos removal work must be followed.

Sampling is not required to ensure the cleanliness of the space after finishing work without atmospheric isolation, but cleanliness must still be checked and the joint report drawn up.

Asbestos removal work outdoors

Whether the work is carried out indoors or outdoors, this does not determine which work method is required to be used, nor does it allow deviating from the requirements for asbestos removal work. The use of enclosures is also required in asbestos removal outdoors if the work creates dust that cannot be, with complete certainty, removed at the source, e.g. if structures might break when they are removed. When removing friable asbestos, enclosures must be used.

When removing asbestos-containing cement slabs outdoors, the structures must be removed intact. Breaking the structure to remove it is prohibited. The removed structures must be moved in a controlled manner. A structure that has been removed intact must not be tossed or moved in a way that would break the structure. Only a structure that has been removed in one piece can be moved unpacked from the removal location into a lidded skip bin or into container where materials are packed and labelled as a larger waste package.

When removing asbestos-containing cement slabs, a vacuum cleaner suitable for asbestos work, low-pressure dust removal, disposable protective clothing, and a fit tested respirator must be used. Workers must wear at least a half face mask equipped with a class P2 filter. The employer must ensure that the protective equipment is suitable for asbestos work. After asbestos-containing cement products have been removed, the battens, supporting structures, and sheeting should be cleaned using a vacuum cleaner suitable for asbestos work.

If any individual pieces have broken while attempting to remove the structures in one piece, the broken structures must be packed and labelled as asbestos waste immediately and directly after removal. Transporting unpacked broken structures is prohibited at the work site. If more breakage occurs, the work method must be changed to the use of enclosures. Workers must decontaminate themselves after finishing work and whenever they leave the exposure area using the equipment and tools provided for cleaning.

Removal of asbestos insulation by immersing it in water

The asbestos insulation of a demolished structure can be removed by immersing it in water. The work must comply with asbestos removal regulations regarding the delimitation of the work site, labels and markings, personal protective equipment, air handling equipment, cleanliness, etc. 

The immersion basin must be fitted with a suction draining system that removes asbestos dust. The suction system must be suited for asbestos removal work and tested using measurements. When immersed in the basin, the structure must not release dust. Before the removal of asbestos, the structure has to become thoroughly wet so that dry, dusty asbestos material cannot rise to the surface from the removed structure. Workers must wear at least a half face mask equipped with a class P2 filter. The employer must ensure that the protective equipment is suitable for asbestos work. The worker must wear disposable protective clothing required for asbestos work. The asbestos waste must be separated from the immersion water using a filter cloth or a similar filter that separates asbestos waste from the liquid. The filter is disposable and considered asbestos waste after use. 

Asbestos waste must be packed and labelled with asbestos warning labels.

When using the immersion method, air handling must be managed with the vacuum cleaner that workers use to clean their protective clothing before taking it off, and it must be checked that the vacuum operates properly and is suitable for asbestos work. A washing point for other cleaning must be provided. Disposable protective clothing must be packed as asbestos waste after work finishes and whenever leaving the exposure area.

Removal of the structure by wetting

Wetting is a removal method where an asbestos-containing structure or material is irrigated before removal using water or wetting agents to prevent the spread of dust.

Removal by wetting must be carried out in an enclosure in compliance with the requirements of removing friable asbestos. Personal protective equipment is selected according to the requirements of the enclosure method, taking into account any requirements of removing friable asbestos. After the removal work finishes and before the enclosures are dismantled, the cleanliness of the space must be checked using measurements and by the client’s inspection. A joint report on the cleanliness of the removal site must be drawn up.

The wetting method can also be used e.g. in the removal of asbestos-containing adhesives by dissolving the adhesive in liquid, foam, or other solvent. When adhesives are removed chemically, workers must wear personal protective equipment that protects both from asbestos and the chemicals used. 

Wet sand blasting

Wet sand blasting constitutes asbestos removal work. Wet sand blasting into an asbestos-containing structure (asbestos-containing paint) must always be carried out while protected from tightly hooded scaffolding. Negative pressure is not required for the scaffolding hood. Thus, the protection requirement more precisely applies to the tightness of the scaffolding hood to prevent the spread of asbestos. The protectiveness of the scaffolding hood must be monitored at all times and any issues with the protection must be addressed immediately. Blasting sand coming out of the hood indicates an issue with the protective measures. Protective floor covers need to be installed under the scaffolding to protect the soil underneath from contamination and to collect the asbestos waste generated during blasting. The protective structures must be constructed in such a way that the asbestos waste from the work can be packed while inside the scaffolding hood. Asbestos waste must be bagged or packed directly into a lidded skip bin. The skip must be lined with plastic that allows the removal waste to be closed into a single waste package. Asbestos waste is packed in the exposure area, which means that the waste can only be packed by a worker qualified for asbestos removal. When using a high-power vacuum cleaner for the removal of asbestos waste, the person using the vacuum cleaner in the exposure area must be a qualified asbestos removal worker. The scaffolding hood / protective cover may not be opened while asbestos waste is being packed. The scaffolding hood / protective cover may only be opened once the cleanliness of the asbestos removal area has been checked.

Workers involved in wet sand blasting or handling waste from wet sand blasting must wear protective clothing suitable for asbestos removal work. Workers must wear a respirator equipped with at least a class P2 filter that seals to the face and has been fit tested. The employer must ensure that the protective equipment is suitable for asbestos work.

Access to the work site must take place through a separate enclosure structure. The enclosure must have a washing point, waste container, and a vacuum cleaner for clothing for the decontamination of the worker. The outermost part of the enclosure must be equipped with a coat rack. The filters on the respirator must be plugged when leaving the work area.

The scaffolding hood must have asbestos warning labels at least on each side of the hood and by the enclosure, and the details of the work must be made visible.

Once the blasting work has finished and the asbestos waste has been packed, the asbestos removal area must be cleaned by washing the scaffolding and the protective floor cover. The wash water must be collected or drained in a controlled manner that allows filtering the wash water. The filter used for the wash water is disposable and must be sorted as asbestos waste. After the removal of asbestos-containing façade coating, the cleanliness of the area is checked with an inspection. The inspector should ensure that no asbestos-containing sand is visible on scaffoldings / scaffolding structures, e.g. in the U transoms, floor cover, hood folds, or outside the scaffolding hood. If any blasting sand is visible, the asbestos removal site is not sufficiently clean. The contaminated asbestos removal site must be cleaned and other work in the area must be prevented until the area has been declared clean. Well-installed protections facilitate the clean-up of the removal site. Sampling is not required to ensure the cleanliness of the area after finishing wet sand blasting, but cleanliness must still be checked and the joint report drawn up. 

Chipping method

When the chipping method is used to remove asbestos-containing façade filler / other asbestos-containing filler (friable), the work must be performed using enclosures in compliance with the requirements of the removal of friable asbestos.

When removing non-friable, asbestos-containing structures using the chipping method, the work must be performed using enclosures.

Crocidolite

Spray-on crocidolite is a friable asbestos material, the removal of which must comply with the requirements for the removal of friable asbestos material. The requirement also applies to the removal of crocidolite residue.

Removing crocidolite-containing cement slabs can be carried out in the same way as the removal of white asbestos if the slabs are non-friable.
Asbestos waste from the removal of crocidolite must be labelled with warnings of crocidolite asbestos / blue asbestos.

Demolition of an entire building

An asbestos survey must be carried out in the building that is set to be demolished. Structures and other materials that have been discovered to contain asbestos in the survey must be removed using permitted methods by a company or a self-employed person with an asbestos removal licence.

Materials that the survey detected to contain asbestos or asbestos-containing structures discovered during the demolition must not be left in the structures. It must be ensured that asbestos-containing materials do not become mixed with demolition waste.

If any more asbestos-containing materials are discovered during the demolition project after the removal of the asbestos-containing structures that were detected in the survey, this will require the discontinuation of the work until further surveys and measures are carried out. Removing any discovered asbestos is the responsibility of the party with an asbestos removal licence before the demolition work may continue. If the structures cannot be safely removed using permitted methods, the work must be completed as asbestos removal work in compliance with the demolition guidelines for whole buildings that contain asbestos. The use of machinery in asbestos removal work is only possible if there is a risk of the building collapsing or other danger which prevents the performance of asbestos removal work by a worker or the use of permitted methods.
 
When an asbestos-containing building is demolished using machinery, the work area must be delimited to a sufficient extent, and asbestos warning labels must be placed on each side of the marked work site. Ventilation of the cab of the demolition vehicle must be equipped with asbestos-removing HEPA filters or the operator of the machine must wear protective clothing suitable for asbestos work and a full face, air powered respirator with a class P3 filter. A vacuum cleaner and washing equipment suitable for asbestos work must be provided for the operator of the machinery and other asbestos workers.

The driver of the demolition vehicle does not need to be a worker qualified for asbestos removal hired by the employer with an asbestos removal licence. The work is carried out as asbestos removal work and under the guidance and supervision of a party with an asbestos removal licence.

Asbestos-containing demolition waste must be separated from other demolition waste and packed in a separate, plastic-lined skip bin. Dust control must be ensured using irrigation. Asbestos-containing demolition waste must be packed into a single package labelled asbestos waste using the plastic in the skip bin. The skip bin must be marked with asbestos warning labels and the skip must be closed when transporting asbestos waste. Demolition waste from which asbestos cannot be reliably separated is considered asbestos waste in its entirety. 

The holder of the asbestos removal licence must ensure the decontamination of the demolition vehicle after it has handled asbestos-containing waste. The filters of the machine must be replaced in connection with the cleaning and sorted as asbestos waste.

Any dust generated in mechanical asbestos removal work must be controlled using irrigation. The irrigation is done by a worker from a company that holds an asbestos removal licence while wearing protective clothing against asbestos and a full face, air powered mask with a class P3 filter.

The cleanliness of the asbestos removal site must be checked with an inspection of the demolition area, but taking measurements is not required. A joint report on cleanliness must be drawn up.

Asbestos removal from bridge and yard decks

The removal method of asbestos-containing structures from bridge and yard decks is decided on the basis of the structure. 

The work method required for the removal of friable asbestos is determined on the basis of the removal method and dust control required for the work.

Repairing broken asbestos structures

Broken asbestos materials that are located outside the removal site and put the safety of the site at risk must be repaired in a manner that makes it impossible for them to release asbestos. Applying coating on top of broken asbestos material is asbestos work that requires an asbestos removal licence and must be carried out using enclosures. Samples must be taken to determine the extent of the area that needs to be enclosed and the space must be decontaminated in areas where asbestos has spread. When repairing asbestos-containing pipe insulation without dismantling the structure, the removal instructions for non-friable asbestos must be followed.

Washing asbestos-containing façade coating

Washing asbestos-containing façade coating requires an asbestos removal licence if the purpose of washing is to remove asbestos-containing paint/material from the façade or if asbestos will be released during washing.

Pressure washing has been shown to release fibres from asbestos-containing cement plates at a pressure as low as 50 bar. Washing the façade coating at a pressure exceeding 50 bar constitutes asbestos work and requires an asbestos removal licence.

When washing asbestos-containing façade coating at a pressure lower than 50 bar, the work site must be delimited and the whole splash area must be protected. Signs warning of asbestos work must be placed on every side of the boundaries of the work site. Soil must be protected in such manner that the protective floor cover collects the wash water and asbestos that comes off with it.

It must be possible to drain the wash water into a sewer or into the soil through a filter in a controlled manner. If wash water is drained into soil, the surface soil at the drainage point must always be decontaminated after the work ends. Surface soil must be removed and packed as asbestos waste. Protective covers must always be washed after the work is finished. Leaving protective covers contaminated overnight is prohibited.

Disposable protective clothing must be used while working. Waterproof clothing can be worn under the protective clothing. At least a half face respirator with a class P2 filter must be used. The employer must ensure that the protective equipment is suitable for asbestos work. The filters must always be plugged after finishing the work and when taking the respirator off.

Washing non-flaking coating at a pressure of under 50 bar does not constitute asbestos work and does not require such protective covers as described above or an asbestos removal licence. This requires that asbestos-containing material does not come loose.

Other method

As new technology develops, methods other than those listed above can be used in asbestos removal work. The precondition for the use of a different method is that safety can be guaranteed at least on an equivalent level as when using permitted methods. It is not possible to deviate from the requirements for the removal work of friable asbestos.

An operator carrying out the removal work must be able to prove that the method used is at least as safe as the permitted removal methods.

Section 13 Additional requirements concerning the use of enclosures

When using the enclosure method referred to in section 12(2)(1), spreading of asbestos dust shall be prevented by isolating the exposure zone atmosphere from the surrounding working environment using at least 5 Pascal pressure difference, and at least 10 Pascal pressure difference if crocidolite is demolished. The pressure level shall be maintained by monitoring the situation with the help of a device that registers the pressure levels and sends an alarm signal when the pressure difference decreases harmfully.

Passage to the exposure zone referred to in paragraph 1 shall be arranged by barriers or other reliable means in a way that ensures that the handling of asbestos-containing materials and equipment, decontamination of workers and any other necessary measures can be carried out in a safe manner.

Guideline

When removing friable asbestos like those listed in section 12 of the Decree, the work must be carried out using enclosures where the negative pressure must be at least 10 pascal. Friable asbestos include screed, pipe insulation, magnesite, and crocidolite / spray-on asbestos.

When removing non-friable asbestos materials using the enclosure method, the pressure difference between the enclosures and the surrounding spaces must be at least 5 pascal.

The enclosure must have negative pressure and be equipped with a device for monitoring it that registers and alerts if it detects a harmful change in pressure. The worker must be able to detect the alert for the loss of negative pressure inside the enclosure through an alarm light, an alarm sound, or in another reliable way.

The sections of the enclosure must be sufficiently spacious for the worker to decontaminate themselves and dress up as well as for removing waste from the enclosure. The minimum size requirements for the enclosure are approx. 1.2 m2 / section and at least 1.8 m in height.

More information on the use of the enclosure method is stated in section 12 of the Decree.

Section 14 Use of personal protective equipment and testing their operation

The employer shall make sure that the asbestos workers use disposable protective clothing and personal protective equipment that are suitable for asbestos removal work and meet the relevant requirements.

In an enclosed space for asbestos removal work, workers shall use powered respiratory protective devices incorporating full face masks. A worker demolishing crocidolite shall use a compressed air breathing apparatus with full face mask.

The worker shall fit test the respiratory protective equipment before each use.

All asbestos work where compliance with the limit value laid down in section 3a, subsection 1 of the Decree requires the use of a respirator that seals to the face, the sealing and fit to the face must be tested before first use, whenever operating conditions change, and at least once per year thereafter. The fit test is performed with the worker wearing the respirator using a quantitative method, either controlled negative pressure (CNP) or ambient particle counting (APC) or other method brought about by technological development to produce an equally reliable measurement result. The test results must be documented.

The employer must determine regular breaks in the use of the respirators used in asbestos work with sufficient precision. In this case, the type and duration of the work, the special characteristics of the work site and the workload as well as the type of protective equipment used must be taken into account.

Guideline

Only disposable protective clothing is allowed for asbestos removal work. Asbestos removal workers must wear respirators that are suitable for the work, compliant with the requirements and regulations, and that have been fit tested.

When non-friable asbestos are handled using the enclosure method, workers should wear a full face, air powered respirator with a class P3 filter.

When removing friable asbestos, workers must wear a full face respirator with a compressed air breathing apparatus. 

The employer must make sure that the workers know how to check the fit of the respirator and that they always carry out a fit test using the available means every time before entering the exposure area.

When subsection 4 enters into force on 21 December 2026, the amendment will also apply to asbestos work which requires wearing a respirator that seals to the face to prevent exposure. The requirement means that the fit of the respirator must be tested by measurements; the fit must also be tested before the first use of a new respirator, when the operating conditions change, and at the maximum interval of no more than one year. Changes in the operating conditions also include changes in the area where the mask seals to the face that affect the airtightness of the respirator. In this case, the respirator must be fit tested again. Until the new requirement comes into force on 21 December 2026, the requirements for the respirator’s fit testing follow what is laid down in current legislation.

Employers must determine the intervals for regular breaks from wearing the respirator. Determining the interval of breaks should be based on the risk of the work, the requirements concerning the work load, and the type of respirator used in the work. In heavy-duty work with high dust generation, operating breaks must be sufficiently frequent.

The Government Decree on the Selection and Use of Personal Protective Equipment (427/2021) contains provisions on breaks in the use of personal protective equipment. If necessary, the employer must determine the intervals for regular breaks from wearing the respirator in the safety plan. More information on the page Personal protective equipment at work.

Section 14 a Use of work equipment and testing their operation

The employer shall ensure that the capacity of the filters on the air handling equipment and filters used for the protection and decontamination of the workers and for preventing asbestos dust from spreading is sufficient to ensure that no more than 0.01 fibres per cubic centimetre of asbestos dust can spread to the clean areas of the site. The filtration performance shall be tested using ambient particle counting before the air handling equipment is used in the work, in connection with any changes affecting the filtration performance, and at least once a year thereafter.

Maintenance and other service aimed at ensuring the proper operation of the air handling equipment shall be recorded in the maintenance log. A statement on the filtration performance testing shall be provided in the maintenance log.

Work equipment shall be kept safe through regular maintenance and servicing. Work equipment shall be cleaned up after their use before they are taken into use again.

Guideline

The employer must ensure that the air handling equipment used in asbestos work functions correctly. (Air handling equipment refers to the vacuum cleaner for clothing, high-power vacuum cleaner, negative pressure unit, other air purifiers, and local exhaust ventilation used for the cleaning and decontamination of workers and air as well as for handling ventilation and negative pressure).

A test must be carried out using a method that relies on ambient particle counting before the first use of a new air handling unit and at least once per year after that. The unit’s operation must also always be checked when such changes occur that could affect the filtration performance of the air handling unit, e.g. when the fine mesh filter is replaced. The purpose of the measurement is to ensure the filtration performance of the device and to eliminate the possibility of leaks. Any measurements taken after 21 December 2025 must comply with the procedure laid down in the Decree.

Maintenance and cleaning of the air handling unit must be recorded in the unit’s maintenance log. A report on the measurements taken from the air handling unit must also be stated in the maintenance log.

The air handling equipment used in asbestos removal work must always be maintained and cleaned in the service space intended for asbestos work equipment each time the work finishes, when necessary, and before using the equipment at a new asbestos removal site.

Section 15 Ensuring the cleanliness of the exposure area and its safe use later

After the asbestos removal work has been completed, the employer shall ensure that the exposure zone has been carefully cleaned up of asbestos and asbestos-containing material.

After the site has been cleaned up, the employer shall ensure that the air of the exposure zone does not contain more than 0.01 asbestos fibres per cubic centimetre of air by measuring. The provisions laid down in section 3a, subsections 2–4 shall apply to the test result and fibre count.

The employer who carried out the asbestos removal work and the developer who contracted the work shall together draw up a document where the cleanliness of the site is verified and any observations concerning further use of the site are indicated.

The provisions in this section regarding employers shall also apply to self-employed persons operating in a shared workplace referred to in section 49 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Guideline

After removal work using the enclosure method finishes, the surfaces of the removal area must be cleaned and the air in the enclosure decontaminated. The cleanliness of the enclosure must be ensured by aggressive air sampling, and a joint report confirming the cleanliness must be drawn up before the enclosures and the enclosed space are dismantled.

During the cleanliness check, it must be ensured that all asbestos-containing materials have been removed from the area. The air and surfaces of the space must be decontaminated and dust-free, and it must be ensured that no asbestos or asbestos-containing material has been left in the area that would cause risk in the further use of the space.

Aggressive air sampling is carried out in the enclosed space under negative pressure after circulating the air. The surfaces are brushed twice, always with a clean brush. The second brushing is done 20 minutes after the first. The average measuring time is 45 minutes. The collector filter is placed at a height of 1.5 m from the floor in front of the negative pressure unit. Approximately 500–700 litres of air is collected through the filter. The sample should be collected on e.g. a 0.2 micron polycarbonate filter to get a reliable result. The details of the measuring location, time and date, the person taking the measurements, and the collected air volumes are recorded. The collector of the air sample is enclosed and sent for analysis. More instructions for the measurements are given in section 12 of the Decree.

The analysis is carried out using the method that provides the most reliable result: using an electron microscope and an attached material analyser / as has been stipulated in the Decree.

After the result of the air measurement analysis proves that the asbestos fibre concentration in the space does not exceed 0.01 fibres/cm3, the enclosures may be dismantled and the space handed over to the client. If the fibre concentration exceeds 0.01 fibres, the space must be cleaned again and a new air quality test must be carried out.

When asbestos removal work is carried out using enclosures, a report on the analysis of the air sample that indicates that the space is clean and the monitoring data of the negative pressure must be included in the joint report prepared on the handover of the space.

Ensuring the cleanliness of an asbestos removal area where atmospheric isolation was not used is done through a joint inspection, and the observations and necessary details from the inspection are recorded in the joint report.

The person carrying out the measuring is required to have the vocational skills to take the samples needed and to assess them. The sampling, analysis and evaluation of samples should be carried out by an external expert, if necessary.

Ensuring the cleanliness of the asbestos removal site is the joint responsibility of the employer in charge of the removal work and the general contractor if the construction site is shared. The cleanliness of the area must be checked together and any details that could affect the safety of the further use of the space should be recorded in the handover document, e.g. any remaining asbestos.

The contractor must also record the details of any asbestos left in the structures in the operating, service and maintenance instructions given to the end user of the space. The contractor is the person or organisation initiating the project, or other actor that directs and supervises the project, or, where none of the above exist, the client. The general contractor has the duty to ensure the safety and health of the working conditions. The clearance details must be available to the contractor, the general contractor, the party carrying out the asbestos removal work, and at the work site.

Section 16 Asbestos survey on a ship

The shipowner shall ensure that any structures of the ship containing asbestos are identified and labelled when carrying out an asbestos survey.

The person carrying out the asbestos survey shall be acquainted with asbestos, the structures of the ship and the materials used.

Guideline

The shipowner is responsible for ensuring that an asbestos survey is carried out on board the vessel and that areas that contain asbestos are marked with warning signs. Shipowner refers to the owner of the ship, the charterer of the whole ship, or any other natural or legal person who, alone or together with other persons exercises effective control on board the ship.

The shipowner must make sure that the working environment on board the ship is safe and that it causes no risk to the health of the people on board the ship. Asbestos-containing structures on the ship, such as thermal, fire and acoustic insulation, exhaust and hot pipe insulation, must be labelled with warnings. If there is a suspicion of asbestos on board, due to the nature of the work carried out on ships, a comprehensive asbestos survey must be carried out on board the ship before it may be used.

The provisions of this Decree otherwise apply to asbestos work on board ships. Finnish vessels usually do not have structures that contain asbestos. Repurposing asbestos-containing materials on board ships is, as a rule, prohibited by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea concluded in 1974 (Solas Convention, SopS 11/1981).

The person performing the asbestos survey on board the vessel must be specialised in asbestos and have knowledge of the vessel’s structures and the materials used in them.

Section 17 Asbestos work carried out on a foreign shipyard

If asbestos work has been carried out on a ship on a foreign shipyard, the shipowner shall ensure that any such spaces are cleaned up where asbestos work was carried out and to which asbestos dust may have been spread.

After the spaces have been cleaned up, the shipowner shall by measurements ensure that the air of the exposure zone does not contain more than 0.01 asbestos fibres per cubic centimetre of air.

Guideline

In connection with asbestos work carried out at a foreign shipyard, the shipowner must ensure that the premises where asbestos work was performed and where asbestos dust may have spread are sufficiently well cleaned.

After the spaces have been decontaminated, the shipowner has the responsibility to ensure that the air of the exposure area does not contain more than 0.01 asbestos fibres per cubic centimetre of air by measuring.